Pulling stuff off the counter & table

[Kim M]

I need some suggestions on what to do with Bear...

 

He has started taking stuff off the table or counter (mostly when I'm not home, but once when I was in the other room). I try to keep stuff put away as much as possible. But he's started taking stuff, my digital camera and case, the other day the hand helf can opener was in the living room (it was kind of funny though), or the hand towel off the counter and this morning when I got home from marathon training he had taken the plastic bag with my clothes and training schedule off the kitchen table and shredded my papers. He gets into the laundry hamper and taken out clothes (that's been moved to a room he can't get into. I gave him one of my "dirty" t-shirts thinking he wanted to have me "around" but he was still getting into the hamper. He doesn't take stuff everyday but it's happening more and more often.

 

I was not pleased but didn't yell at him and calmly put him in his crate so I could clean up the mess. It's funny how pleased with himself he always seems

 

Since I don't see him doing it I can't correct his behaviour...Basic training classes start in about 2 weeks and I do some basic stuff here with him, sit stay leave it etc.

 

I do take him for walks, dog park, we play catch and fetch in the back yard everyday but I keep wondering if he's still not getting enough excercise (either mental or physical). He has lots of toys that he plays with, carrys around, chews on.

 

Any help or ideas would be wonderful.

 

Thank-you,

 

Kimberley

[stockdogranch]

Two suggestions: one, set him up--put something you think he can't resist on the counter, hide where he thinks you can't see him (but you can) and wait. The minute he reaches up there--turn into a screaming banshee and scare the bejeezus out of him. Let him really know that doing that is totally unacceptable. Second: crate him when you are not there to supervise until he is older and more trustworthy. It sounds like puppy stuff (and maybe a little separation anxiety) that they eventually outgrow,

Anna

[INU]

Cooper started counter surfing weeks ago. I found a scat mat for $12 at BIG LOT (it's a discount store). I placed it on the kitchen counter before we went to sleep, left a safe and yummy food behind the mat. In the morning the food was still safe but the mat was slightly shifted. We did this every time we went to bed, and before we left for work. I leave safe food there purposely, he never touch it again. After a week, I didn't switch the mat on, food was still safe. A week later, I didn't spread the mat, the food was still there! I think it's made for protecting the couches but it worked wonders for my counter-surfer

[INU]

Edited: This mat beeps, there is no shock. I hesitated to use it for a while because Jazzy is sound sensitive. Here's what I did before I used it. I locked Jazzy in the bedroom one night, left the food on the counter without the mat just to make sure it's not in fact my little innocent angel doing the counter surfing. Then I introduced Jazzy with the matt (without Cooper) so she wouldn't be scared when Cooper made it go off.

[badgerboy]

My old Rooney, ( the one before Badger) was a terrible counter surfer, if there was'nt anything to steal he would just lick the surface of the kitchen units. We put pepper all along the surface, he soon stopped, was'nt too keen on sneezing, we had to do it a couple of times till it really sunk home.

[Lunar]

We use a baby-gate. Zeeke is so tall, and he loves getting into stuff, so we keep him out of the kitchen. (And he's always crated when we aren't around.) So basically he never gets the opportunity to do it anymore.

[Guest WoobiesMom]

Crate him, crate him, crate him. If he's getting into non-food items, there is a risk he could get into something really dangerous and hurt himself. I thought Woobie was safe while I just jumped in the shower recently. I returned to find the corner of my sofa chewed up and him with a splinter in his gum. After seeing what a wooden splinter can do on E-vet Interns, he's crated when I can't supervise at all times. Dogs have died from eating socks, saran wrap, needles, super glue, etc. It's just better to crate.

[Kim M]

scat mat

 

What's a scat mat?

 

The first week after I brought him home from rescue he would be crated either in the am or pm; I would either crate him in the morning and come home at lunch and then leave him to free roam in the house or leave him out in the morning then come home at lunch and crate him for the afternoon. He does very well crated. I didn't think he "needed" to be crated the whole day, but it looks like he does need to be crated periodically when I'm gone...very easy solution since he does well in the crate. But, since it seemed like he was settling into his forever home well I didn't thing it would be necessary so often...I was wrong.

 

Thank-you everyone for your help and suggestions. Bear is a great (!!!) dog and I can not imagine my life without him

 

Kimberley

[Kim M]

We use a baby-gate.

 

The baby gates are a wonderful invention!!! I do have a couple of tension mounted baby gates that I've experimented with the "best" placement for in my house and have made such a difference. I should probably pick up a couple more of them to have on hand.

 

Everyone is so helpful on this board!!