# How do you stop counter surfing and food snatching!?!?



## Millie'sMom (Sep 7, 2012)

I had a confirmed pizza thief. The only time she would ever go up on the counter was when I had just brought home a pizza. She was also smart enough to wait until I was not watching to swipe it. I put a set mouse trap on top of the box, so when she pulled it, the mouse trap popped and scared her, and she has never touched the pizza again. If you try this, please make sure that the trap will not snap on the puppy.


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## Wendi (Jul 2, 2012)

I filled an empty can with rocks, when she tried to pull something off the counter it fell, made a loud noise and that was the end of taking things off the counter for her. She doesn't take the towels I hang from the drawer any longer either.


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## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

When Maddie was little (a few weeks ago) she would take things off the counter. I started by moving anything interesting far back on the counter as I could and then blocking it in with something that would be annoying (but not dangerous) if it fell on the ground. 

Whenever she was caught, at first I would yell at her and then put her in her crate. Later, all I had to do was look at her and she would freeze, holding the item in her mouth. Then I put her in her crate without saying a word. 

She's nine month's old now and doesn't counter surf anymore (of course, that could change). 

Our previous dog, Amber, was so miserable when separated from people that when she stole a pie crust I had just made from the counter, putting her on a six foot leash outside and no one speaking to her for a full 20 minutes as they walked by was the ultimate punishment. 

Not sure how bad a problem you have. If I felt the dog didn't care what I did, I might up the ante by setting up something that smelled good but had some nasty repercussions of some sort, something a little too hot (a baked potato) or something with cayenne on it. Nothing to harm the dog, but something to get its attention.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I put a baby gate up for several months and she was never allowed in the kitchen. I removed it and she never counter surfed. I am pretty sure it is because she never got to practice the behavior.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I would never use a crate to punish a behavior. Not if you want that crate to be a positive place for the dog... vs doggy jail! 

Our guys don't counter surf.... within reason (I'm not ready to leave a plate on a low table yet around our pup, but he's learning to lay quietly on the couch until I'm done eating and put the plate on the floor for him and his brother).

You really need to get back to training "no leave it" and "off". And you need to tighten up house rules.

Food away from the edge of tables and counters. 

No food in low spots right now unless you can actively follow through and prevent theft. 

No handouts while you are eating - EVER.

Train.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Bella put her paws on the counter at least a dozen times over a period of 2-3 days once she realized she could reach. I'm guessing 4.5 - 5 months. I honestly can't remember exactly. Anyway....after telling her "off" and "leave it" for two days, I got fed up, grabbed a water bottle that happened to be sitting within reach, and gave her a good dousing. To my knowledge, she has not jumped up on the counter since. 

The kitchen is one of two rooms that she has free roam for most of the day. Of course, we also use common sense, and don't leave food too close to the edge of the counter.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

Bear was a master counter surfer. She even managed to get a loaf of bread once that was pushed way back on top on the microwave! She would contort her body and then use her tongue to get those last few inches.
Funny thing was if I was in the kitchen with her she'd show no interest in anything. She'd wait until I left and hang back in the kitchen.
For me, I ended up just never leaving anything on the counter. I kind of like I, my kitchen is now small so having clear counters helps make it look bigger.
Also good because my new trouble maker kittens will tare into any bag of anything left on the counter!


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## Vinnie's Mom (Jun 9, 2012)

My Vinnie is counter surfer. He will actually bypass food to steal a dish rag. He's 9 1/2 months old and we're still trying to break him of that.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## KatieBlue'sMidnightSky (Feb 22, 2011)

My 2 girls never counter surfed. I don't know why...maybe because they were never given the opportunity when young?? I can't explain it. Wish I could give you the secret to it. If it were on the coffee table, or on your lap, my first golden would try to steal it ~ but that behavior didn't start until she was 4. Weird, ha?! Current girl was taught a "leave it" command from and early age, and it's about 99% reliable. We practiced making her wait for her own food after we set it down too, building up the time. Now, she could be put in a down stay and wait a very, very long time. One time, my hubby forgot he put her in a down stay at her dinner bowl and a long span of time went by. He came back through that area and noticed her still in the down stay. He felt sooooo bad! He gave her the "free" command ~ and the food disappeared! hahahaha! What a good girl though! Wasn't even a year old then.

Oh gosh...off topic and bragging all at the same time!!! Sorry! 

Crack down on that pupster and you'll be singing his praises before long too!


