When Doodles Counter or Table Surf?
One day my perfect Winston managed to pull a defrosting piece of meat out of the rack in the sink onto the floor – even little Winston is tall enough when standing on his back legs to reach the counter. I know defrosting meat is too great a temptation to leave within reach, unfortunately Jim didn’t realize that I had it in the bottom of the sink – well away from reach. Guess which one of us paid for the pizza?
After being asked about counter surfing remedies, I did a little reading. Across the board, the first answer was to make sure there are no temptations available. Some of the suggestions I read were to use the microwave or oven as a place for the safe storage of food. Nothing is safe on the counter when it’s unattended – they are dogs, after all and our expectations need to be reasonable. However, I love one training method for teaching them to stay away from the counter while you’re preparing food – creating a “vapor boundary”. I read about this technique on Sarah Hodgson’s website.
Vapor Boundary
“For dogs who jump or nip, a little canister of mouth spray can be a dog owner’s best friend. While you should never spray your dog directly or look at him when he’s misbehaving, you can strategically place these sprays around the house. Have one at the front door when you’re arriving: Spray a vapor boundary around your body, toss a toy down for your dog and ignore him until he calms down. If you’ve got a nipper, don’t spray the dog, spray the body part he’s got in his mouth, then direct him to a toy or encourage him to give “Kisses.” If your dog jumps while you’re on the furniture, tuck one into the couch cushions and surround yourself with vapor until he’s still at your side or chewing a toy.”
She also uses the vapor boundary to teach the dog to stay away from the table during meals and the counters during food preparation. A spray in the vicinity (NOT in the dog’d face) along with the command to go to his bed or sit – followed by a reward.
You must be logged in to post a comment.