It's not just basenji's. Dogs are opportunistic. If they see something, and they are successful at getting what they want, they will repeat the process. Doesn't matter what it is. Putting a sandwich on the edge of the counter is an invitation. The first word was right-DUH!
Shaye will come sit right beside me, wherever I am eating, and keep creeping closer, not looking at me or the food - pretending even to be sleeping - but if I take my eyes off her or the food, she grabs and runs. I am training her to not sit beside me. Of course, she isn't happy about it, and tries every time anyway.
My mentors always told the story of their first Basenji, Dinka. When Marilyn's elderly Mom came to live with them, she was legally blind and had Parkinsons. Marilyn would sit her in a chair with a TV tray table in from of her and put her lunch sandwich on it… that way it was a small table and easy to feel around with her hands for the sandwich. Well one day (and this happened a few times) her Mom kept telling Marilyn "I am hungry"... and Marilyn would say "but you just ate your whole sandwich"... to which her Mom with say "I didn't eat any sandwich".....
So Marilyn took up a post to spy..... Sandwich on the TV Tray, Dinka standing in front of the TV Tray.... Mom feeling around for it with her hands.... Dinka rising up on her hind legs, takes a front paw (hand), swipes the sandwich off the plate as quiet as can be... and in one bite, its gone!
If we sit on the couch and eat something in front of the tv, all three are there. We learned not to have them around if we are actually eating a meal using tv trays. But say we have popcorn or icecream without the trays - all three sit in front of us with the saddest look on their face as if they haven't eaten in weeks. Especially the boxer. I can practically hear her say "mom, please, just a tiny peace of food… not eaten forever... so starving..." I'll have to take a picture sometime. Surprisingly enough, Lana is usually the first one to give up. By the way, is popcorn bad for dogs?
Um….seriously? Somebody needed to do a study for this...gimme a break....
Case in point...last night I said to Tim "did I put away that bag of left over chicken breasts? Did you?...Could you go check?" He comes back upstairs...and says "they weren't in the fridge....they weren't on the counter...." and we both looked at the sleeping dog on the bed...Tim says "there is an empty bag with a hole in it on the floor of the dining room...sound about right?" At least four grilled chicken breasts lost to the oldest, best trained dog in the house...sigh...
My mentors always told the story of their first Basenji, Dinka. When Marilyn's elderly Mom came to live with them, she was legally blind and had Parkinsons. Marilyn would sit her in a chair with a TV tray table in from of her and put her lunch sandwich on it… that way it was a small table and easy to feel around with her hands for the sandwich. Well one day (and this happened a few times) her Mom kept telling Marilyn "I am hungry"... and Marilyn would say "but you just ate your whole sandwich"... to which her Mom with say "I didn't eat any sandwich".....
So Marilyn took up a post to spy..... Sandwich on the TV Tray, Dinka standing in front of the TV Tray.... Mom feeling around for it with her hands.... Dinka rising up on her hind legs, takes a front paw (hand), swipes the sandwich off the plate as quiet as can be... and in one bite, its gone!
Taking advantage of the elderly - they are definitely opportunists. :rolleyes:
When my father was alive, both Ruby and Brando would lie on the floor near his seat at the table - knowing full well he'd drop something. They never actually stood up and took anything off the table though - must have been because the spot on the floor was plenty lucrative.
By the way, is popcorn bad for dogs?
Gosh I hope not.
I'd guess it's about as good for them as it is for you. Personally, I think popcorn is a suitable for dinner, but hubby thinks differently.
My 1st B, Casey, was a pro at this. A friend came over one day and brought a bunch of homemade oatmeal cookies neatly stacked on a plate. She set it down on the coffee table and I non-chalantly mentioned to her not to put it there so I moved it to the center of the table but I forgot about it.
Casey was quietly staring at those cookies for a VERY LONG time while my friend and I were chatting. And then she made her move - SWOOOSH!!! She took the biggest cookie and ran out in the backyard in less than a second! :p:eek::p Apparently she was (strategically) planning how to get that big cookie - which was located in the center of the pile. She somehow figured out how to do it while keeping the rest of cookies neatly stacked!
When we saw this, we burst out laughing and we just let her enjoy it! We thought she deserved her "reward" for being so clever and neat. We still can't figure how she managed to get that cookie in the center of that pile without toppling the rest. :D:D:D
it is normal for dogs to steal food when you are not around, in a pack in the wild it also goes this way, when the leaders finished their food and leave it the other are allowed to have it. So when you think about it , it is complete natural behaviour 
Our boys don't touch human food at home, when I put my dinner at the couch next to Buana or chaufuko they won't look up… 
Also when we aren't in the room they won't steal food from the table (thank god because they should be really fat already thanks to the cats and Ryan)
When it's on the floor, they will steal it