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## vixx (Sep 5, 2012)

Thanks guys for your help! It is amazing how smart these puppies are, as Lucas will also grab as soon as we turn our back. He also sits in what my daughter calls "the drop zone", for he will lay down under the table between their chairs. As soon as my 4 year old moves, he is in there within seconds and gone!

No worries about using the crate as a time out place, as we have an area that we take him too. As for training, he is sooooo good at leave it and stay. I can leave a treat almost by his paw and he will leave it for at least 5 minutes until I say "okay" and then he grabs it. He just doesn't have any control at meal times and I can't say I blame him. :uhoh: Especially with 2 young kids who are constantly spilling etc.

The hard part with this is that nothing phases him. We got the pet corrector (makes a loud hissing noise) and he didn't even budge. (Shih Tzu is terrified of it however!) The water bottle he enjoyed, as he tries to catch the water in his mouth. My husband tried the mouse trap and again, didn't phase him, but I think the food with cayenne might do the trick!! Great suggestion Gwen! I wish we could do the baby gate idea, but our house is too open concept, so I think it is just going to be more and more training and making sure that the food is pushed back. Mind you, the other day he was reaching so far back, that his paws were going like gangbusters...it looked like he was playing the drums! :bowl:


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

we always fed Rose while we are eating dinner; she gets apples, cheese, baked potato etc. We have done that since the first day home, except she fell asleep with her head in the bowl. By now, rose is almost 8 mo old she knows when dinner time arrives and she sits between my and DH's chair at the table waiting for everyone to sit down.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Some things that helped us were teaching Cookie a "place" command and practicing it often. During mealtime, once the plates hit the table, she puts herself on her mat and waits.

The other thing that helped is that my criteria for counter surfing is when Cookie as much as points her nose toward the counter, and that's what I correct or redirect with a leave-it. If you wait until they have paws up, then they may have a chance to get a big jackpot and you end up going back to square 1.


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## Sheldon's Mom (Dec 29, 2012)

Sheldon tried the jumping up at the counter. I used the shake can with the pennies and he stopped. Hasn't tried it again.Only needed to do it about 3 times. I have heard that you could place 
/small carpets with prickly stubs on the floor and the discomfort of standing on them might do the trick and keep him away from the counter/ food.
Read this somewhere. You could give it a try.


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## vixx (Sep 5, 2012)

Thanks everyone!!

My goodness Claudia, that is such a cute picture!!! They grow so fast!!!

So for the last few days, I have just been putting him in another room with a baby gate. I'm finding that dinner is already so busy with having a 7 year old and 4 year old, that it isn't fair for Lucas, as he is so tempted with the kids basically spilling all the time. It is so much calmer not having to worry if he is going to jump etc. I have burned dinner a few times because I am trying to redirect Lucas, lol. So I think for now, this may have to be the way it is and then when the kids are not around, I keep working on redirecting him to his place.

Thanks again everyone for the help!!


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## drloripalooza (Jan 7, 2012)

Thanks for this info everyone. I have 2 counter surfers, my Golden and my Lab/Pit, and so far we have only been able to try to manage things. Last night we forgot, and they got into the butter dish on the counter! I can't block off my kitchen either as my downstairs is open plan without doorways to gate off, nor do I have room for an ex-pen. I think I will try the can full of quarters first as they are not overly sound-sensitive. Neither is bothered by the taste of cayenne. I have already trained them not to beg, they have a good drop it, and a so-so leave it. Need to work on that too. Unfortunately they have gotten a lot of practice at counter surfing. Once the Thanksgiving turkey was stolen, and twice steak was stolen, once raw! :-(


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I teach my dogs from day one that the kitchen is off limits for safety reasons so I don't have a problem with counter surfing.
I used kikopups method to teach Bentley leave it so I can now set plates of food on the floor around him or on end tables ect and he won't bother them. It takes time and training but it's relatively easy to teach compared to some things.
This is her video...


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## vixx (Sep 5, 2012)

Ugh, so we have tried everything and nothing is working!! Hubby made these amazing apps to take to a party Saturday night and as we were getting ready, Lucas somehow got up and ate them. I still don't know how he did it, as they were at the farthest point of the counter. I don't know who wanted to hide first, me or the dog!?!? We have done the can, we did the pepper, we did the mouse traps, I have banged pots and pans and nothing. Since Saturday, I am now putting him in his crate anytime there is food in the kitchen, but then he barks all through our dinner etc. Soooo having a tough time with that right now!

Bentley's mom, that is awesome, thanks for sharing that! In training sessions, our trainer is able to do that with her dog and it is amazing to watch. Funny thing is, Lucas is actually pretty awesome with leave it. I can put a treat on his paw and he will leave it for a few minutes, but we are working on trying to take bigger distances etc. I hope we will get there!


