Counter Surfing

[Skeate]

My B absolutely loves to counter surf. She generally can't reach anything on the kitchen counter, but she sure tries. Anyone have tips on how to stop this behavior? I've tried the squirt bottle (but she hears me coming and gets down before I squirt her). Scolding doesn't seem to work. We have a "time out" kennel in our living room set up. She gets about five minutes in there if she's bad. That helps some, but she's back up to her old tricks in short time.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[WBL]

Double sided tape, scat mat, trip wire set to knock something like a soda can with pennies (makes noise to startle them)

block the kitchen off so she can't go in there at all

[senji]

Sorry I don't even try to stop that behavior. I admit I've been trained !! The worst he gets is the dish towels….he loves to roll on them. Most of the time I remember to move any food. I was actually trained by a Great Dane..he didn't even have to get up with his paws he just looked right on the counter!

[Quercus]

I don't know…but when you find something, let me know @@

I have tried everything short of a scat mat, and am seriously considering that. My monsters wait until I leave the room (Tim can be sitting across the room) and then they immediately surf my computer area. And yes...it is because I have left all sorts of delicacies there...and yes, I am mainly at fault..but it is still really irritating. As soon as I sense that they are rooting around there from the other room I yell "off" and they get off...but Tim, you ask? He just yells her name (and yes, it is always a her)..but doesn't get up to physically intervene...or even give a command....ugh...

[WBL]

I have a scat mat across the kitchen entrance, and wouldn't you know it that Tiggy (little monster) tests it to make sure it is turned on (usually leave it on low) With Reggie he stays away completely and I could leave it just turned off and not worry. Now with Tig I have to remember to turn it on when Tig is out and about.

[youngandtired]

I think personally that it is a Basenji trait that some love and some don't. My luck would be to have one that Loves, Loves, I mean Loves to surf my kitchen counters, living room sofa tables, my bedroom endtables, and dresser. Bathroom counters and of course the bathroom tissue. I can take it out of the holder and Sahara will stand on her hind legs, and stretch to the max and try to bring it closer with her feet. It is amazing to watch, she is such the hunter, sometimes I think she does it to get us to chase her. The funniest thing is when she is running with towel, or toilet tissue, or underwear and jumps out of the house through the doggie door and goes in the yard. But I have learned if you don't chase her she will immediately come back through to entice you to chase her some more. When you find the cure for table surfing please let me know, it is worth alot of money. haha!!!!!!

[JazzysMom]

On the advice of a trainer from way back, I wait until the dog is in the kitchen, NOT counter-surfing, and I approach the counter, touch it, YELP!!!, and jump away. For the more stubborn dogs, I may drop a lid or something onto the counter for an extra emphasis. I do that several times, then leave the room.

It takes a couple of days, but eventually {most} dogs start thinking that something up there is scary and they won't surf {much} any more.

It has worked for all my dogs, for years – Gypsy was the WORST counter-and-table-surfer EVER, which was not good because she is tall and could reach everything! She even stole an entire ham once...dh wanted her DEAD, LOL.
Even she learned not to surf up there because you just never know . . .
And none of them ever became "afraid" of the counter or kitchen, just cautious about sticking their noses up there!

[renaultf1]

@JazzysMom:

On the advice of a trainer from way back, I wait until the dog is in the kitchen, NOT counter-surfing, and I approach the counter, touch it, YELP!!!, and jump away. For the more stubborn dogs, I may drop a lid or something onto the counter for an extra emphasis. I do that several times, then leave the room.

It takes a couple of days, but eventually {most} dogs start thinking that something up there is scary and they won't surf {much} any more.

It has worked for all my dogs, for years – Gypsy was the WORST counter-and-table-surfer EVER, which was not good because she is tall and could reach everything! She even stole an entire ham once...dh wanted her DEAD, LOL.
Even she learned not to surf up there because you just never know . . .
And none of them ever became "afraid" of the counter or kitchen, just cautious about sticking their noses up there!

This seems like a good idea and maybe the best one I've heard yet. Ruby has gotten better about surfing, but if there is hamburger or meat being cooked, all bets are off.

Regarding Gypsy…she's a Golden, right. My friends had a Golden (who was not typically a surfer) that stole the entire (and I mean entire) Thanksgiving turkey while it was being cooled on a workbench in the garage. Needless to say, the 20 or so people that came for dinner ate only vegetables that year. Good thing we were all animal lovers and thought it was funny.

[felakuti]

I wonder if scat mats work on cats too.

[Quercus]

@felakuti:

I wonder if scat mats work on cats too.

Yeah, I think they were invented for cats.

