Roasted turkey, fresh baked ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh baked pies; these are the many delights that await the coming holiday season. This time of year brings lots of entertaining with lots of food. It is also the time of year where disaster can strike a festive holiday meal as the lovable family dog does what he will naturally do and help himself to the feast that waits on the counter.
Counter surfing is not only maddening but potentially dangerous as there are a myriad of human foods and other substances that can be dangerous to a dog. Like all poor behavior, owners tend to ignore bad behaviors until they become painful enough to address. At that point, though, how do you break a bad habit? As with any behavior modification it takes several things, all of which equally important: respect from the animal, consistency, and ongoing training and reinforcement. If any of these items is missing, you will have less than successful results.
Dog will counter surf for a number of reasons, all of which provide reward:
- They don’t know any better. The reward here is the delectable treat
- They are hungry
- They are begging for attention. Even being scolded is a form of attention that will do if no other attention is forthcoming.
- Boredom or lack of exercise
Understanding your dog’s motivations is one of the keys to devising a plan to stop this unwanted behavior. If they are bored or begging for attention, increase you daily walks and play time. If they are truly hungry, investigate adjusting feeding times. If they don’t know any better, training is clearly indicated. In any case, however, it is important to make your dog understand that this is an undesirable behavior and be consistent with that message.
The first step to curb this behavior is to prevent it from happening. Don’t give your dog the opportunity to counter surf by removing all delectables from his reach. It is easier to extinguish a behavior if it is not a constant taunt for your dog. (I tend to use the microwave quite a bit for “storage” as I have melted quite a few containers in the oven L). The always important second step is to make sure you dog has some basic obedience commands down pat: responding to his name, and leave it. These two commands are crucial for extinguishing many problems your dog might have. Once the basic commands have been mastered, provide supervision when your dog is around food. With constant attention and appropriate, calm correction, you will be able to be in the same room (and not paying much attention, then to another room, etc). You might also want to give your dog an alternate activity when there is food in the kitchen. Teach him to go to “his place” and lie down and stay on command. Make sure this spot is an appealing spot so your dog feels rewarded by being there.
Dos and Don’ts of Counter Surfing
- DO Keep food out of reach
- DO Supervise at all times when the potential of the unwanted activity exists
- DO only feed your dog from his own bowl
- DO provide your dog with enough mental and physical stimulation daily
- DO Always reward desired behavior (this can be verbal or physical (petting) and doesn’t always mean treats)
- DON’T ever chase, yell at, hit, or give your dog attention for undesirable behavior
- DON’T set up “traps” to teach your dog a lesson in hopes of extinguishing a behavior
HI–
I saw your ad in the Courier and was not aware that you were in our area. Welcome if you are new to us!!!
We have a “counter surfer” who also is a fridge magnet eater. She only does this when we (the parents) are not around and the kids are. Its like she does it to get the kids chasing her for attention. Pillows, kitchen towels, books, a shoe, toys, everything is subject to her thieving. We’ve tried removing everything she automatically goes for, ignoring her when she does it (she eats then what she’s snatched–even papers) reprimanding her with ‘bad dog’ and ‘naughty’ to which she truly looks “sorry”…but she continues. Again, ONLY with the kids around the house. I should also clarify that she is walked daily, has plenty of interaction with her toys and games with adults and kids. She knows the command “leave it” and will obey this command with kids when an adult is present. She will not give up her prize to the kids when we are not around.
Counter surfing is NOT fun.
You would be shocked (as my vet was) the things my dog has ingested from snatching items when we parents aren’t in the same room as her. This is getting to be a very expensive bad habit.
Any other tips or suggestions?
Thanks for writing. Counter surfing is not fun, and as you can see can be not only expensive (loss of items and vet bills) but very dangerous for a dog: food that can be dangerous as well as foreign objects that were never made to be eaten and can cause serious damage.
It seems, however, that counter surfing is not your only issue. The fact that the dog respects the adults in the house and seems to have no regard for the children is also an issue. Humans of any age should be seen as leaders and treated the same way by the dog. I see addressing two issues here. . .strong obedience training (leave its) and some leadership for your family and your dog to help redistribute the “balance of power” so to speak.
Also, it is difficult in a house with young children, but often it is easiest and most effective if the items were not in your dogs reach in the first place. . .at least while you are trying to train him away from eating them. Also, providing good items that he can chew on will help take the place of those taboo things. Whenever I have a new/young dog. . .my floor is littered with things he can and should have to take the place of the things I have either removed or refused to let him have.
Best of luck. Please let me know if I can be of any help.
–joann