Grrr why does he do this???

[eXile]

Oscar has a problem. He LOVES taking things and running. I dont get why hes does this. When i chase him he always makes a mistake whether that be going in a corner, the dead end hall or a room, i ALWAYS correct. I dont get it. What goes through his mind when hes doing this. He knows he always get a correction, why would he do it then. Like yesterday i was counting my cash for that night and i accidently dropped a 20, Oscar jumped off and swiped it. I was furious, i was telling him "OSCAR STOP NOW!!!" But he insisted on running. I was getting more mad by the second, and when he made his mistake i caught him. I yelled NO!!!, took the 20 out of his mouth and smacked him on the nose. Yes, beleive it i did. Hoping that would teach him for good but it didnt. I had a j-cloth in my hand while just cleaning up the sink and he just snatched it again. I dont know what more to do. How do i fix this? Ive tryed just totally ignoring it but he ends up stopping and ripping it up as best as he can. Guys i really need some help.

Thanx.

[Moo]

For one, don't chase him. He things it's a game that way. You may want to toss something at him, but no running after.

Try to work on a "leave it" command. Take a time slot, and drop something on the ground. Look him in the eye, Tell him leave, hold on to his collar if you have to. Praise, treats, praise treats. Do this lots. Drop lots of different things, practising leave it.

Then no worries about the running off. Preventative for the initial grab.

[eXile]

oh he knows leave it, "dont touch" i use but same thing. But thats bearly the case, if there something he can get a hold of, he will, and its not something i can just let him tear up. I mean he doesnt always do this but when he wants to feel hyper a bit, he does. If i put a treat inbetween his 2 paws and i say dont touch he wont dare touch it but when hes already got something in his mouth and running off, dont touch doesnt work.

[Moo]

Gotta be quick with the "don't touch".

Practise in situationally.

Sit in a chair, him on one side, drop something... a piece of paper or something on the other side.... Quick DON'T TOUCH. Grab his collar. Treats, treats, praise.

[Lessica Jake]

Ignore him. He's trying to get you to chase him, and it's working. Great game!! Turn your back to him. If he brings it back, praise. If he doesn't, then wait a bit and retrieve it yourself. Don't let him think that his taking things upset you. The more you react, the more fun it is for him.

[eXile]

IVe already figured that he feels its a game but if he gets a correction and even a smack in one case, why would he think its a game? God what would i do without the pleasures of owning Oscar lol

[Trace]

Wow - does he have you trained for his favourite game.

Turn your back.

[eXile]

If i turn my back, he teats it up totally. He doesnt seem to care whether i chse him or not. Ive already tryed ignoring him, he just tears it up.

[Luvit73]

Maybe you could try getting his toys , or a treat , and dropping it , letting him have it - praise for running off with a toy , discipline for running off with anything else . If he likes the game that much - teaching him what he can and cannot take might be worth it .

[HeartSong]

Yep, just as others have said, I can tell you what is going through his head.

"Hmm, I'm bored. Oh, I know I can start a game . . ."

*Runs up, grabs whatever your attention is on."

"Woohoo, look! It worked, I'm being chased. What a fun game! We're all having fun. . . uh-oh dead end! I'm in trouble."

*You grab object, scold, tap nose."

"Darn, I got in trouble for going into a dead end. We were all happy until I made that mistake. I have to do better next time. Maybe if I keep running with the object longer then I won't get in trouble."

So you know ignoring doesn't work. You know that scolding doesn't work. Time to try out different things to see what does work. You say he already knows "don't touch" but he might only know that in a situation were he is already not touching it. Once it is in his mouth, the "don't touch" doesn't work because it means something different from "drop it". Get a toy or something of his and teach him "hold it" or "take it" then once he has it in his mouth, teach him "drop it" or "let go".

What does he know already? If he knows "sit", tell him sit whe he takes something instead of "no". If he knows come, say that. Only say it in a normal voice not a loud or angry one. If those don't work, how about saying something that he knows that is fun like "treat/ cookie", "toy" or "want outside?" something like that might distract him giving him something fun to do besides keep away.