Lab stealing food

[Emma_1]

Hi everyone, this is my first post on this forum but I need help
I have a 7 year old labrador Bella and alright we love her indefinitely she is a nightmare with stealing food. Im sure she knows that she is being naughty as she only does it when nobody is around like at night or when everyone is out but she will raid the bin, anything on the counters is gone, she opens sealed packets of stuff even wrapped up presents that are edible(in taped shut gift bags too!) get destroyed and she eats the wrappers too and nothing that we try to teach her is working. Of course I try my best to not leave anything about but it seems she just finds new ways and places to pinch things from.
I really do love her to the moon and back and would be lost without her so I am very concerned for her health because of the amount of chocolate and other non dog-friendly foods she is eating, and all the plastic wrappers she ingests!
This is almost becoming a nightly occurrence, and when she eats food like this, she leaks urine whilst she is asleep. We have had lots of tests done and many urine samples about toys by the vet and they say it is very diluted and that it is normal but it is still worrying to see. We do have medication for this that stops it now.
She is truly the best dog ever and is great with everything else especially the obedience training/tricks etc that I do with her but I’m reluctant to do training sessions and give her more treats when she has been up all night eating, well anything she can get her paws on
Any help would be very much appreciated, I just really don’t know how else I can prevent this

 

[JudyN]

I'm afraid it really does come down to upping your game when it comes to making food inaccessible. Google for dog-proof bins or put the bin in a room she can't access, put ALL food, including sealed food, in cupboards, or another room, or the fridge, or in a large box with a lid she can't get open - whatever it takes. It needs to become second nature, so you can instantly spot anything your dog can reach.

 

[Emma_1]

I'm afraid it really does come down to upping your game when it comes to making food inaccessible. Google for dog-proof bins or put the bin in a room she can't access, put ALL food, including sealed food, in cupboards, or another room, or the fridge, or in a large box with a lid she can't get open - whatever it takes. It needs to become second nature, so you can instantly spot anything your dog can reach.

Yeah I was thinking that’s all we could do to be honest. We’ve done the typical leave it and drop training but she doesn’t do it when we are around so we never catch her aha
I will look into a dog proof bin, I haven’t heard of that before thanks!

 

[JoanneF]

I have a bin that has a lock, it's by a company called Simple Human. I've never used the lock but I imagine it would work well.

 

[Tinytom]

She sounds like a typical labrador...could she be hungry and that's why she is looking for food at night ....maybe a snack before bed ...
Living with lurchers all my life you know not to leave anything around food wise and my bin loves in the utility room

 

[Ken Thomas]

if you have the green food recycle bins pull the handle forward ane it will lock.