Counter Surfing Out of Control- Should I be worried?
Well this week Tasker actually opened my baking drawer, which had been freshly stocked for Christmas cookie baking. He consumed 2 lbs of walnuts, 1 lb of cashews, 2 lbs of almonds, and 1/2 lb of chocolate covered blueberries (not alot of actual chocolate). The very next day he pulled a bag of DRIED black beans off the counter and managed to wolf down a good quantity before I wrestled them from him. COME ON, DRIED BLACK BEANS??????????? Any thoughts on why he might be doing this? Somewhere I read that voracious eating could be a sign of diabetes but there are not other problems. Is this a behaviorial issue? If so WHY NOW????? He has been "uncrated" for over two years without any problems. I really hate to put the crate back up but am afraid I may have to. |
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| Some dogs just know no boundaries when it comes to counter surfing. Our first was like that. No matter how hard we tried (with conventional methods) to get him to learn to stay out of the kitchen triangle area in general, and to stop him from counter surfing, we were unable to do that.
In his later years he was pretty good in not surfing when we were nearby, but the moment we left him alone and he though of it he was scouring the kitchen. Heaven forbid left the house he made a beeline for the counter. No matter how many times we said our "goodbyes" and closed the door, then waited 10 seconds and opened the door to "catch him in the act" it just never ever made a difference. We were unwilling to try the electric shock pads. With a dog like that, the only thing I can say, TM (Tasker's Mom), is to dog proof your kitchen as if you were child proofing it: Never leave anything where it could possibly be gotten (below 6 feet!), make it impossible for him to open cabinets and drawers. I like the idea of relating it to child proofing -- you'd never leave it to chance that a child could get at the chemicals under the sink, because our dogs are attracted to foods which can make them ill, perhaps we should think in terms of food being a harmful chemical to them. Our current guy, however is completely different. He has "pretty much" learned his boundaries with respect to the kitchen work area, and he never, and I mean NEVER, counter surfs! BUT--he loves all unattended paper towel products, napkins, paper towels, and small cloth items (socks, underwear). We try like the dickens to never leave anything of this sort anywhere around. We've got the clothing issue down pat (We can't just tear our clothing off anymore!  ), but still there's the occasional napkin returned to us during his walks.
I don't mean to make light of it, TM, or to minimize the amount of work and vigilance that is required to keep them safe in the kitchen. Lord knows we've not been nearly perfect!!! |
sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. We did talk about getting child latches for the drawers and cupborads, I guess it's a small price to pay compaired to Vet bills and the cost of walnuts  |
walnuts, cashews and almonds! I'd have him checked for diabetes just in case. If he were outside, he'd be eating poop  Cabinet latches ...what do they have for drawers? ...seems a small, but inconvenient answer. Of course you'll have scratched doors until he learns the door are sealed. Can you barricade the kitchen?? |
| Oh my gosh-- that's almost 7 pounds of nuts! |
| What goes in DOES come out
We have been cleaning up "nut poop" for three days. I suggested rinsing them off and using them but Doug thought that was a bad idea.............. |
| Lol. That would be an excellent gift for those "naughty" friends and relatives! |
oh my goodness. what a piggy. 
I KNOW yuki would do the same thing if she realized how to open the cabinets!!! Sounds like those child latches are a good idea!!! |
ButtersStotch wrote: Lol. That would be an excellent gift for those "naughty" friends and relatives! Hmmmmmmmmmm, an opportunity to send NUT FUDGE to my ex perhaps  |
| ROFL - Ginny, I can give you the address of my ex husband as well if you are sending out nut fudge.
I don't have any idea what to tell you because if I think I have everything picked up and/or the dogs will leave it alone - hah! jokes on me, one of them will get into it or eat it or chew it or ...... |
BatonRougeSheepies wrote: ROFL - Ginny, I can give you the address of my ex husband as well if you are sending out nut fudge.
TAKING ORDERS FOR CHRISTMAS!!!! |
Tasker's Mom wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: Lol. That would be an excellent gift for those "naughty" friends and relatives! Hmmmmmmmmmm, an opportunity to send NUT FUDGE to my ex perhaps LMAO  |
| Remind me NEVER to eat home made fudge AGAIN...... |
| BOY thats a lot of nuts - oh and fudge will never be the same for me! |
| Never thought of adding dried black beans to my fudge. Hmmm....wonder what it would taste like. |
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