Counter surfing...I'm pulling my hair out!

[Ritz459]

am at a total loss of what to do. Chloe has an extreamly bad habit of begging for food...and if that food isn't guarded, so much the better. She has been pulling stuff off of our kitchen table and countertops almost non-stop. Even non-food things that she may think is food are at a risk.

I'm frusterated with her and my mom is about ready to skin me alive (not literally, but still) because she didn't want an inside dog to begin with for this very reason.

I've scolded her when she jumps up onto the table so now she won't do it if my full attention is on her, but if it isn't she still jumps up; which I was expecting, but I would hope it would work anyways. An aversive is only as good as its threat and if I'm not watching her I impose no threat. (Thus the dog doesn't bark when the no-bark collar is on, but take the collar off and wah-lah! you have a barking dog agian.)

I've read that shake cans would be a way to try to get her to stop, but she is so random at what she grabs that I can't just tie one to one thing, I would have to have a billion shake cans tied to a billion things, and that wouldn't be fun. Funny, but not fun. And besides that, I really don't want her to be scared of sudden loud noises. I'm trying to get her to overcome her shyness, not add to it.

I've had people tell me that it is shame on me for having food on the counter and the table...but isn't that what a table and a counter is for? To put food on? And if we ever have a cook out or we take her someplace for a holiday, I want to be able to trust her around the food on the tables.

So, what to do? I'm almost desperate enough that I've thought of buying one of those indoor invisible fences so everytime she walks withen two feet of the table and counters she'll be zapped. But I know that wouldn't be fixing the problem, just covering it up.

Any advice on how to stop counter surfing before I lose my mind?

It is at moments like this that I question my sanity of bringing home a puppy.

[roman]

How about a scat matt?
you can put it infront of the table and counters. It is mainly used for couches and stuff but i think it would work good for the table and counter greatly.

petsmart.com sells them

[SpringerLover]

Seriously, don't allow her acccess. She's still young, keep her on a leash, keep her engaged or keep her crated.

My dogs still get put away if we're doing major cooking because I never had the CHANCE to teach them proper behaviors. It was backtrack time, and we've made enough progress so we can live with the dogs.

So, confine her, don't allow her to "succeed" and praise her when she starts THINKING about NOT jumping up.

[Rivsky]

I agree with not allowing her access to it as well - would be the ideal solution.

Have you taught her the "leave it" command yet? Maybe you should try keeping some really tasty treats on hand and when she starts to show interest in something on the counter tell her to leave it and the moment she looks away from it reward her. The theory is that by doing this your dog will think all good things come from you so you tell them to leave it and they'll instantly look to you for something better than whatever it is they were sniffing.

[mom2cocoa]

I agree with the others, do not allow her access to the kitchen. It is becoming more of a habit for her everytime she does it. Can you put up baby gates to keep her out of the kitchen?

I sure hope your mom continues to allow her in the house, where all dogs should be.

[IceyBlueSibes]

Originally Posted by mom2cocoa

I agree with the others, do not allow her access to the kitchen. It is becoming more of a habit for her everytime she does it. Can you put up baby gates to keep her out of the kitchen?

This was going to be my suggestion. My guys have counter surfed from time-to-time. However, it was always when we were gone. They were also notorious for getting into the trash. Even if it had a lid on it, they'd resort to knocking the entire can over. Like I said, this was only ever when we were gone or asleep.

So we have resorted to keeping the kitchen blocked off, with the trash can behind the "gates". We don't have a baby gate, but we've used the dividers pieces from crates we had. The two of them together are just long enough for the width we need blocked. However we'd like to get a baby gate (the accoridian type) in the future so we can make it so the cats can still get in.

But I agree with the others. Either keep her leashed to you, or crate her. But, if neither of those I'd just resort to using a babygate to block off the kitchen.

[Ritz459]

I sure hope your mom continues to allow her in the house, where all dogs should be.

I'm sure she will, but it is just frusterating for all of us.

