Counter surfing-new at age 5+
Recently he has started counter surfing while we are in another room or away from the house. He has eaten a loaf of bread, a 5 pack of non-toxic crayons, a few lolli pops, and some cookies! We now store everything in the pantry, which he has not figured out how to open...yet We do not want to crate him again, but something is up that he is looking for this attention, right? Any thoughts? Thanks all! |
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Izzie turns 6 this May and started counter surfing about a year ago. She also was crated as a youngster but had been left loose for several years. She only does it when we are gone...so there doesn't seem to be a way to train her not to. Our solution is to gate her out of the kitchen when we are gone. With her all we have to do is lean the gate across the opening to the kitchen and she leaves it alone.  |
Chauncey is also 5. He has never been a counter-surfer but has been known to swipe a dangling dishcloth or several from the sink and take them to his bed. He doesn't destroy them.....justs takes them to his bed  His new "trick" is getting into the trash. The can has a swinging lid so he has only been successful at getting a tiny reward, which he takes to his bed. We take the trash out when we have something really tempting for dinner, dangerous or are going out for a while. I'm waiting for him to get caught in the act like our OTB Lab, Jake. He was a notorious garbage hound.....until the day we heard him howling and found him sitting in the kitchen wearing the swinging lid.  That was that last we caught him in the garbage. |
| Counter surfing is one of the self rewarding behaviors. They do it, figure out they get something good, and voile! - there's a new behavior born! Best bet is for them never to succeed (as in getting the food, etc), as correcting a self rewarding behavior is an uphill battle.  You can certainly leave stuff out and then catch them in the act - that's really the only way to work at it. But, if you're not there, it all needs to be tucked safely away - otherwise you are just reinforcing the self rewarding habit, and undoing any little bit of progress you make with training. I never leave food out when we are gone - and my dogs who came to me young don't have a clue they could nab it and eat it. However, I don't believe in tempting the fates, so stuff always gets put away at night and when we're gone. And for the other who will steal, I pay attention if they are out and about when I go outside or other activities where I'm not around and either put stuff away, or put THEM away! |
| I cannot remember where I read or heard this idea. It was suggested to put double sided tape on the edge of your counter, so when the dog set his paws on the counter he would be on the tape. The point is to make the experience not a rewarding one. I am not sure how I feel about this method. I guess if the tape was just sticky enough to startle the dog, then it may work. I would hate to have a dog glue to the counter until you came home  Howie is not a countersurfer at this time, so I have no need to train him off. Just wondering if this tape idea is cruel or a possible training tool? peg & 4 paws on the floor howie |
pegspup wrote: I cannot remember where I read or heard this idea. It was suggested to put double sided tape on the edge of your counter, so when the dog set his paws on the counter he would be on the tape. The point is to make the experience not a rewarding one. I am not sure how I feel about this method. I guess if the tape was just sticky enough to startle the dog, then it may work. I would hate to have a dog glue to the counter until you came home Howie is not a countersurfer at this time, so I have no need to train him off. Just wondering if this tape idea is cruel or a possible training tool? peg & 4 paws on the floor howie Yes, there are many ideas, all from poor desperate people!  I've heard the double sided tape (also for cats). Mouse traps "bait" food laden with hot sauce and my all time favorite - Vicks sandwiches! ...yep, someone made sandwiches with Vicks Vaporub in them to slow down their counter surfing dog.... |
got sheep wrote: ...yep, someone made sandwiches with Vicks Vaporub in them to slow down their counter surfing dog.... Mightn't that be dangerous for the dog?  |
Mim wrote: got sheep wrote: ...yep, someone made sandwiches with Vicks Vaporub in them to slow down their counter surfing dog.... Mightn't that be dangerous for the dog? I would think it wouldn't be good for them, but how bad, I don't know. It always struck me as an odd choice |
| I thought I remembered something about mentholated ointments. From Wikipaedia not sure of its accuracy. "Safe use of VapoRub VapoRub can be applied to the chest or throat (for congestion relief) or to sore muscles (to increase circulation). However, because it contains camphor—a substance that can be toxic if swallowed or absorbed into the body—VapoRub should not be applied in or near the nostrils (see manufacturer's warnings)." So I wouldn't want to risk my dog eating the stuff. Also if it's in their throat they might not be able to catch their breath. Best to keep that solution as an interesting story rather than a possible solution. |
| Thank you all for the wonderful words of wisdom! The only other thing I had heard was line the counter with empty soda cans with a few pennies in each with tape over the opening. Thus when the dog jumps up the sound will scare him. I had to laugh though at the dbl sided tape. Oh boy! I could just see our Pet Nanny coming in midlle of the day and find Bogart stuck fast to the counter, LOL!!!! |
Yeah, I could not do the tape trick...I just read it somewhere.  peg |
| And here I was thinking that, since Mady had reached the mature age of 1 and had never counter-surfed, that we were out of danger for this habit! I should never let myself get complacent! |
| My old english patch nearly 6 has started counter surfing in the last few weeks. she was never crated and does it when we are there or if we are not. you can get a training aid which is like a cap going off which you place so when they take the food it goes off. obviously it does not hurt the dog but comes as a big surprise. I just dont leave anything within dog reach its easier. |
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