# How to train paws OFF kitchen counter



## Handy 1 (Feb 1, 2009)

Hi all,
Looking for some help trying to train our 4 month old GR puppy, Levi, to not put his paws on the kitchen counter. If I am close I tell him OFF and back him away from the counter. I then put him in a sit and stay. He is trying to see if there is anything he can snatch. If I am not close enough to touch him I try to startle him with a loud OFF and clapping my hands but it does not phase him. My Vizsla has only stole food from the counter twice in nearly 8 years. I don't think I am going to be so lucky with Levi. Thanks for any suggestions.

Gary


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

Both of mine do this too... so I'm interested in any tips as well.


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## Nicole74 (May 30, 2009)

Bailey does this too! She will actually jump up on the counters or table if the kitchen chairs are close by. I have to keep all of the food and goodies tucked away in the fridge or high up where she can't reach. Bailey especially loves banana's...LOL


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

Nicole74 said:


> Bailey does this too! She will actually jump up on the counters or table if the kitchen chairs are close by. I have to keep all of the food and goodies tucked away in the fridge or high up where she can't reach. Bailey especially loves banana's...LOL


LOL! 

"Honey? I thought you bought a bunch of bananas... there's only two here..."

Mojo sneakily ate a whole loaf of homemade bread once. I always make three loaves each Sunday. One for us. One for my parents (who live a couple of houses down) and one for my grandmother.


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## Bock (Jun 23, 2008)

Handy 1 said:


> Hi all,
> Looking for some help trying to train our 4 month old GR puppy, Levi, to not put his paws on the kitchen counter. If I am close I tell him OFF and back him away from the counter. I then put him in a sit and stay. He is trying to see if there is anything he can snatch. If I am not close enough to touch him I try to startle him with a loud OFF and clapping my hands but it does not phase him. My Vizsla has only stole food from the counter twice in nearly 8 years. I don't think I am going to be so lucky with Levi. Thanks for any suggestions.
> 
> Gary


I would crate him (good time for him to learn it's ok to be in a crate) or provide a marrow bone/stuffed Kong in another room until he matures a little bit. Every time he is able to jump on the counter (much less gets food) the behavior is reinforced.


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## Mighty Casey and Samson's Mom (Jul 16, 2008)

I admit that Casey is a counter cruiser "excellent". Possibly a new golden title!! He is my first counter cruiser, but he is a tall boy, so why not?? He NEVER does it when we are home. However, anything is game when we are not home. Solution?? Never leave anything you don't want him to get within reach... and for my tall, long guy, that means anywhere on the counter!! He once chewed the CKC obedience rule book (which I thought was a riot!!) He frequently "reads" the newspaper, if left there. WE NEVER LEAVE FOOD OR ANYTHING IMPORTANT. He is the only golden we have ever had who has done this. I suspect it is in the genes. His grandfather is a notorious counter cruiser! Gating him out of the kitchen work...but generally we just make sure that there is nothing important in his reach. As he gets older, he often just removes items (my reading glasses were recently found intact in his bed) without the chewing/eating/shredding. However, I don't trust him at all!!


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## SimTek (Dec 21, 2007)

Just happened to have the camera handy when Samantha did some counter surfing...


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## Bock (Jun 23, 2008)

Haha, busted!!!!



SimTek said:


> Just happened to have the camera handy when Samantha did some counter surfing...


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

SimTek said:


> Just happened to have the camera handy when Samantha did some counter surfing...


LOL Busted!!

(Edit: OMG, BOCK... LMFAO!! What are the odds that we would post the same thing at the same time!?)


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## jenlaur (Jun 24, 2009)

Handy 1 said:


> Hi all,
> Looking for some help trying to train our 4 month old GR puppy, Levi, to not put his paws on the kitchen counter. If I am close I tell him OFF and back him away from the counter. I then put him in a sit and stay. He is trying to see if there is anything he can snatch. If I am not close enough to touch him I try to startle him with a loud OFF and clapping my hands but it does not phase him. My Vizsla has only stole food from the counter twice in nearly 8 years. I don't think I am going to be so lucky with Levi. Thanks for any suggestions.
> 
> Gary


