BaileytheCollie Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Hello everyone! My puppy, Bailey, loves to jump up and put her paws on the counter and grab whatever food is up there, and she does this about 24/7 and I also go over and push her down. Someone suggested shaking a soda can with coins in it to startle her when she goes up, but Bailey simply looked at the can grabbed it and took it around the house shaking it...so noise has no effect on her. Any other advice? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I'm a failure at this and just make sure not to leave food out on the counters where Quinn can get it. My big concern when he was a puppy was that he would leap onto the counters. Not much was safe from him at that time if he was left to his own devices. When he hopped on counters or tables, I'd scold him and remove him (as well as taking away anything he might have nabbed). At some point, he began to "respect" barriers, no longer crashing or jumping gates and seemed to understand he wasn't supposed to be on counters or tables. I can't remember the last time, he went up on a counter or table even with tempting food on it. However even at 4, he isn't above swiping food left within snout reach. That is probably because I didn't work with him on that behavior the way I did with him jumping onto the tables/counters. That is the downfall of management alone. As an aside, after a couple sound sensitive dogs (including Quinn who became sound sensitive at 3 years), I wouldn't use shake cans to discourage behaviors. I've seen dogs who'd only care if you threw the can at them and a couple who would happily retrieve it for you. And I wouldn't want to do anything that might make a dog skittish about noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaileytheCollie Posted June 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I agree, we put everything in the middle of the counters and hopefully in time she will learn to stay off them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseAmy Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 You might try a spray bottle of water..like the rattle can some dogs it works on some dogs think being sprayed with water is great fun. A good trick is to put duck tape--sticky side up--on the edge of the counter. Most dogs after getting their feet stuck and couple of times calls it quicks. Of course then you have to explain to people why your counter tops are ducked taped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaileytheCollie Posted June 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Ok I will try that! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 A good trick is to put duck tape--sticky side up--on the edge of the counter. Most dogs after getting their feet stuck and couple of times calls it quicks. Of course then you have to explain to people why your counter tops are ducked taped. We used the duct tape which worked some of the time. What worked the best for us was to lay empty soda cans on their sides (so they roll) in a row along the edge of the counter. If he jumped up, he'd knock one or two down onto the floor and the noise would make him run away. Of course, now any time someone is holding a can of Pepsi, he freaks. Just kidding! He is zero noise phobic as an adult, so I don't think it warped his little puppy psyche. I still use this method sometimes when I'm cooling a cake or pie on the counter so he isn't tempted to sample. He's not a counter surfer until it comes to cakes and pies! LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silhouettestable Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 With all mine I've found just keeping stuff back from the edge when I'm not watching and constant supervision the rest of the time has been sufficient for them to learn not to touch food on the counter. Even with meat on the counter (eg. roast on the cutting board, or roast chicken or something), I'll sit down to eat dinner while the leftovers cool and the dogs will leave it alone. If my mom's over she's always telling me to push it back further so the dogs don't get it but they never do. I'm attentive when there's there's something tempting and if they get too close looking, sniffing etc. they get an "Ahhh!" or a "leave it" and they go lie down. Anyhow, they've learned that their turn will come and when I'm putting the meat way there are always a few scraps for everyone to share, they just have to be patient. I guess you could say I put them "on trial" when I'm there to keep an eye on them and they learn that counter surfing is not acceptable. When they were younger I have also told them "off!" and pushed them down if they tried to put feet up, or clapped my hands loudly along with the verbal correction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaileytheCollie Posted June 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Okay great thanks for all your help! I may finally be able to prevent this from happening all the time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie S. Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I wish I could stop Cheyenne from reaching up on everything! I've solved the kitchen problem by removing all the food from the counter unless it's in a jar or sealed container. But she also does it to my dresser and bookcase. Yesterday, I came home to find one of my special ceramic boxes on the floor. Fortunately, the room is carpeted and it didn't break. I can't put duct tape on my dresser and I can't move the stuff back far enough as she has a very good reach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agilityrunningdogs Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Thankfully I've never run into this problem. But all of my dogs are taught the "Off" command, it means four paws on the floor pronto. It helps when they jump up on people, or when they are trying to squish themselves on the couch and there is no room. It could apply in this situation, I do realize that you can only tell them "Off" when you see them, but Border Collies are smart, if their behaviour is redirected enough, it will change. In the meantime, is there a way you could maybe block your kitchen with a baby gate to prevent the temptation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaileytheCollie Posted June 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I'll first try duck tape & stuff and if that doesn't seem to work I will try and blockade the kitchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustopherJones Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 ...or you might just accept the inevitable. Counter-surfing is a Border Collie specialty; it is a recognized competitive sport for them, along with agility and herding. If your dog is expert enough, you might even try registering Quinn for the International Counter-Surfing Trials that are held annually in Fargo, North Dakota (typically on February 30th of each year). The grand prize is a can of Pam that you can use to spray the tops of the counters. But if you truly do not want this behavior to continue, you might try raising the counters to a height 3 inches above the jump height of your dog (of course, that might complicate actually retrieving something that you need from the counter, but we all have to make sacrifices...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdarling Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Put these along the countertop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Put these along the countertop. You also have to bait it though! Some yummy cheese is enough to entice them up - once Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I understand that if you spit in their mouth then whack them with a pot, they learn stuff...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdarling Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 if you spit in their mouth then whack them with a pot LMAO!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.DaisyDuke Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 ...or you might just accept the inevitable. Counter-surfing is a Border Collie specialty; it is a recognized competitive sport for them, along with agility and herding. I've seen my dog bend in the WEIRDEST ways! She's also reached stuff I never thought imaginable. Where there's a will there's a way. But for the most part, whenever she was caught counter surfing, I would just be totally neutral and (gently) pull her by the collar off whatever she was jumping onto and then walk away. I later taught her an "off" command and generally she listens. If something hits the floor though, it's fair game! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerfulgazelle Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Kip's learning occurred the time he surfed against the (newly remodeled) kitchen peninsula which contains the gas cooktop. DH had the tea kettle on. Kip's "reach" was exactly the distance to the gas flame. Collie toefur is flammable. No more countersurfing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Devils Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I was going to suggest mouse traps. Put trigger them and place them upside down on the counter. My dogs have an off command so don't counter surf much. I do put things to the back of the counter just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaileytheCollie Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Haha i think i'll try spitting in her mouth jk....thanks for all the suggestions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 ...or you might just accept the inevitable. Counter-surfing is a Border Collie specialty; it is a recognized competitive sport for them, along with agility and herding. If your dog is expert enough, you might even try registering Quinn for the International Counter-Surfing Trials that are held annually in Fargo, North Dakota (typically on February 30th of each year). The grand prize is a can of Pam that you can use to spray the tops of the counters. But if you truly do not want this behavior to continue, you might try raising the counters to a height 3 inches above the jump height of your dog (of course, that might complicate actually retrieving something that you need from the counter, but we all have to make sacrifices...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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