[WBL]

@felakuti:

I wonder if scat mats work on cats too.

lol, sorry had to laugh first, yes they work on cats too. If Tiggy would test it I could leave mine off 24-7 because both my cat and boxer avoid it at all cost, and it only took Pigmy one time with the setting on medium for her to avoid it at all costs (now if I can remeber not to step on it when it's on we'd be good, it'll startle the hell out of ya)

[JazzysMom]

Hmmm, I've never heard of scat mats, but now I am intrigued.

Do you think they'd work for keeping dogs out of areas in the home? Like if I kept one at the bottom of the stairs, AND one at the entrance to the hall at the top of the stairs, could I get rid of the gates?

I'm guessing not, since the cats are on the other side and a little electrical shock won't deter them when they are in predator mode. But you can feel free to convince me otherwise! I'd so love to be able to stop climbing over gates to get around my house!

[WBL]

I've used it before at the bottom of my stairs when we first got Tiggy to keep him from chasing the cat up. I have the medium one and it's I think 16 inches wide, and the large is around 20 inches wide, so will avoid the area and some might just go right through it. I believe it would just depend on the dog

[JazzysMom]

@WBL:

I've used it before at the bottom of my stairs when we first got Tiggy to keep him from chasing the cat up. I have the medium one and it's I think 16 inches wide, and the large is around 20 inches wide, so will avoid the area and some might just go right through it. I believe it would just depend on the dog

Maybe if I had more than one; perhaps one at the bottom and one in the middle, AND one at the top, LOL. Then no matter where they jump, they're getting zapped!

Sigh. There's only one way to find out, but I hate to spend the money and then find out mine are willing to take the zap in order to achieve the goal.

[red and white furever]

I'd so love to be able to stop climbing over gates to get around my house!

I so hear ya on that one!!!

I've seen products called X Mats which have sharp little points on it to deter paws from surfaces. It reminds me of those clear car floor mats or clear carpet runner protectors turned upside down. I don't have any experience with them, but they look like they'd get the "point" across.

[Quercus]

@red:

I so hear ya on that one!!!

I've seen products called X Mats which have sharp little points on it to deter paws from surfaces. It reminds me of those clear car floor mats or clear carpet runner protectors turned upside down. I don't have any experience with them, but they look like they'd get the "point" across.

Yep, those work, especially on couches or chairs. I always tell people to buy the carpet runner and cut it to the size they need.

Maybe if I glue carpet runner around the edges of our table nook…hmm. The dogs don't put their feet on the top of the table, just rest on the edges. And it is a table where we sit all the time, so I don't think they would buy the "oh, OW scary" technique (though it is a great idea)...that would be most effective somewhere where they don't see you comfortable leaning on the forbidden surface a lot. Plus this is a loooooong held, occasionally self reinforcing habit. I think I might have better luck changing it if I had done it three years ago when we moved into our new family room....duh.

Querk has taken it to new levels in that he waits for us to leave the room, then will jump up on the bench around the table AND actually climb ON TO the table when he thinks we have left the house! AAACK!

[nala121498]

@Quercus:

…climb ON TO the table when he thinks we have left the house! AAACK!

We frequently find Nala on our table…AAACK! is right!!;)

[Quercus]

On this topic, has anybody seen the new Reynold's Wrap commerical where a full grown lab climbs on to the dining room table and tries to get into a container wrapped with the product? The only spoken line is "Reynold's wrap..chocolate lab proof"

HA! One of those producers must have a chocolate lab because that is just so apt! Now, the reason they probably didn't use a Basenji is because it certainly wouldn't have been "proof" in any sort of way.

Anyhow, I had a physical reaction to the commercial when I first saw it…I was thinking 'OMG, that dog is going to get right up on the table!!!'

Somebody has a story about their B jumping up directly into the middle of the Thanksgiving table from a standing start on the floor.

Rotten little dogs

[Duke]

Well - today I wish I had used my Reynolds Wrap. After a visit with my son at my father-in-laws home, we brought home a plate for my DH filled with mashed potatoes and beef tips. My DH is under the weather today and just picked at the plate of food his dad made for him. He left the plate on the island table (counter height). I was doing laundry, when all the sudden - CRASH!!! I instantly thought about the food on the plate on the table. Yep, soon as I ran in the kitchen, the plate was broken in pieces upside down. Duke & Daisy skattered and left me with the clean up. Not a morsel of food left anywhere. Just a broken plate and shards of stone ware everywhere. What dogs - they seemed proud of themselves! I've got to watch them very close. Duke did not do these things until Daisy got him working in the life of thievery.

[wizard]

When I first got EL D he had a reputation for being terribly destructive (hence my name for him, short for El Destructo). So when I found that he would explore the counters but not actually climb up I was pleased. Nevertheless I didn't want him getting ideas, so when I found him exploring I would not say a word but make some loud noise with a pot cover or anything handy nearby or even a loud whistle that I kept handy (it hurt my ears so I'm sure he hated it). It took only a few days of this and voila no trouble now.