Thievery

Mickey's previous owner warned us that he would counter-surf when no one was looking, but we had no idea how determined to eat people food this dog actually was. 

Week 1
In week 1 we are mindful about counters but we don't know that he can (and will) snatch food right off our high dining room table if we turn our backs on it. The tally:

• Half of a bagel with cream cheese. Stella set her plate on the table and walked back to the kitchen to get a glass of milk. Mickey leapt up, snatched one of the halves, and apparently swallowed it whole. I ran over to him and said "drop it!" very sternly. By the time I got to him there was nothing left to drop.
• A portion of a cheese plate intended for a visiting friend.

Week 2
We are trying to be smarter but with a small kitchen and a crowded table it is hard to keep things out of the reach of a persistent dog at all times.

• In a moment he will doubtless remember fondly for the rest of his time with us, he found an unguarded chicken thigh within reach on the dining room table. I jumped up and tried to grab him, but he eluded me. You could just see the wheels turning in his greedy brain: if she can't catch me, she can't make me drop it. Run, self, run!
• He actually ate that chicken thigh twice, because he barfed it up 10 minutes later and then gobbled down the vomit. Dogs are strange beasts.
• He also ate another portion of another cheese plate intended for more visiting friends. He doesn't understand why we get to eat all the cheese.

Week 3
We have figured out that we need to be vigilant. Anything interesting gets pushed way back out of reach. Mickey responds not with acquiescence and better manners but with the wildest desperation. The damage so far:

• The leftover kale chips. He knocked the plastic container onto the floor and snarfed up the remainder, licking enthusiastically at the dribs and drabs of olive oil and salt left behind.
• Carrot cake. He stuck his head in the corner of the 9 x 13 pan containing the remains of a carrot cake, and licked frantically at the crumbs until he was caught.

I have never known a dog that would go out of his way to steal kale chips. Or carrot cake.