Doggy Kleptomaniacs

You can't teach an old dog a new trick, right? Wrong. Particularly if it's a bat habit he's learning from a puppy in the throes of adolescence. Recently I made the mistake of reaching into the cat's bowl to grab a hand full of kibble to use as training treats. Apparently at least one dog took note. Luke has begun getting up on his hind legs to investigate the platform on the scratching post where we keep Kacey's food bowl. Strangely, he doesn't seem too interested in stealing her kibble. Instead he knocks her bowl of water onto the floor or steals the small plastic bowls in which we put her daily treats such as cream, or small bits of steak or hamburger. If Luke spots one of these bowls on the scratching post, he checks to see if anyone is looking, stands on his stubby hind legs, and pokes around the platforms with his nose. Unfortunately for him, the sound of his collar clinking against the bowl gives him away. He has learned he gets yelled at or receives a swat on the rump or muzzle if he's caught, so he now has the good sense to past a guilty look on his face as he scuttles away. Also unfortunate is the fact the Bo has now joined in the game. This morning he stole one of Kacey's bowls and squirreled it away somewhere. I'm waiting for it to turn up, chewed to bits. Meanwhile, I think it's time to move the scratching post and food bowls somewhere where I can keep an eye on them.