Counter Surfing by Prue

[4 Dog Mother]

I have never had a dog that counter surfed - one or two that would knock the trash can over to see what was in it. I actually need to see I never had a dog that counter surfed until Cinder (Phred's dog) came to live with us. I usually make sure every thing is pushed back on the counter but two years ago - our first Christmas with Cinder and Smokey, I was making Christmas cookies and was running out of places to set them to cool. So I started putting them on the counter and yes, some were close to the edge. I heard one of the kids, say, "Cinder, stop that!" and turned to see Cinder getting up on her hind legs helping herself to cookies. The other dogs were looking pretty bummed out. Now I am very careful as to where I set anything to cool it.

Recently we found that Tucker decided to surf the dining room table. Dominic left a snack on the table and the chair pulled out. Well, it was too much for that little dog to handle. He jumped on the chair and on to the table. Now we have to be careful that chairs are always pushed up to the table. Once Tucker found this to work, the next time Dominic had a snack, he jumped up on one of the chairs that was pushed up to the table and started to go from chair to chair until he got to Dominics. He found that did him little good - there was no way he could reach the snack. He had to have hit his head on the table when he jumped up on the pushed in chair. He looked very funny crawling from chair to chair too!

[cassiesmom]

Oh my goodness, Prue! You found the butter Please have mom give you some extra petting for me today, because you left it as she told you.

[kaycountrygal]

Just shaking my head! Dogs are too smart sometimes. I've discovered I cannot leave anything within reachof my darling little Sissy or she will get it somehow. LilGirl is not a problem--such a well behaved little lady. In 10 years with my previous Honey dog, she NEVER ever tried to hop on stool to get to chair that had cat food. Guess what?! Within 4 months (or earlier) Sissy hopped right on that stool & up on the chair she went to get the cat food. Before Luke cat died, I had to make sure I removed the stool so Sissy wouldnt get the cat food. Then poor old Luke died and now I dont have that problem. I do know though that Sissy will get into all sorts of things unless I think ahead and try to be smarter than her. Sometimes she's smarter than I am LOL.

[Karen]

Having big dogs (for whom kitchen counters were basically chin-level) trained me to thaw or soften anything inside a cupboard if any canine is around! They were all trained to not let their chin cross the counter's edge, but if no one was looking .... Freckles (Saint Bernard) once ate an entire raw chicken with no ill effects other than a scolding once we figured it out, and no need for dinner that night!

Oh, Pru, I am glad you didn't eat that whole thing - the results might not have been as pleasant as you were thinking!

[sasvermont]

Yesterday, when getting my dog's annual license at Town Hall, the ladies began talking about what their dogs had stolen off their counters. One dog, a black lab, took dough that was rising, off the counter, ate it AND the towel that was covering it. No ill effects.

My nephew's dog had an addiction to socks. He eventually died from eating one sock too many and did not make it through the surgery, alive. I think the dog had many issues, but the sock thing could have been prevented, in my opinion. They have a new dog. As far as I know, Morgan, their new dog does not eat socks.

Prue doesn't really like food all that much, so she probably didn't want to eat it but OWN it!

Last night, while sitting in bed, watching TV and knitting, Prue brought her marrow bone to bed with us. Us, being Lucy the cat, Juni Rose the cat, Prue and MOI. Well, Lucy made the mistake of walking near Prue's bone. Prue went after her, barking and snapping, to get her to leave the bone alone. Juni Rose saw the event and jumped on Prue's head, claws out, yelling and screaming.... Prue turned around and started biting and barking at Juni Rose while I did my usual yelling at the top of my lungs. It was a real event. I put the bone in the refrigerator. Problem solved. Everyone is fine this morning. These guys don't hold grudge's. (Except for the on going battle between Chloe the cat and Juni Rose the cat. That battle goes on, house divided. It eases up some days, but takes a turn back the next day!)

P E T S !!

[Karen]

They just want to make sure your evenings are not too dull!

[chocolatepuppy]

Kids! That's what it's like around here too. Never a dull moment. Having both bigger dogs and cats,
I too slip things into the microwave or toaster oven to secure them.