# Continuous Counter Surfing



## missingbelle (Aug 1, 2011)

And I'd also add that he's listening LESS lately and getting into MORE. I thought things should start to get better by the one year mark. My last golden was not like this at all. Is it a boy thing?


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I would half to say, hes at that bratty teenage stage. The only thing I have found that works for counter surfing here at my house is NOTHING on the counters.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

I have a homework eater too. 

Now when Cookie has grabbed papers or something, I am careful to act nonchalant, and I say "Thank You!" and she usually gives me the item. (We practiced this a lot) 

If she hasn't grabbed something irreplaceable, then I like to give her the item back, and we trade a few times. I give her a treat after she gives me the item.

Lately she has gotten into the habit of taking our cell phones off the table and hiding them under her blanket. She hasn't chewed them, but now we have to put them on higher ground!


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## missingbelle (Aug 1, 2011)

Well it's good to hear that I'm not the only one with this problem! I thought this puppy was just trying to send me to the funny farm 

Someone tell me when the bratty teenage years start to subside? I have a rottie puppy also, she's almost 1 and a DREAM compared to this devil. I'm sure it's a phase, but who would think a golden pup would be more difficult to train?


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Why? Because he can! 
The physical act of getting on his hind legs, snooping around, and yanking stuff off the counter is sooo rewarding that he must do it over and over and over again. 

I have one counter surfer...she surfed the stove top one day and flipped one of the stove knobs with her paw..I happened to have a glass baking dish pushed to the back burner - I never gave it a thought as the stove knobs are set back from the edge and are really tough to turn...anyway, the glass heated...then exploded ...sending hot molten glass all over the kitchen and filling the house with smoke...all in the span of 20-30 minutes between when I left the house and my husband got home...

So knowing that he will surf...its okay to be obsessive about not letting anything lay near your stovetop...not even for a minute...


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

It is self rewarding when they grab something off the counter or out of the sink, and that just encourages them more. I have two that do it, and it is an endless battle. 

Yes, I have had to tape together a couple of homework assignments too.

We have lost almost whole pizzas, steak out of the frying pan, and they have also turned on my stove.


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

After 7 years of counter surfing (I have a surfer girl), I had the brilliant idea of using her invisible fence collar to fix the problem. I had a wireless transmitter that worked with the collar she already wore for the fence and it now lives on the wall in my kitchen over the counters. I'm sure my solution isn't for everyone, but OMG I can't believe the difference!


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I have one to... I went out to get my mail one afternoon came back and the unit was unplugged and sitting on the floor in the doorway. He took the hit and pulled it off the wall.....


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## Casey and Samson's Mom (Sep 24, 2011)

Casey, my OTCh dog is the one and only counter cruiser I've ever had...and he is a tall guy with a long reach. good luck. Our solution was NOTHING within reach...\\\ever.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Beamer is going on 10 months old and is still a notorious counter surfer. He hasn't hit his bratty teenage stage yet, but will try to find any scrap of food left unattended. Prevention is key, but we are still working on it (though I doubt he will ever be perfect).


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## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

missingbelle said:


> And I'd also add that he's listening LESS lately and getting into MORE. I thought things should start to get better by the one year mark. My last golden was not like this at all. Is it a boy thing?


He's just at that age where, in the 1980's, he'd have begun asserting himself, wanted a Michael Jackson jacket, and begun arguing against picking up his room. This too shall pass


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## ZeppGold (Aug 9, 2009)

I don't know if you can ever let your guard down. Toro is 4 and as soon as we forget, he will remember and get something he shouldn't have. We try so hard to not leave things around where he can get them. But he is smarter than us!


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

They do it because they can get away with it......don't leave anything that would even tempt them and if they try stop them before it becomes a habit.....

Or do what we do and teach them not to touch....


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## ZeppGold (Aug 9, 2009)

It's interesting to hear you all talk about them turning on the stove. My husband makes us take the stove knobs off when we leave the house. I always just thought he was crazy, but I guess things can happen.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

ZeppGold said:


> It's interesting to hear you all talk about them turning on the stove. My husband makes us take the stove knobs off when we leave the house. I always just thought he was crazy, but I guess things can happen.


I do the same, even tho my knobs are at the back, he could still reach them it he wanted.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> They do it because they can get away with it......don't leave anything that would even tempt them and if they try stop them before it becomes a habit.....
> 
> Or do what we do and teach them not to touch...
> 
> Mine doesnt do it when we are in the room, its when we arent, so we now leave NOTHING and I mean Nothing on the counters. If I leave the house he gets crated.


