Counter Surfing
Steve Cook
Hi All,
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stop your guide dog from counter surfing? My Scooby has just recently started doing this and time we catch him, he has already gotten items off of the counter.
Appreciate your ideas!
Steve Cook, Board Member
National Association of Guide Dog Users
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My Krokus did that for a bit when he came home. I was advised to put something really noisy, like a closed can with bells or coins in it, on the counter, so it would make a big noise when he jumped up and knocked it over. A friend also told me about electrified mats used to train cats not to jump onto certain places.
It’s been a while, so I don’t remember well, but I didn’t get a mat, and I think Krokus just dodged the noise can. What worked in the end was a “come to Jesus” moment. I caught him and snarled at him very ferociously for a couple minutes, and he finally got the message. That, and being careful what I left on the counter when I left the kitchen.
Krokus was a super scavenger, but at least I got him to stop jumping up and grabbing stuff off the counter.
Good luck.
Scooby is a cute name.
Tracy
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Ann Chiappetta
Hey there-
Not sure this will help but to keep our pet dog from trying to get the cat food off the dining table we lay down a kitchen towel and put a bunch of metal spoons on it in front of the dish. The dish is in the middle of the table. The towel hangs over the end of the table a bit. When dog jumps up, the towel slides, spoons fall and it is enough to scare her off. . We hear it most of the time and it scares the dogs enough to stop. A soda can with a few coins on top of the towel with also work, just be sure to tape the hole.
Also, you might have to set your dog up, catch him in the act to reinforce the interruption.
FYI, my new dog adjusted to his new home by chewing our tv remote, an oven mitt, ate a lot of grass. He’s settled down now and doesn’t seek out that kind of stuff anymore and the grass eating has also eased up.
Good luck!
Ann M. Chiappetta, MS
President, Friends In Art, Inc.
pres...@friendsinart.org www.friendsinart.org
"We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out." - Ray Bradbury |
From: Steve Cook <sc...@nagdu.org>
Sent: Friday, December 5, 2025 6:14 AM
To: dis...@nagdu.org
Subject: [NAGDU-Discuss] Counter Surfing
Hi All,
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Julie A. Orozco
O yes, counter surfing is hard because if they get anything, it’s rewarding for them. You either have to prevent the behavior entirely or catch him in the act. I would probably do a mixture of both.
I would try, whenever possible, not to keep food out on the counter, especially good stuff. We keep fruit on the counter in a fruit bowl but nothing else unless I am actively in the kitchen cooking or baking.
You can also set him up and catch him in the act. This will *hopefully* shame him enough to stop the behavior. If it doesn’t, then you’ll probably have to go back to just preventing the behavior.
Another note, in case it’s helpful. My second dog only counter surfed at one time during our partnership, when I was unemployed, stressed, and not giving him enough challenging work. This is also when he was dog distracted. He took out his frustration on me by finding new ways to misbehave. Once the seasons changed and I worked harder to give him exercise and regular work, the counter surfing stopped. I don’t know you well, and I don’t know your dog. But you have a shepherd, I believe, and they are higher drive dogs, like my previous dog. Sometimes, they create their own outlets when they are not getting healthy ones.
Hope any of this helps,
Julie
From: Steve Cook <sc...@nagdu.org>
Sent: Friday, December 5, 2025 6:14 AM
To: dis...@nagdu.org
Subject: [NAGDU-Discuss] Counter Surfing
Hi All,
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