We can't block off our kitchen area easily...it is an open archway space, so we would need to get a custom made baby gate. And then with all of the traffic that flows through our kitchen (which is the only way to get to the back part of our house) it isn't practical. I think my mom would be more mad at me for her having to step over or un latch a baby gate 2000 times day than Chloe counter surfing. lol Also, if we block off the kitchen, then we will have to move her food and water dishes, and no where else downstairs is practical to put them. They'd be getting spilled and steped on by everyone walking around and the kids roughhousing.

This stealing/begging behavior was firmly established when we got her. She was born and raised outside, but they would feed the puppies table scraps and I'm sure to amuse themselves they would hunt out food in trashcans, etc. Chloe thinks bugs and rabbits are the best toys in the world as well.

She doesn't know what "leave it" means, but she responds to "off" excellently. If she jumps up and we tell her off she'll get off...but getting her to not jump up in the first place is the hard part.

My main trick with her is that I play with her until she wants to lay down by the door and rest...and then we all stay quiet until she wakes up again, and then we play with her. That way, she is either playing or sleeping. LOL And if I'm too distracted to watch her, she does go outside in her kennel with lots of yummy bones to chew on.

[mom2cocoa]

If you do for some reason decide to use baby gates, Drs. Foster and Smith sells very large ones for more open areas.

[Ritz459]

Originally Posted by mom2cocoa

If you do for some reason decide to use baby gates, Drs. Foster and Smith sells very large ones for more open areas.

I love the idea of the baby gates, just having something there just isn't...."practical", for lack of better word.
Is there any other way I can barricade the kitchen (or part of) without using a baby gate? (Some type of dog "repellant" lol.)

[oc_spirit]

Have you tried the mouse trap technique? Works really well for teaching a dog to stay out of the trash can and sometimes works for counter surfers too depending on how the technique is executed. Sometimes the dog figure out that when the trap is there he had better stay down, but when its gone the area is safe for hopping up...I've heard of people having great success with motion sensors but I can understand you not wanting to use one because of her already shy tendencies

[trainingrixie]

we did the mouse trap technique like oc suggested. we used it on shelby when she found out that there is yummy stuff in the garbage! we put a cookie sheet on the garbage with a trap on top so if she tried to get in there, it'd go off. worked like a charm for shelby, but not so much for trixie. with trixie i just kept her on a leash and if she attempted anything naughty, i just used a quick little collar correction and she is fine now.

[Ritz459]

Thanks all for the tips. I'm going to try to figure out a way that we can block of the kitchen (or at least the table) and I'm also going to try to boobytrap some items...we'll see how it goes.

[sammy]

I have an aussie and they are notorious counter surfers. Any food left within reach and unattended will be eaten. She didn't use to be too bad but stupid me left out a few irresistable items that she got and now the behavior is ingrained.

Keep in mind that dogs aren't moral, they do what works. If going on the counters earns them a big reward then that's what they'll do. If you are there to scold them , they learn not to go on the counters in your presence but to a dog, it's not the same situation when they are alone. Dogs don't generalise.

I never bothered with booby traps and things that make loud noises- my counter surfer is pretty fearless and I know it wouln't work.

My kitchen is U-shaped and I did put down a green tape line and taught the dogs not to come inside it. (rewarded her for lying politely just outside the line in kitchen) That keeps her further away from temptation but it's not fool proof.

Keep you counters and table free of food unless you are there to supervise. If you have to leave food out- crate the dog. It's actually not a big deal if you get in the habit. It's probably better not to leave food out anyway. If I am preparing a meal and have to go to another room I have the dog come with me so she's not left alone with access.

[dogs_rox]

do not let her get away with tht sort of behaviour or it might become a habit. everytime she does that scold her sternly and tell her to retreat to her crate and stay there. also it is imp not to give her scraps and leftovers. they can be added to her food but must not be given at other times

[IceyBlueSibes]

Originally Posted by dogs_rox

do not let her get away with tht sort of behaviour or it might become a habit. everytime she does that scold her sternly and tell her to retreat to her crate and stay there. also it is imp not to give her scraps and leftovers. they can be added to her food but must not be given at other times

A crate should never be used as a punishment (I know you already know that Ritz).

Just as everyone said, correcting her while she does it may only teach her to do it while the owner is present. If the owner is not there, it's a totally different story.

But I'd never use a dogs crate as punishment. That's teaching the dog that crate=punishment. You want crate=best place in the world