[dlassell]

My almost 5 month old Rookie has discovered counter surfing! Any suggestions and/or tips on discouraging it and getting him to stop? He'll go back to the floor when we say "off" but gets back up there shortly after. I mostly worry about the stove top, I don't want him to burn his paws!

 

[BeauShel]

Put something up there like some empty cans that will fall when he jumps up there. Some people have gotten a scat mat from someplace like Fosters & Smith. The only other thing is to put everything away.

 

[Tahnee GR]

I have also heard of using double sided tape along the edge of the countertop-it "grabs" their coat and they don't like it.

 

[Willow52]

I have the same problem and just keep everything interesting put away or pushed back so he's not rewarded.

 

[mdoats]

First, and most importantly, don't EVER leave anything on the counter within his reach. If he is able to steal something, he is basically being rewarded for countersurfing. Each time he is rewarded, it becomes harder to teach him not to do it.

When my own Rookie was a pup, I caught him once or twice with his paws on the counter. As soon as I saw that, I scared the daylights out of him. I went running at him, waving my arms, yelling loudly, and moved him out of the way. I went really over the top, but he moved away QUICKLY! It only happened a couple of times because I really scared him.

The other thing I did was teach him to go to his bed while I'm cooking. His bed is in the kitchen, so if I'm cooking and he's underfoot, I tell him to go to his bed. In the beginning, I would give him really good treats if he stayed on his bed while I was cooking. But if he got off the bed he got nothing. Now I only have to throw a treat his way every once in a blue moon and he'll stay on his bed while I'm cooking.

 

[slip_kid]

this is our biggest problem. nothing works, with our scrounger even a crumb is a reward. last night while wifey dozed off he jumped up and ate 1/2 a pan of baked ziti. this was pushed way back on the counter too. wishing i got the invisible fence in before the snow hit cause once he would be trained on that we could try the warning tone in the kitchen when he jumps up.

spray bottle, yelling, pans falling, etc don't phase him, thinking a burnt pawpad might be the only thing to work

 

[mdoats]

this is our biggest problem. nothing works, with our scrounger even a crumb is a reward. last night while wifey dozed off he jumped up and ate 1/2 a pan of baked ziti. this was pushed way back on the counter too. wishing i got the invisible fence in before the snow hit cause once he would be trained on that we could try the warning tone in the kitchen when he jumps up.

spray bottle, yelling, pans falling, etc don't phase him, thinking a burnt pawpad might be the only thing to work

If he can reach way back, then you really can't leave ANY food on the counter. Even if it's pushed back. A half a pan of ziti is a pretty big reward!! It's going to be tough to teach him counter surfing isn't worth it after he's managed to steal that.

 

[CrystalG]

I'm having the same problem with Max who is almost 6 months old. Nothing seems to be working with him either. He will literally reach and jump to get things that are out of his reach. A couple of times he has even tried to grab food right out of my son's hands! Nothing seems to phase Max either. It's frustrating because that was the one thing my husband and I didn't want was a dog that would steal our food. He reminds me of the movie Beethoven when he took the bacon off the plate on the table...lol, I can see Max's eyes going crazy plotting out his mission!!