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Does your dog steal your baby’s toys, diapers, pacifiers, or clothes? Sometimes you get lucky and your dog magically KNOWS not to touch the baby's toys. But, if you’re like most, you need a strategy for keeping your baby's stuff out of your dog's mouth, and your dog out of harm's way.
Dogs steal baby items for predictable reasons - novel smells, boredom, and the attention that chasing them earns - and the fix is a mix of training (Leave It and Drop cues) and management (gates and separate zones), not punishment.
Expert tip: Your dog may protect a stolen toy from your child or you. Many dogs, who are protective of their toys or items they consider valuable from other dogs, will show the same protective behavior from young children. If your dog stiffens, freezes, or growls over a stolen item when your child approaches, don't reach for it - trade for a treat at a distance, and treat it as a sign to work with a certified trainer on resource guarding before it involves your baby.
Dogs are natural scavengers — a baby brings a lot of new and organic smells that are exciting to your dog.
Scavenging is a survival mechanism and an instinct that’s strong in most dogs. Introducing a baby to your house can potentially trigger your dog’s scavenger tendencies in new ways.
Many baby items can be stimulating for your dog, or even mistaken for food. Here’s a list of common baby items that can be uncontrollably enticing for your dog:
1. No squeaky toys for your child if your dog is obsessed with squeaky toys.
2. Watch out for possible choking hazards. Some baby items look like toys, some have small pieces (e.g., a chew necklace made out of silicone beads or teddy bear eyes) that could be a choking hazard or cause intestinal blockage.
3. If your dog steals wooden toys and chews on them, get them their own chew! Check out the various chews in my Amazon store for inspiration.
4. Teach your dog “Leave It” and "Drop" cues. Not sure how? Watch this short training of me teaching 6-month-old Rosie the Leave It cue. Watch this video to see how I teach Daisy to Drop while playing tug-of-war.
5. Teach your dog which toys are his/hers through redirection. Be consistent.
6. Gates gates gates! Go to Dog Meets Baby Amazon Store to check out gates recommended by me, my clients, and my followers:
I have the wooden version of this long gate from Toddleroo, seen in the picture below (the wooden version is now discontinued). It is more pricey but very sturdy, looks great, and has been one of the best baby-dog related purchases. My kids are 6 and we still use it daily. In the last two years, mostly to keep their projects, Lego constructions, drawings, and toys safe from Lola and other dogs who stay with us. They call it their ‘office'. Find a similar product here.
7. Baby toys in baby-only zones and dog toys in dog-only zones. Watch this video from the Pre-Mobile Baby Course on setting up a baby-only zone.
8. Keep the most tempting toys out of reach if your dog is only interested in certain types of toys.
9. No stuffed or plush toys for your dog to help your dog distinguish. Easier done when you have a puppy.
10. Create designated spaces for dogs and kids.
Pre-Baby Expert Tip: Don't leave the activity mat out all the time, especially if you are not home and can't stop your dog from going on it.
The clips in this reel are from the Preparation Course where I cover how to create baby and dog zones, and how to teach your dog to stay in their zone and not approach the baby’s zones.
Nervous that your dog is going to trample your baby trying to get to a toy without even realizing it?
Teach your dog that baby space is off-limits by practicing the Leave It cue, redirecting, teaching your dog to stay on their bed, and body blocking. This way everything that is in the baby's space is off-limits. Here is my simple and effective way to train Go to Bed. Waffles is an 8-month-old easily distractable puppy and this method worked like charm.
Playing with toys is a great outlet for dogs and a great bonding exercise. Having the rules for toy play and implementing them before the baby arrives will set your dog up for success.
If you and your dog like to play rough with toys or you have a ball-obsessed dog, set up play scenarios that prevent your dog from being mouthy, jumpy, or grabby near your baby. Cues like ‘drop,’ ‘leave it,’ ‘back up,’ and ‘stay’ can make play situations more controlled, calmer and safer. Or you can manage by playing in a different space from your child.
The flirt pole is my go-to toy for exercising my dog when I don’t have much time. I have tested all three flirt poles and I like each one of them for different reasons.
If you have a tiny dog, you can use a cat wand toy or a dog wand toy.
So your dog is standing there with the pacifier. Whatever you do, don't chase - remember, many dogs care less about the item and much more about you chasing them. Chasing turns stealing into the best game in the house.
Instead: stay calm, grab a treat or one of their own toys, and trade up. If you've practiced the "Drop" cue, this is its moment. If the item is dangerous (small parts, medication, anything toxic), trade fast and call your vet if any of it is missing.
If your dog gets, consumes, or destroys one of these things, don’t panic; it’s no different than your dog eating food you accidentally left at their level or (easily) accessible. Depending on the culprit, you can resolve the situation 1 of 2 ways:
1) You may monitor the dog at home and your dog may have an upset tummy for a day or two.
2) You may need to rush your dog to the ER for emergency surgery, to induce vomiting or stomach pumping, fluids, and overnight monitoring.
In a poll, my followers on Instagram have shared an impressive list of baby and toddler items their dogs have ingested:
This is not an exhaustive list! Always check with your veterinarian immediately if you have any concerns.
Dr. Lisa Lippman, DVM, shares many useful tips on her Instagram account.
You can also check out our free guide on Toddler Foods Toxic to Dogs here.
While many dogs attempt to steal baby’s toys, there are many ways to stop them from doing it, through training, redirecting them to their toys and chew toys and management.
In my book, management is equally good, you don’t always have to train!
But if you enjoy the training, subscribe to my YouTube Channel where I share short training videos with easy-to-follow steps.
Why does my dog steal my baby's toys?
Baby toys look like dog toys (or better), they're new, they carry enticing smells once a baby has touched them — and many dogs learn that grabbing baby items wins your attention, because you chase them.
How do I stop my dog from taking baby items?
Combine training and management: teach Leave It and Drop cues, redirect your dog to their own toys, use gates to create baby-only and dog-only zones, and keep the most tempting items out of reach.
Should I chase my dog when it steals something?
No — for many dogs the chase is the reward. Trade up with a treat or their own toy, and train the Drop cue so stolen items come back without a game of keep-away.
What should I do if my dog swallows a baby item?
Call your veterinarian immediately, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 (US). Ingested items can cause intestinal blockage requiring emergency surgery; vitamin D, ibuprofen, and some essential oils are toxic to dogs even in small amounts.
Online resources to help your baby and dog get along—right from the start and as they grow up together.