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## Golden999 (Jun 29, 2010)

missingbelle said:


> Today he really ate my kid's homework lol.


Good luck explaining that to a teacher.


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## mayapaya (Sep 28, 2011)

Maya is also a big coutersurfer. It is EXTREMELY annoying--she will always get down when I say off, but I haven't found any effective way to keep her from jumping up to begin with. She's a smart dog--she knows (and smells) that food is prepared on them, so all I can say is keep the counters as clean as possible. (and yes, in a house with several people, including kids, this is a huge challenge in itself!). I know there was another thread on this topic and someone posted that it's like pulling the handle on a slot machine, you get paid once, you keep going back for more! And with Maya, I have learned that anything on the counter can be appealing--not just food. Her latest interest is my pot holders--she grabs them and sticks her snout in the pocket and runs around the house!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

My dogs also love all my plastic spatulas, ladles and other utensils. They all have teeth marks in them.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

He is continually reinforced because EVERY time he jumps up--- he finds something. Clear your counters completely. Don't allow him to find anything. Once the counter becomes boring again, he'll hopefully stop checking!


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## Beacon (Jan 9, 2012)

Hi,

I'm also having this with our 4.5 month old guy. We've tried the distraction thing, the telling him off thing, the chilli sandwich thing (which he spat straight out but didn't deter him from getting up again!).

I'm interested, what's the invisible fence collar? Never heard of that!


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## aerolor (May 27, 2011)

Another counter surfer here. Bonnie is careful not to get caught when we are there, but when we are not I know she has always had a good look round and "tested" everything she can get hold of. If something is not edible - like the door keys - she takes them to her bed and I know where I will find most things that go missing. If a drawer or cupboard door is slightly ajar she's in there. Fortunately, she is not particularly destructive - she just likes to collect stuff if she can't eat it. 
I am beginning to think she will always do this and so being careful what is left on the worktops may be the best way to keep things safe from her.


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## Loukia (Sep 20, 2014)

My 6 month old is a huge counter surfer. With 2 young children, keeping the counters perfectly clean is an ever losing batter. I know the slightest crumb rewards Comet to go back up there and try again. I do my absolute best to keep things all swept up, but the moment I turn for a glass of water... Comet is up on his hind legs grabbing a raspberry right off of my daughter's plate! 

Has anyone tried pans or sticky tape or any other deterrents? Comet knows off and if I say it, I can actually see the wheels turning and then he'll slowly get down. I think I say off about 20 times a day. 

Is there anything else I can do besides keeping a super clean counter. Like I said, we do our best... but I'm continuously being sabotaged by my human puppies! Is it just a matter of repetition at this age? Will they eventually get it or will Comet be doing this at 7?


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

With my dogs, we worked really hard on "out of the kitchen" and they will go to rug just outside of the kitchen area and lie down when we are working in there, it took about a year to get that solid.

Boomer wasn't allowed free run of the house when we weren't home, he was crated for his safety, because he came to us at one year having spent much of life kenneled at the rescue, so everything was new and deserved a chew. G

But when we were home, whenever I saw him lusting after something on the counter, I'd ask for a sit and give him a little of it. Over time, he got to the point where he'd sit for twenty minutes waiting for me to notice!

Have you tried setting him up? Put a bunch of cookie sheets and lightweight pans on some towels, dangle the towel over the edge and then wait for him to yank them down. 

It could be worse...my shelter hound in his early months could leap from a standing start onto the kitchen counter and then just mosey along, nibbling on whatever he fancied. Nothing like a 65 pound dog strolling on the counter!


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## Loukia (Sep 20, 2014)

Noreaster said:


> It could be worse...my shelter hound in his early months could leap from a standing start onto the kitchen counter and then just mosey along, nibbling on whatever he fancied. Nothing like a 65 pound dog strolling on the counter!


Yes, it could be worse! I babysat for a Newfie and he didn't have to jump. My counters were at mouth level. That was a whole different challenge.

Right now my only solution when we are eating dinner is to crate Comet because he just can't help himself. 

Has anyone tried the mouse-trap-type deterrent for counter surfing dogs? 
http://www.amazon.com/Snappy-Trainer-Pet/dp/B000WP4R52/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421804341&sr=8-1&

keywords=dog+mouse+trapOr one of those scat mats? 
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Sofa-Scram-Sonic-Deterrent-Repellent/dp/B001J2Q3KY/ref=sr_1_9?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1421804495&sr=1-9&keywords=training+deterrant[/ame]

An obedience classmate of mine suggested hot sauce on food :no:


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