[TracyJo]

Chi is doing so well in her training and socialization that I figured it was time to move on to the newest battle: Counter Surfing!
I asked for advice on the clicker solutions e-mail group and was kindly directed to these articles. Am having a serious "Duh, why didn't I think of that?" attack right now as this advice is so practical it borders on common sense But thought I'd share the knowledge in case any of you were interested
http://www.petexpertise.com/about_us/dropitleaveit.htm#Leave

http://www.petexpertise.com/dog_problems/countersurfarticle.htm

I think that we can probably use the same guidelines listed in the counter surfing article to work on clothes stealing too. I know that a sock in the laundry basket is just as bit tempting as the dish towel on the counter for Chi.

 

[frznbuns]

Oh I guess I never thought of it that way.. I just did it the old fashion way..
set a mouse trap and place it upside down on the counter.. then very carefully put a paper plate with a very small amount of peanut butter or butter on top.
The peanut butter or butter is VERY Small and spread thin. You do not want it to be a treat!! When the dog goes to get the plate the mouse trap trips sending the plate flying and a loud noise of the sprung trap.. My dogs never went on the counter again.. Work on the cat too!! Hee HEE

 

[TracyJo]

Huh, wonder what happened to my post?? Let me try again...
Bet that would work a whole lot faster too! I think I saw something somewhere that was a dog friendly mousetrap for just this sort of thing. It made the same sound and was triggered easily but couldn't pinch a paw or lip....

 

[Gracie's_Mom]

Counter surfing isn't much of a problem here. I use "outta there" for the trash which she now getting good at staying out unless there is a steak or some other kind of meat in there. When she is on the counter I use "Off" and "Outta there" I also tell her to "drop it" no matter what she got. I don't want her to view it as a treat. I like the mouse trap idea though. Knowing me I will set it wrong and it will snap her lip or something.

 

[Dobe_Paws]

Tracy, thanks for the article. Counter surfing isn't a big problem here but I can't say that I'd completely trust her if there was something tempting on the counter. I'm going to have to try this with her.

 

[Krys]

I will definatly have to try this!! i have 2 major counter surfers

 

[frznbuns]

The thing I liked about the mouse trap, is when they hit the plate the trap would trip and go flying.. As for the trash.. We have the "TRASH CAN MONSTER" When the dogs were little, we put the can on the floor on it side with a tasty treat in it.. With the dog on a lead, we let the dog go into the can to get the treat on their own while you are watching them.. as soon as the head is in the can, you shove the dog the rest of the way in and hold them in with one hand as you bang on the side of the can and make loud noises.. Then let them out.. boy all three of my dogs peed all over the place and then I comforted them and said bad trash can.. our trainer would then push the can towards them and make a weird sound.. boy did the dog go and hide behind me.. to this day we NEVER have trouble with them getting in the trash and it is open in the kitchen and they sleep in the kitchen at night..
Worked for me!!

 

[Hero's Mom]

Oh I guess I never thought of it that way.. I just did it the old fashion way..
set a mouse trap and place it upside down on the counter.. then very carefully put a paper plate with a very small amount of peanut butter or butter on top.
The peanut butter or butter is VERY Small and spread thin. You do not want it to be a treat!! When the dog goes to get the plate the mouse trap trips sending the plate flying and a loud noise of the sprung trap.. My dogs never went on the counter again.. Work on the cat too!! Hee HEE

I tried the mouse traps and it worked with my dogs.

 

[Molari]

Counter surfing isn't much of a problem here. I use "outta there" for the trash which she now getting good at staying out unless there is a steak or some other kind of meat in there. When she is on the counter I use "Off" and "Outta there" I also tell her to "drop it" no matter what she got. I don't want her to view it as a treat. I like the mouse trap idea though. Knowing me I will set it wrong and it will snap her lip or something.

<b>You throw steak away?</b> GKar would think he had done something horribly wrong if I did that. I have a question, I have seen a few mentions of being on the counter, do you mean literally or on her hind legs checking it out?

 

[Gracie's_Mom]

<b>You throw steak away?</b> GKar would think he had done something horribly wrong if I did that. I have a question, I have seen a few mentions of being on the counter, do you mean literally or on her hind legs checking it out?

She has never ever been "on" the counter. She puts her front paws on there and starts sniffing around.

Also I don't throw steak out all the time, but if the animals (cat and dog) are nosing my plate it goes in the trash. If they can't let me eat in peace then they aren't going to get any left overs. Also I give Cubby (cat) his peice first, after Cubby eats half of it then Gracie gets hers. If Gracie at all goes after Cubby for not sharing his peice then she gets nothing. Rachel (cat) doesn't eat much people food. So far I have only found 1 kind of meat that she will eat. So I just make sure I save enough for Grace and Cubby. If it goes in the trash and Gracie starts trying to get it out she gets in trouble with the "outta there" if it's in her mouth I pull it out and throw it away again. If she trys to get it again, she gets an "outta there" and a "go lay down now" . Which for the most part has worked.

Also I would just like to mention, the only reason I give Cubby his first is because it is so much easier to control Gracie that way. If I give her hers first then she will go after Cubby every time because he wont share with her. So I make sure Cubby eats more than half of his before I give Gracie any thing. Also both of them only get the edges of the steak. I will not eat the edge of a steak for nothing. I don't know why I just wont. So they get a good portion of the steak, as well as I have to trim all the fat off, so they get all the scraps. They also get mashed potatoes once in a while.

 

[Molari]

I did not think so but who knows what they will do. GKar will sit and wait for Mary(cat) to walk away from anything she has before he eats it. I took a different approch to eating steak in peace. I buy an extra one with a bone for him and substitute that for his dinner. Because of the mess, he has to eat it outside while I enjoy a quiet meal in the house.

 

[Gracie's_Mom]

That's a good idea. Although I am a little weird when it comes to steak. I only buy enough for hubby and me, no extras. I give them my left overs but I refuse to buy an extra steak. I can eat steak every day and not get tired of it, same with mashed potatoes. And most weeks that's all I eat for dinner.

 

[Molari]

I only eat it a few times a month. I have to agree about mashed potatos thou. Weekends are the only times I eat dinner as rule.

 

[Gracie's_Mom]

Mmmm Mashed potatoes.. This week is my spegitti week, I go through phases of what I eat. One or two or even three weeks I eat nothing but steak and potatoes, the next week it's mac and cheese or spagitti, or french toast. But that is all I will eat all week long. I am a very weird person I guess. Lol.

 

[frznbuns]

Mmmm Mashed potatoes.. This week is my spegitti week, I go through phases of what I eat. One or two or even three weeks I eat nothing but steak and potatoes, the next week it's mac and cheese or spagitti, or french toast. But that is all I will eat all week long. I am a very weird person I guess. Lol.

LOL I would say so!!!:eatchicke
I have not eaten beef in 11 years just thing of eating it makes me green!:vomit-smi
WE do eat some chicken and turkey here but that is mainly because of my hubby.. If is was up to me I would give up meat for the most part.. Now don't get me wrong.. I do like my turkey at Thanksgiving! but I can tell you if I was to eat only one food group it would be potatoes and corn from now till my days end..