I never had a counter surfer but Chloe (aged 5 months) seems to be thrilled with the toilet paper I keep on the floor in a basket in the bathroom. She doesn't tear it up she just brings it to me after she slobbers on it.

I have never picked anything (except live plants) up off the floor and moved it because of dogs but I used the penny can on top of the toilet paper in the basket and one time of knocking that over and she doesn't like TP anymore. A friend of mine used penny cans for counter surfing and the furniture and it worked.