Black lurcher steals food and won't stay off the bed

Hi folks

I hope someone can help me.

I have a beautiful, intelligent 2 year old black lurcher named Max. He is a near perfect family pet. He's playful and gentle with my 5 year old son and we love having him live with us.

The problem is he won't stop stealing food and he insists on jumping on the bed no matter how much we tell him off for doing it.

Does anyone know how I can stop or at least manage this behaviour?

Thanks

Marc

Hi, ive had lurchers for years and in a lurcher you have a genius at work in the form of being a thief, now if you take that on board and do not leave temptation lying around then.job done, on the jumping on beds for me its so easy if your bedroom.door is shut then i ask you this! How can he get onto the bed through a shut door? Now as my two lurchers are getting older i do now let them onto my bed but never when young as they always had their own place they could call their own.. Best of luck.

My lurcher jumps up on the bed so we're getting him a crate.

I made a tent during some storms for him to sleep in and he stayed their all night. so he has somewhere to feel save as he does it because he's worried.

Mine still steals stuff now and then, but I've found being stern but positive ie no smacking. Has worked quite well.

As to the stealing, I agree with lurcerman, in general they are thieves so its up to you not to leave food it can get at. As to jumping on the bed, most sight hounds like comfort and if they can get to a comfortable spot they will. Not sure that keeping the door closed would always help though, my friends had a superb Lurcher that taught himself how to open most doors, they had to fit child proof catches around their kitchen, and change all their door handles to knobs. He was a wonderful dog though.

tee hee! the little sneak..... you can get those red cans that make a hissy noise, to deter dogs from stealing or getting up on the bed or whatever... but your problem is probably when you aren't there. I have heard some people say that those things are so effective with some dogs that just the sight of the can is enough to put them off... might be worth a go.

I've fitted locks to my food cupboard as my whippet went through a phase of stealing chocolate from it, Bless him, he would hide the wrapper in his bed, which is both sneaky and a bit dim. I've decided never to have a lethal amount of chocolate around, just in case! To stop counter surfing i hid and waited for him to try it and roared "bad dog!" at him, which did the trick, but i still make sure nothing is out.

Mine can do door knobs as well as handles, he will just go to the comfiest/warmest spot in the house, i've given up trying to stop him. He once hurt his tail quite badly squeezing through an interior catflap to get upstairs! At my folks house i just make sure the other rooms are shut and leave mine open... maybe leave a scruffy blanket on one bed for him? (is that a bit soft?)

good luck!