Teaching puppy not to put her front paws on my kitchen table

[Chewbecca]

and counters, and anything else she deems she wants.

Yes. Ophie.

Oh, and teaching to "come" when I call her so she gets OUT of my kitchen.

OK, obviously, I know I can crate her if it bothers me enough. Or I could gate off the kitchen.
But I'd like to TEACH her NOT to be obsessed with my kitchen and my kitchen table and my counters.

I cannot leave ANYTHING on my table that is food.
No matter WHERE I put it on the table, she will find a way to knock it down and get into it.

Demon Puppeh.

 

[Maura]

Gate her out of the kitchen. You don't want to give her opportunity to misbehave. She has been continually rewarded for putting her paws on the counters and table because she finds goodies. After keeping her out of the kitchen for at least two weeks, let her in, but make it a training period. The counters and table should be bare and wiped clean. Everytime she looks at a counter or gives indication of too much interest, nicely tell her to sit. When she does, give her a little treat. Make the session just a couple of minutes, then go out of the kitchen and put up the gate. Repeat over and over when you have a few minutes. After that, I'd decide on a place for her to go to when you are in the kitchen. It could be just outside the doorway, but could be under a table. Encourage her to go to this place, give her a little treat. You basically want her to go to her own place and wait for goodies when she enters the kitchen.

 

[MericoX]

Hide outside kitchen with soda can full of pennies. Be sneaky. Throw at her when paws touch counter/table (not like to hit her, throw somewheres near her).

 

[Barb04]

Patience, patience, patience.

Teaching "off" and reinforcing it a lot will eventually do the trick with the counter surfing.

I teach "stay" and "come" at the same time but taking baby steps. You start out doing it close and slowly move further away as the pup starts to learn.

 

[maxfox426]

Maybe keeping her tethered to you would help if you're in the kitchen? I know that just makes her RIGHT THERE all the time, but that way YOU are also RIGHT THERE if she tries to cause trouble.

Gating her out of the kitchen for a little while, as Maura suggested, may be better, but I know that in my case that was NOT an option. (Our house has an open floorplan, so there is no "doorway" into the kitchen. Just a wide open space that walks straight into the living room.)

I don't know if that helps any. I'm just brainstorming. Good LUCK!

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

I have heard of using double stick tape on the edges of the counter, table, etc. --they don't like the feel of the tape.
Other than that--I am also a fan of tethering--so you can teach what you do want while you are doing what you need to do.

 

[Chewbecca]

I'm teaching her "off" and "leave it".

Off is being taught by having her on a leash when in the kitchen. I give her enough slack to *think* she can get to the nice tasty stuff I sit on the edge of the table, but then I step on the leash as she goes to jump, and tell her "OFF!"
and when she lands back on her feet, I tell her "Good girl!" *treat*.

This is what I started today.

If this is wrong, let me know.

I know how to train basics, but these are my first puppies, and I'm experiencing a whole NEW dog world right now.:lol-sign:

 

[filarotten]

I do a loud clap when I catch Titus counter surfing. It worked well for Brutus and Cleo. Off has been one of my favorite words for the dogs.

 

[Chewbecca]

HA!
Ophie does not care if I clap, shout, or physically remove her paws from the table.
She just acts temporarily inconvenienced since she didn't get what she wants.

Oh, yes. She will be my handful puppy!:lol-sign:

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

Becca--having a puppy is alot like having a toddler--they will do what they can that is self rewarding, and they have a limited attention span. so being corrected will work--but for the long term, will require consistency and repeating. You know all these things--but seriously, it's like when you are sleep deprived with a new born baby to take care of. It tires you out! She will get it--but I will tell you that I found Baxter on top of my dining room table the other day! He hasn't misbehaved like that in a long time--not sure what got into him! LOL>

 

[Chewbecca]

oh god, I KNOW.
I feel like I have lost brain cells in the training area or something!!!
I feel as though I have regressed in my knowledge!
I think it's because Ella didn't require this type of behavioral modification.
She didn't get into stuff. She didn't climb counters.
She didn't paw at my kitchen table or scratch at doors.

