Rooney has learned a new trick- and not the good kind!

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

Mr. Rooney (yep, it's Mr. Rooney- so you know he's in trouble), has discovered the thrill of counter surfing.  Fortunately (I guess), for now his interest doesn't seem to be food but rather the stray dish towel or piece of paper.  He has shredded three different pieces of mail so far, thankfully nothing too critical, and is always delighted when he can snag an oven mitt.  I try to push things back as far as I can, but his reach is getting pretty impressive.  I honestly can't even figure out how he does it sometimes, I think he might be part kangaroo.

So, I have caught him a few times and immediately grabbed him mid-jump and told him "time out" and put him in his time spot for a few minutes.  All this seems to have accomplished is he has learned to make sure I am not looking when he makes his move.

Any suggestions? This is going to be very problematic if it continues because now it means I can't even leave him in the kitchen unsupervised and thus he will have to go back to being crated when I am gone. 

I realize that one solution is to always have the kitchen counters 100% clear but with a family of five that just isn't realistic.  If it were just me then no problem, but I'd like to keep my family so there is going to have to be another solution.

If anyone has the miracle cure, I'll pay big money for it!

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

Exactly! However, I am much more vigilant now about what is on the counter so hopefully he won't grab anything too troublesome.

One day he came close to snagging my paycheck! I'll be more careful about that in the future... And he did shred an invitation that had come for a political fundraiser.  My husband laughed and said, "Well, I guess we can assume he's not voting for that candidate!" We are starting to worry he might not share our political views and values... that can get so awkward around the dinner table. Sigh... ;)

[Diane, Hurley and Sidney]

I don't know if this will help but hopefully. Hurley has, also, started the counter surfing but before I get into discipline I have to say it is hard for me to keep a straight face when I see those furry front paws and that face peeking over the counter. That being said Hurley has a pronged collar and his leash is on all the time. I quickly grab the leash, about 8 inches from the collar, jerk it twice upwards strongly saying "no, no". Then I squirt him with Bitter Apple spray. Now he waits until I am out of sight or preoccupied. So I pretend i am doing something else, watch him out od the corner of my eye, and when he goes into counter surfing action I immediately can grab the leash and discipline him. I just started all this so I would not call it a success story yet.

This week my husband is in the hospital so I am not home much. I drop Hurley at my son's house so he can play with their 3 dogs and I pick him up in the evening. Hurley likes it but when I come to get him he is so excited to see me and anxious to get home. He is a sweet companion.

[Gail Vinnal]

disposable aluminum cookie sheets set on the edge of the counter make a big noise but even if it hits the puppy its very light.  Bailey only got cought twice before she decided the ocunter was not for her feet.

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

Clever idea!  Between that and the cans, maybe I can curb his fascination.

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

Boomer was a major counter surfer so I did what several have already suggested - cans!   He had to learn the "correction" didn't come from me (thats what I was told by a trainer).  All my squirts, "offs" and "leave its" weren't working.   The cans work best if you aren't in the room so he SELF CORRECTS, so to speak.  I tied empty soup cans together with yarn - attached to a piece of hotdog.  He went for the hotdog and all the soup cans came crashing down.   He didn't try to go up there for the next year...

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I do think pups kind of grow out of counter surfing as long as they're aware its unacceptable. Lucy was a notorious counter surfer until about 5 months or so. She'd do it with us sitting at the island eating dinner. We'd just make a big racket out of shake cans and whatever else we had at our disposal at the moment. Eventually, it just stopped. Now, Lucy's thing is to walk along with her nose aimed up at counter height. It's her modified version of counter surfing...lol. She NEVER jumps up on the counter any more, though.

 

As for the kitchen towel issue (and it was a HUGE problem at our house), I resorted to using those towels with the crocheted tops to keep them firmly affixed to the towel rack (or oven door). I even learned to make them myself so I could get whatever towel and top color I desired to coordinate with my kitchen... Thanks, Lucy.

[Becka]

So Lucy learned her lesson and you learned a craft! Sounds like a win-win to me! ;)

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

Too funny!

[Bonne Bouche]

I wanted to respond earlier to this, sorry I'm late to the party...

BB started to be very bad at counter surfing as a pup, but we were actually able to nip that in the bud, and havent had issues with that in about a year.

We "baited" him by putting tempting food and other enticing things (towels, etc.) COVERED in bitter apple (his most despised thing in the world). We left the room, and shortly after we found BB had gone exploring only to be HORRIBLY upset with the findings. Honestly it only took a couple times, and we've had no issues since. Just a thought...

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

Thanks, Carla- this sounds like a good plan as well.  Rooney also hates bitter apple so that would probably be effective with him as well.  I'll go out and get an extra bottle tomorrow so I can start dousing those precious oven mitts!  Honestly, my oven mitts are so old and ratty, I need an excuse to get new ones anyway!

[Wynn, Fudge, and Willy]

Willy has started counter surfing. He surfs on every counter and table in the house! I use the off command when I see him doing it and he minds me most of the time and gets off. But... If I don't catch him, then he is off and running with something. I am trying to keep everything out of his reach. I have used the water bottle too, but it is hard to be consistant with the water bottle unless I keep it with me at all time. I think I am going to try the bitter apple too. Thanks!

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

Alas, the bitter apple did not work with Rooney when I tried it today.  I doused a dish towel in bitter apple and while he normally hates the bitter apple (when sprayed on hard surfaces that he might chew) it had no effect whatsoever on the towel.  He was perfectly happy to dash out into the yard with it and toss it around on the grass.  I have been gathering soda cans and plan to tie them to a dish towel tomorrow and see if that will work to startle him and dissuade him from his counter surfing ways.  In the meantime, this new challenge has inspired me to keep my kitchen counters immaculately clear and clean.  I suppose that's something!