I would be interested in how to deal with this as well. Some of the things my 13 year old weimaraner has stolen off the counter over the years: a plate of freshly cooked chicken breasts, hamburgers, several sandwiches, a bag of oreos, several loaves of bread and other baked goods and even ate as far as she could reach into a sheet cake. You'd think her owners would learn to keep things off the counter! I keep Riley's food in the kitchen cabinet and she has begun to jump up as well. We are using the "Off" command with varying success.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

ok, here's what worked for me. (Positive only trainers, please stop reading at this point).
Get several pieces of either heavy cardboard or very thin plywood, each about 1-1/2 feet square.
Place them on the countertops in several places so that they stick off the countertop by about 6 inches. (as in, protrude from the front of the countertop). 
On the back of each one stack a bunch of empty pop cans with a few screws, bolts, pennies, etc. in each one and tape over the top of them so nothing can come out of them. A nice big stack on each one!
On the front of each one place a tasty morsel, as in, bait.
When the pup puts his/her paws on the "countertop" (board), it will flip the cans into the air and as far as they are concerned, a bunch of stuff just fell out of the sky and darn near killed them. 
The beauty of it is that you don't have to be anywhere nearby for it to work, so they don't associate staying off the countertops with you being there to yell at them for doing it.
The younger the dog is when you do this, the better it tends to work, but this method has rehabilitated a lot of dogs I know. You may have to leave the boards out on the countertops for a couple of days, but soon you will stop hearing CRASH when the cans/board hit the floor!
Good luck!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

LOLOL, I loved the chewing up the rulebook!



Mighty Casey's Mom said:


> I admit that Casey is a counter cruiser "excellent". Possibly a new golden title!! He is my first counter cruiser, but he is a tall boy, so why not?? He NEVER does it when we are home. However, anything is game when we are not home. Solution?? Never leave anything you don't want him to get within reach... and for my tall, long guy, that means anywhere on the counter!! He once chewed the CKC obedience rule book (which I thought was a riot!!) He frequently "reads" the newspaper, if left there. WE NEVER LEAVE FOOD OR ANYTHING IMPORTANT. He is the only golden we have ever had who has done this. I suspect it is in the genes. His grandfather is a notorious counter cruiser! Gating him out of the kitchen work...but generally we just make sure that there is nothing important in his reach. As he gets older, he often just removes items (my reading glasses were recently found intact in his bed) without the chewing/eating/shredding. However, I don't trust him at all!!


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Hi, for a four-month old puppy I would grab him by the scruff of the neck and shove him down on the floor in one swift motion. Say "OFF"
Do not be nice about this!
If you are too far away to reach him ------ then get yourself close enough to reach him. Walk over there.
If you cannot supervise him then put a gate up so he can't get in the kitchen and practice this behavior.
NEVER leave food on the counter that he can get. ONE time of getting food is a hundred times more rewarding than a thousand corrections is discouraging.
This is one behavior I absolutely cannot stand for. From the get go they need to learn this is unacceptable.


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## Handy 1 (Feb 1, 2009)

*thanks*

Thanks for the input. Levi is crate trained, and I don't leave him alone in the kitchen. I think the only thing he has actually gotten off the counter is a paper towel and a dish towel. I have sure everything is pushed back out of reach, for now at least. I want to stop this behavior early. Thanks again. Gary


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Gary, you can also put a mat (towel, bed, whatever) somewhere in the kitchen and train that he is to stay on it while in the kitchen. Use a stuffed Kong or some other good treat when initially getting pup to stay in his spot. All of my dogs have been allowed in the kitchen, but mainly they have parked their carcasses in the middle of the room so you have to step over them while cooking. None would dare put a paw on a counter!


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

My beautiful golden retriever girl stole my wedding cake off of the cake table. I wish I had a photo of that but no one thought to snap a shot


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> ok, here's what worked for me. (Positive only trainers, please stop reading at this point).
> Get several pieces of either heavy cardboard or very thin plywood, each about 1-1/2 feet square.
> Place them on the countertops in several places so that they stick off the countertop by about 6 inches. (as in, protrude from the front of the countertop).
> On the back of each one stack a bunch of empty pop cans with a few screws, bolts, pennies, etc. in each one and tape over the top of them so nothing can come out of them. A nice big stack on each one!
> ...


This is a great idea. I am definitely going to try it.


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## docdoo475 (Jul 14, 2009)

Scooby used to do this all the time when he was a puppy. I would pull him down, get down to his level and say no sternly with a finger in front on his face/nose, in a slightly raised tone. He stopped doing it eventually.


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