Nothing In The Home Is Safe From This 'Kleptomaniac' Australian Shepherd

Only the cutest of animals can get away with stealing whatever strikes their fancy. Barney is one such cute critter. In a charming TikTok video that's been viewed more than 23,000 times, this 2-year-old Australian shepherd takes just about anything he can get his mouth on, including shoes, socks, notebooks, underwear, hair ties, cups, and paper bags, along with high-value items such as wallets, cellphones, and AirPods. "My Aussie is a kleptomaniac" is emblazoned across the opening of the video.

@thebarnstable

My Aussie is a kleptomaniac 😅 #australianshepherd #doghumor

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"Asked for a herding dog and got a hoarding dog," one viewer of the video observed. Many commenters described their own thieving Aussie shepherds, who swipe items such as lip balms, candies, and credit cards. "The AirPods omg mine does that too," one wrote. 

Another shared, "We also have Shep the [k]lepto Aussie ... shoes, a hammer, pen, makeup, screwdriver, inhaler, socks, my phone! Like you we just wait for what is next ... we shout 'give me that back' & he's off like a bullet." One person succinctly summed up the reality of living with this particular breed of dog: "When you own an Aussie...nothing is really yours."

A considerable number of dogs steal underwear, socks, and other clothes from the laundry hamper that carry a whiff of their owner. Dogs have a keen sense of smell, and the odor of their favorite humans can be enjoyable and even comforting to them. This canine sense of smell is so incredible that dogs can smell things that humans can't, such as thunderstorms, bed bugs, pregnancy, invasive plant species, explosives, and cancer. Humans have around 5 million scent receptors in our noses, while cats have 200 million, and dogs have a truly impressive 300 million.

Of course, sometimes a dog steals household items just because it's fun — and the theft usually provokes a reaction from the owner, turning the thievery into what the dog perceives as a merry chase around the house. The furry little robber may enjoy all the attention from their owner, even if the owner is simply trying to retrieve a stolen item before it's covered in dog slobber and punctured by canine teeth.

Want to read about another adorable doggo whose favorite hobby is thieving? Check out Duke, a senior golden retriever who steals items from around the house.