She Counter Surfs!!!!!

[BOBS DAD]

If it is "really" only since you moved in with your boyfriend, then I say, "dump him". Seriously though... "dump him". Just kidding, it must be the change in environment. Most likely she is foraging for food because there is "food to be had". Every time she is successful in getting to/locating some, it reinforces in her that it is a good and worthwhile thing to be doing.

Try making absolutely sure that there is no food within reach of her and that it is not tantalizing dangling where she can't reach either. Try eliminate all smells and trace odors and take the garbage out in a vestibule, garage shed or even just take it out of the house for the day until you come home. And oh yeah... "dump your man".

[catnapper]

This is the first rule I teach in class: remove all temptation. After a few weeks of her finding nothing up there, she'll give up. An added bonus: A perfectly clean kitchen every day

[borzoimom]

I agree with catnapper. Removing the source when you are going to be gone will solve the problem. If she didnt know she could do it, she would be doing it when you are there- well she doesnt do that. She knows- just waiting for you to leave. I think she is using it as a source of something to do while you are gone. Get her one of those food balls.
I am also wondering if this is nevous energy- and if so- why is she nervous? Or did the housekeeping change when you moved, and now its a new game and something to do..

[BC_MoM]

You can try putting tape on the edge of the counter where she places her paws. We did this with Molly and it brought all countersurfing to a halt.

[BOBS DAD]

I agree with catnapper.

What do you mean - "you agree with Catnapper"???

What about me? That's what I said!!! LOL!

You ever see that commercial where the lacky at a board meeting suggest that they start using Fedex Ground... while everyone appears to be mulling it over, the boss says, "how about we start using Fedex for all our ground shipments". Everybody responds with a huge applause, kudos, "great idea". He sits there bewildered and says, "he just said what I said - only he did this (hand signals)"

...everybody's quiet again, mulling it over and then all at once say nah, different, nooo.. you didn't....

[borzoimom]

What do you mean - "you agree with Catnapper"???

What about me? That's what I said!!! LOL!

You ever see that commercial where the lacky at a board meeting suggest that they start using Fedex Ground... while everyone appears to be mulling it over, the boss says, "how about we start using Fedex for all our ground shipments". Everybody responds with a huge applause, kudos, "great idea". He sits there bewildered and says, "he just said what I said - only he did this (hand signals)"

...everybody's quiet again, mulling it over and then all at once say nah, different, nooo.. you didn't....

I stand corrected! Yes -and I agree with you too!!!! lol

[tikeyas_mom]

well i agree that getting rid of all food source, it's commence sence.. and I have thought about that, but I dont want to have to be wondering if I left food on the counter or not when I leave her alone at home.. I want to know that she will be good, and NOT jump up to retrieve it... How can I go about training her to not jump up on the table/counter and "help her self"??

[borzoimom]

Okay- all kidding aside- my guys are terrible counter surfers as babies because they are so tall and its there. I set my dogs up. I use a safe mousetrap ( its plastic that goes snap but they cant get their tongue in it) and put it under a piece of newspaper in the trash. Now I am concerned about her getting rancid food so pull the bags for now but leave the moustrap in crumpled paper. I also got those cheap alarm things- you know the kind that if you use for like a window or a hotel room. Mine have a switch I can turn on and off. When I leave the room I turn it on. I have a flip lid trash can, so to turn it off I just lift the whole top off. Anyway- it blasts- not too loud but enough. Another thing. Keep a old dirty dish towel, and wrap a duct tape soda can with pennies or rocks in it. When they pull at the towel it crashes to the floor in front of them. Also a scat mat. Lay it on the counter when you leave. If they get up, it will vibrate under their paws ( with my guys its their head.. lol.. )
Short of containing her in a room or a crate my biggest concern is medications. Zubin got a advil bottle once. Luckily injested none, but it scared me. Can you move the water bowl out of the kitchen when you leave and just put up a child gate?

[BOBS DAD]

Well...

as Perry once said,
"It's impossible, tell the sun to leave the sky, it's just impossible
It's impossible, ask a baby not to cry, it's just impossible...

Can the ocean keep from rushin' to the shore? It's just impossible
If I had you, could I ever want for more? It's just impossible

Impossible, immmmmm-impossible..."

Yer asking an awful lot of an unsupervised dog. Let me know if you figure it out, cause I want to do it to!!!

[tsteele93]

well i agree that getting rid of all food source, it's commence sence.. and I have thought about that, but I dont want to have to be wondering if I left food on the counter or not when I leave her alone at home.. I want to know that she will be good, and NOT jump up to retrieve it... How can I go about training her to not jump up on the table/counter and "help her self"??

Hmm, that post made me register so I could post. You really might want to get a few dog training books. You are going to find a common theme in most of them I suspect.

MANAGING the situation is the first step, and best step, to any behavior controls you want to reinforce.

In other words, the first step is to remove the food from the counter. It might be annoying to have to keep up with that, but until you've got the behavior under control - the first step is to remove the reward.

Somewhere down the line, you might get your countertops back - but short term you should seriously consider making the effort.