# counter surfing *so upset*



## Harlemshoney (May 17, 2013)

So we had my mom's bernese puppy for 2 months after they had a house fire and he is a counter surfer. Unfortunately my mom has never tried to break that habit so he did it while he was here. 
Harlem never, ever ever went on the counter until Brody came here. Guess what he has learned? I am so upset that he is doing this. I caught him trying to grab chicken after I walked out of the room to grab something. 

How can I stop this behaviour? I should not have to worry about ever leaving food on the counter even just for a few seconds. We do our best to keep counters cleared off when we are not using them but I cannot be hovering over the other 5 people in my house every minute making sure they put stuff where it's supposed to go. My dog needs to be taught not to jump up, period. Oh and Brody went home last night. Finally!


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

I am not sure how to stop it, but I share your concern. My male Golden can hit to counter, gulp down a steak or chicken, and never make a sound....I lost my rare birthday t-bone to him last year.....OMG....

Good Luck


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## NewfieMom (Sep 8, 2013)

Harlemshoney said:


> My dog needs to be taught not to jump up, period.


Have you ever had a dog before?

NewfieMom


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Once they have been successful getting something good off the counter, it is extremely hard to stop them from trying again.

Scat mats, motion activated air cans, booby trap something he grabs with pot lids that will crash when he pulls it down. Those are all methods that can be tried, I don't know if they will work.

Otherwise, baby gate the kitchen with a walk through style gate and never let him in there.


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## valita (Apr 23, 2014)

I made the mistake a few days ago when I went out to move my car, I forgot to push my chair in, when I came back in the front door,Reba was standing in the middle of the table drinking my coffee, when she seen me. She had this Iook like what do i do now?? I haven't figured out how to stop her from doing it, except a loud no and down, which works at the time she's doing it, gates don't do any good, she climbs right over them,, she'll be 14 weeks next Monday.I can just imagine what its going to be like when she's full grown!!


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I was able to start earlier in his brain process, when he was very little and putting his paws up on the cupboard doors. But I think this will work for you too.

I set up the kitchen...u-shaped work area...with cookie sheets, muffin tins, baking pans, pot lids; all metal of course. DH would go in the kitchen to get something to snack on..and we did purposely choreograph this and set up the situation...I would get on the opposite side of the kitchen. When Mr. Darcy put his paws up, I'd push something off the counter. The noise startled him. It took only a few times before he quit putting his paws up.

I suggest you do something like that. Instead of waiting for him to do it and not be prepared, set it up. Everyone in place and knowing what to do. No voice commands. Just paws and crash. That way you can calmly make your point.


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## murphy1 (Jun 21, 2012)

My mastiff, Shamus, once ate a whole Pizza, after pulling it off the counter. From then on everything was pushed to the back of the counter where he couldn't reach it.


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## Rileysmomma (Feb 6, 2014)

Penny's Mom said:


> I was able to start earlier in his brain process, when he was very little and putting his paws up on the cupboard doors. But I think this will work for you too.
> 
> I set up the kitchen...u-shaped work area...with cookie sheets, muffin tins, baking pans, pot lids; all metal of course. DH would go in the kitchen to get something to snack on..and we did purposely choreograph this and set up the situation...I would get on the opposite side of the kitchen. When Mr. Darcy put his paws up, I'd push something off the counter. The noise startled him. It took only a few times before he quit putting his paws up.
> 
> I suggest you do something like that. Instead of waiting for him to do it and not be prepared, set it up. Everyone in place and knowing what to do. No voice commands. Just paws and crash. That way you can calmly make your point.


That has worked for us as well!!!!


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

Agree, Penny's Mom and what we did (only thing that worked). Our girl is a major counter surfer and all tries to stopped this failed. First I started keeping my kitchen cleaner, absolutely no food left out unless I was standing over it. Secondly at various times of the day we lined the counters with cookie sheets, cans with pennies inside (taped over the open end) all around. When Kye would jump up she knocked things down, scared herself and slowly stopped. Telling her "no" didn't work because she didn't surf if we were watching. She stopped but honestly can't say it was the scary set up we did or if she just matured out of it.

We still can't leave steaks by the grill or she will grab it in a heartbeat. We just have to constantly remember and keep all food in a place she can't reach. Funny cause Coop has never surfed, yet the two have been raised together. Think he just hopes someone will give him a bite, where Kye doesn't want to be asked,,,and will grab!

I will never trust Kye not to counter surf, just had to change my way of doing things to assure she doesn't get the chance.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Work on sit/stay and down/stay. Take food/treats and put it in front of him making him wait and then you take it and give it to him. Same way, put food/treats on the counter, make him wait and then you take the treat off the counter and give it to him. Practice moving around the dog while he is in the stay command with food in front of him. If he breaks the command correct with a ehh ehh and then get hi back in the same spot from where he broke the command.

What the dog needs to learn is that any food comes from you and not from what he can find. You should be able to drop food on the floor and he should not touch it unless you give him permission to (OK, Find it...). Also they should have their own spot in the kitchen, away from the stove, fridge etc where they will be safe to stay with you while cooking, a spot where you can tell them to go lay down and they know that as long as they stay there there will be a piece of celery, red pepper, tomato, lettuce, bread coming their way.


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