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## Finleys mom (Jul 9, 2012)

We have the same counter surfing problem with Finley. Its not just the kitchen or food though, he wants to take items he knows he can't have. He will do it in the bathroom and take the hairbrush. He always brings it to us to show us and then runs away, we know he just wants us to chase him and that's generally what happens. We try to be patient and get him to "drop it", he's much better for my bf than me with this but sometimes he has something dangerous or precious and we are forced to offer a treat to get him to drop it. I know this is bad because it seems like we are rewarding this behaviour. We are working on this everyday and have become more careful with what is left around. The funny thing is we can leave phones, remotes, etc on the coffee tables all day and he would never bother that.

Here are a couple of photos of his most dangerous steals: a full carton of eggs and a knife, both stolen off the counter while I was cooking. I needed to a treat to get these back before there was a disaster..


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Finleys mom said:


> We have the same counter surfing problem with Finley. Its not just the kitchen or food though, he wants to take items he knows he can't have. He will do it in the bathroom and take the hairbrush. He always brings it to us to show us and then runs away, we know he just wants us to chase him and that's generally what happens. We try to be patient and get him to "drop it", he's much better for my bf than me with this but sometimes he has something dangerous or precious and we are forced to offer a treat to get him to drop it. I know this is bad because it seems like we are rewarding this behaviour. We are working on this everyday and have become more careful with what is left around. The funny thing is we can leave phones, remotes, etc on the coffee tables all day and he would never bother that.
> 
> Here are a couple of photos of his most dangerous steals: a full carton of eggs and a knife, both stolen off the counter while I was cooking. I needed to a treat to get these back before there was a disaster..


You SHOULD be trading him for a treat, ( you are not rewarding the stealing you are rewarding him for dropping it) regardless what you need him to drop-- it could save his life. You want him to willingly give up items he has, it could save his life, and to do that you need to teach him that good things are going to happen when he does drop it. Start teaching him to When he is holding the toy, hold a treat in front of his nose and say 'drop it', when he does, give him the treat, and give the toy back, practice until he is readily dropping the toy on cue, then continue practicing with as many items as you can, so that when he does get something he REALLY can't have, he may just bring it to you to trade for a treat.


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## Finleys mom (Jul 9, 2012)

Charliethree said:


> You SHOULD be trading him for a treat, ( you are not rewarding the stealing you are rewarding him for dropping it) regardless what you need him to drop-- it could save his life. You want him to willingly give up items he has, it could save his life, and to do that you need to teach him that good things are going to happen when he does drop it. Start teaching him to When he is holding the toy, hold a treat in front of his nose and say 'drop it', when he does, give him the treat, and give the toy back, practice until he is readily dropping the toy on cue, then continue practicing with as many items as you can, so that when he does get something he REALLY can't have, he may just bring it to you to trade for a treat.


Thanks, we do practice that quite a bit when we are playing. I always do it with toys but never thought of it as rewarding him for dropping something he steals. I will keep that in mind and hopefully he will start bringing these things to me.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

vixx said:


> Ugh, so we have tried everything and nothing is working!! Hubby made these amazing apps to take to a party Saturday night and as we were getting ready, Lucas somehow got up and ate them. I still don't know how he did it, as they were at the farthest point of the counter. I don't know who wanted to hide first, me or the dog!?!? We have done the can, we did the pepper, we did the mouse traps, I have banged pots and pans and nothing. Since Saturday, I am now putting him in his crate anytime there is food in the kitchen, but then he barks all through our dinner etc. Soooo having a tough time with that right now!
> 
> Bentley's mom, that is awesome, thanks for sharing that! In training sessions, our trainer is able to do that with her dog and it is amazing to watch. Funny thing is, Lucas is actually pretty awesome with leave it. I can put a treat on his paw and he will leave it for a few minutes, but we are working on trying to take bigger distances etc. I hope we will get there!


For the barking through dinner time, you could try giving him a kong stuffed with his dinner (or something else) to work on while you are eating. Try the same when teaching to stay on his 'place', give him something to keep him occupied, whether a kong or a chew bone.
As for stealing when you are not looking - it is a tough one, as even if he only gets rewarded (a 'prize') once in a blue moon, he will remember, and continue trying. I have a 'die hard' 'behind your back', counter surfer and the only thing I found that truly worked was prevention (making sure there was nothing for him to steal). He still surfs but at least he is not getting rewarded for it.


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