I'm reposting this - hoping someone will have some ideas to stop a counter surfer.

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

Ok DK'ers I need some ideas. My Doodle keeps taking things off the tables and counters.  It doesn't need to be food but napkins, Magazines, pens, childrens toys, coasters, remote control...the list goes on.  He's getting so much bigger and now can get the things we were trying to keep out of his reach.  He knows "off" but the things on the tables seem to be a bigger draw then his own toys.  My trainer said that I should put something spicy inside rolled up balls of bread and line them up along the counters edge and that should start to deter him but I'm not too keen on that idea.  He's only 4 months and we keep him on leash but it is definitely a daily struggle.  Any suggestions would be fantastic.  Otherwise I feel a bad tv sitcom episode coming on,you know,  where the dog takes the thanksgiving Turkey...What was that My Three sons? or Brady Bunch? or maybe Christmas Vacation....

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

Thank you Megan, I may try something like this before I buy the citronella collar.  Thanks you for posting!

 

[Leslie & Axl Sacks]

Hi.  Our six month old goldendoodle is a remote control grabber/counter surfer too.  With 2 teenagers inthe house, there's only so much I can keep off the counter, tables, sofa....  So, our trainer suggested a remote controlled citronella collar.  It's not cheap-$150 or so, BUT SOOOOO WORTH IT!!!!  We bought it online & it is fantastic.  When you see the dog getting ready to grab or jump, or even if he's caught in the act, without saying anything, like off or get down, you hit the remote and a spritz of citronella comes out of the collar, under their chin.  FREAKS THEM OUT but Axl hasn't jumped on my counter in weeks. 

It's great b/c I can be in the family room & get him in the kitchen!!  We also use it if he jumps up on the baby gate when people come in the house.  Spritz & down he goes!

[Linda and "Toby"]

I've that collar to stop Toby from barking in the back yard. It works amaaaazingly well!

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

I've saw this collar at a friends house.    I actually have a funny story about it too.  My friends DH was showing my DH the collar (he had it in his hands) and he tells my DH to bark....so he does and got sprayed in the face!!  Hilarious!  I swear men aren't too brite.  Well at least he learned his lesson!

 

I hadn't thought to use it for surfing behavior but I will definitely look into it.  Thank you!!

 

Maybe I can use it to keep my DH away from my chocolate...LOL!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Funny you should mention Thanksgiving Turkey!  At 6 months old Gracie Doodle did take the Thanksgiving Turkey!!  We had dinner and went out for a few hours.  At this age she was no longer in a crate but not yet trusted to have run of the house.  We kept her in the kitchen/breakfast room and she has a doggie door to the enclosed patio area.  We had covered the turkey and put it on the back burner of the stove because it was still too warm to put in the refrig.  When we came home there was a very sleepy and happy baby Doodle spread out on the kitchen floor on her back!!  There were pieces of turkey on the floor around her.  She didn't actually pull down the entire bird.  She managed to get the cut pieces that were on the platter.  Gracie is a Standard GD so at 6 months she was getting tall.  That was the beginning.  She took an avocado out of the fruit bowl, a cell phone and chewed it up, sponges/scrubber brush out of the sink and the remote for the kitchen TV.  After that we completely stripped the kitchen counters.  The knives in the block, fruit bowl, cell phone charger...everything that was on the counters was removed.  Since she didn't have run of the house yet we didn't have an issue with things around the house.  We basically removed all temptation from her in the kitchen which was her "crate" at the time and eventually she gave up looking for things.  We have a TV in the kitchen where we spend a good amount of time so if she started counter surfing we would correct her.  We have never given Gracie human food so she has grown up (after the turnkey and avocado) to not show interest in what is up on the counter.  I would say it was probably when she was 1 yr. that she became more trustworthy and we no longer had to worry about her taking things. 

I think your Doodle is just a bit too young to trust.  Four months is not very old and that is a very rambunctious stage and definitely not a trustworthy stage.  Gracie was not allowed in a room off or dragging a leash if I could not trust her.  I would settle her and put her toys around her on a blanket while I was on my computer.  If he decided to leave I the would have to take her back to the kitchen to stay while I was busy and couldn't watch her.  Doodles are very smart and are just like toddlers and kids.  The curiosity is just too great to not check out what is on the table.  Give it time and lots of corrections and things will get easier.  As for kitchen counters some people have put cookie sheets on the edge of the counter so when the Doodle jumps up the sheets fall and crash to the ground and scare the Doodle.  They say it scares them enough to not want to repeat it.  I never tried it but I do remember reading about it a few years ago on DK.  Good Luck!

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

Thank you Nancie (as always),

Your story is hilarious! I can imagine Gracie was quite the sight when you came home all full and tired!  LOL!

 

I'll let you know how I make out...

[Monica & Quincy & Charmin too]

I'm having the exact same problem with our 17 1/2 week old puppy.  We just had the Invisible Fence system installed around our property and I bought an interior unit (looks similiar to a smoke detector) to use on the counters and kitchen table.  Just a few more weeks of training outside and we'll be able to turn the interior unit on.  I'm sure after one or two corrections he won't be jumping up anymore.  I hope :-)

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

Please let me now how this works for you. I'm going to try the cookie sheets and coke cans filled with coins before I go the collar route  Thanks for your comments.

[Jess and Pippin]

Also, try keeping your doodle close by and on leash while in the kitchen.  Step on the leash so he can't jump.  We found this was really helpful in helping to train Pippin not to jump up on people as well.  (still working on both issues!)

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

Thank you!  I'm hearing a lot about using coke cans that have coins in them on a cookie sheet so when they hit the counter they fall and make a noise scaring them.  Apparently repeating this really deters them.  Good luck!