Baby Jack at 6 months old looking for goodies on the counter.

No curious puppy can withstand the temptation of a lovely loaf of bread on the counter; especially when that puppy is big enough to reach it. Yet lack of height hasn’t stopped many tenacious little dogs from aiming high too. Once they realize the goodies are on the counter, your average dog may turn into a genius athlete capable of climbing cabinets, leaping incredible distances, and even pushing furniture closer to the counter.   Suddenly it’s all but turned into a black ops mission – all in the name of getting an ample piece of that forbidden chocolate cake.

How do we end this bad and dangerous habit?

1. Avoid it all together. Leaving food out on the counter only sets your dog up to fail, which is a grade A no-no in dog training. It’s dangerous and simply taunts the keen nose of a dog. Put the bread, butter, oils, and other foods away so your dog isn’t rewarded for their counter curiosity.
2. Teach your dog the “Leave it” cue. Every puppy should understand the concept of: that’s not for you. “Leave it” has a very positive effect on a dog’s respect-o-meter, and a million different uses.  We venture to say it may be one of the most useful obedience commands ever.
3. Teach the “Off” cue. “Down” means lay down, “Off” means: keep your four on the floor, puppy face!
4. Teach basic obedience. When put to practical use, obedience translates to communication, respect, happy bonds and healthy boundaries.
5. Catch them in the act. Correction is effective only when you catch your dog before they have eaten the whole stick of butter.   Correct them verbally and sternly when you catch your dog counter surfing, but do not yell or run after your dog.  Dog’s like games and nothing says fun like a good romp around the kitchen island while you chase excitedly behind.
6. Redirect. If your dog shouldn’t be surfing the counters, what should they be doing?   So if you don’t want them surfing the counters, make sure you show them what you DO want them to do.  How about a fun, interactive toy or chew?   If following a stern correction with a redirection, be sure to offer the redirect in a gentle, positive and friendly tone, as if to say: I was unhappy with your counter surfing, but you playing with this toy will make me happy.
7. Feed from the dog bowl, not the counter. We fully support adding dog-healthy veggies and other foods to your dog’s diet, but feeding from the counter only says to a dog: “Hey! Lookie where the food comes from!”  Put nutritious foods in their bowl to avoid creating a beggar and counter surfer.
8. Supervise & be patient. Young dogs are scavengers by nature and our human rules make no sense to them. Keep a close eye on your young dog at all times and spend the energy to be consistent about redirecting them when they are headed for trouble. They’ll thank you for it later by giving you many wonderful years of good behavior.

There are other techniques, such as booby trapping, that are commonly used to deter even the worst counter surfers from scavenging food prep areas.  Some of these techniques work for some dogs, but they may also have unwanted side effects like irrational fears.  We highly recommend contacting a professional Dog Trainer to assess your dog’s temperament and habits before trying these techniques.  Plus, chances are good that if a dog is counter surfing, there are other manners they could work on too.   You may be pleasantly surprised at how much better life with your dog is with a professional’s guidance.

78756
78752
78751
78746
78731
78724
78723
78722
78721
78705
78704
78703
78702
78701

Don’t see your zip code here?  Feel free to contact us anyway.  Availability permitting, we may be able to provide service outside of our standard area.

An now for someone cute: