Jumping up on counters!

**MeganWUlery** · 12-06-2011, 10:12 PM

@sophiesmama: I was hesitant to put up a Christmas tree but did. Suprisingly Cocoa has only bitten one ornament(wasn't ruined). He likes to sleep behind the tree so we had to push it all the way to wall. We never made a big deal about the tree and he hasn't either. So don't give up hope!!!

As for the counter situation, C is the same. If I am cooking he enjoys just jumping up and watching me. I know he just wants to see what I am doing but I don't consider that very hygenic. When he jumps up I simply gently push him down and say no. It's helped a little. Sometimes
He gets a little pat and even a mean look works sometimes(using my teacher eyes). He has gotten better though.

**kassabella** · 12-07-2011, 04:37 AM

The only way is to keep counters clear and find something that stops them in the act. I never hit them.

Either water spray, loud noise, or lead as Dan suggested.
With the King of counter surfers Ernie, we have tried mouse traps, chillie on food, oven trays that fling onto the floor when he touches them. Each he flings to the side as it a bit of dust.I tried tape along the edges as this is suppose to work. From the other room all I could hear was...tap...tap...on the sticky tape as he walked the lenght of the counters and back.

I tried loud noises with 2 pot lids and he bowed and clapped Bravo... to my symphony. I even tried hiding in a closet and banging the lids or blowing a whistle. He had been doing it too long by the time I adopted him, the only thing to do was surrender and keep the counters clear and him in a crate when cooking. He can hook the ham off your sandwhich while you make it

He has taught Tessa, but she gets a fright and leaves when I bang rolled up news paper on the wall so hoping I can get to her before it is ingrained in her.

.

**Bookwormbiker** · 12-07-2011, 06:43 AM

We've have a "scat mat" that we put in front of the tv to "protect" it, but there's a narrower one made for counter tops. It's lasted forever, just replaced the battery a couple of times through the years. Here's the link for more information: Pet Training Supplies: Scat Mats and Strips for problem behaviors

**dweck** · 12-07-2011, 09:05 AM

I <3 Ernie!!!

Just one more word of caution against using a simple NO to stop this (or any) behavior. It is WAY too general a command to be effective. As you're saying NO, your dog is doing 140 things at once and has no idea what you are NO-ing to. Wagging? Panting? Counter-surfing? Sniffing? Licking? Looking? Listening? Prancing?

What exactly do you wish me to stop, mother?

Use a specific command (OFF!) and a specific praise (Good off! Nice job! Nice off!).

Also the shakey-penny can. I had forgotten that we tried this w/our Wesley, who also thought it was the funnest thing ever. HEY, PERCUSSION!!! Let me DANCE away to that rockin' sound! Shoomba-shoomba-shoomba!

**BigBrownDog** · 12-07-2011, 11:14 AM

I must have the only Labs in the world who don't and never did countersurf! I can leave food out and go into another room and they never, ever bother it.

But - I did have a Dutch Shepherd who was an expert countersurfer and I used a scat mat (referenced in a post above) to break her of not only that habit, but stopped her from jumping up on the dining room table and parking herself on the bay window (like an oversized cat).

I don't recommend that people use pennies in a can simply because it can really backfire badly - use that tactic on the wrong dog and you can have the much more difficult problem of noise fear. Noise fear gets worse with age and can have a real impact on your dog's quality of life. I'd err on the side of caution and never use noise aversives for negative reinforcement.