She came "pre-made".:lol-sign:

I find exhausted puppies are GOOOOODDDD puppies.
Both got PLENTY of individual training today, on top of individual flirt pole time, and I worked on teaching Luke "fetch".

All has gone well so far today.
YAY!

Except I think Ophie got into a pile of poop in our backyard that I must've missed picking up.
When both are out in the yard, it's like watching two toddlers go to separate places on a playground.
Only THESE toddlers squat and poop. And I sometimes miss a pile.
Anyway, to help Luke learn "fetch" I stuffed treats into an orbee ball and a lot dropped on the ground. And Luke, being the loving Lug head that he is, he missed a lot of them.
And Ophie found them.
So, I tried to pick up as many as I could find, and use that as a training opportunity, but when she was sniffing the ground, I thought she was digging for treats that fell into the grass.
But I think she stumbled upon a tasty pile of poo (EW), which is ODD because neither one of my pups is a poo eater. Yet.

 

[Pam111]

Would coins in a can startle her enough?

 

[Chewbecca]

Well, see, the thing is, Ophie and Luke are my puppies.
I have plans for these two.
They are my babies, and have never been exposed to positive punishment training or behavior modification in any way.

I know to get results FAST, I could do several different things.
Shaking a can of coins is one of them.

But I want to teach her to think better of jumping onto my table.
I want it to be as positive as possible, with teaching her that "No, you do not want to do that!".

Sorry, having some ass of a trainer damage Ella by popping her prong so many times, I just prefer to keep things as positive as possible with these babies.
I told myself that I would learn from the mistakes I made in the past with Ella.
And my pups will NEVER know a prong collar as long as I can help it.
They'll never be taught something via positive punishment.

I don't want you to think that I don't appreciate your idea, I really do, but I want to do things different with these puppies.

 

[Pam111]

Oh, I understand. I don't particularly like doing those things either. When my dogs got in the garbage, I moved it behind the stairway door

 

[Doberluv]

You could start out tethering her to something just outside of the kitchen or in the kitchen, but away from the area where food is. While you're working in the kitchen, fixing food or whatever, walk over to her and give her tiny treats. Do this frequently. Show her that by staying away from the table and counters or trying to get food by jumping up, she WILL get food. Staying away and lying down works well. Prevent her from being able to "self serve." At other times when you're not able to watch her, keep your counters and table absolutely cleared of anything she could possibly want. She must be kept from being reinforced for counter surfing.

You can also walk her out of the area where food preparation is happening and give her a cue, such as, "out of the kitchen" or "out".....whatever (keep it the same) and when she gets to her "rug" or special place you show her, ask her to lie down and give a treat. Only expect her to stay put for 1 or 2 seconds and give her another treat. Gradually increase duration by spreading out the treats little by little. Also, gradually increase the distance you go from her. So, step back a few steps and immediately return to reinforce her for staying. Make it easy for her to succeed so she she can get the feed back that what she is doing IS working for her.

Every time she comes too close to the table or counters, lead her patiently and non-emotionally (just matter of fact) back away again and repeat. She'll get onto it. Just make sure you reinforce her frequently at first, for staying "out." And be sure that everything is exceedingly clean and clear when you can't supervise. She can put her feet up all she pleases because she won't find anything good. Soon, that behavior will extinguish because it doesn't work to get food. You don't need to make noises, startle, punish or anything rotten. Just think....to reinforce or not to reinforce. It takes a little time to teach this (not too much though) and a lot of patience, consistency and making these times a real lesson. But once she gets the message about what behavior works and what doesn't, you'll have an easier time. However, even after the behavior has extinguished and things are going along great, you still must keep counters clear of food when you're not right there or the behavior will likely re-emerge and reinforce her from time to time when she is behaving herself. She'll try again at some point in the future, most likely, if you leave food out.... and Viola`...."Hey! It works again. Woo hoo, I scored." LOL.

 

[Chewbecca]

You could start out tethering her to something just outside of the kitchen or in the kitchen, but away from the area where food is. While you're working in the kitchen, fixing food or whatever, walk over to her and give her tiny treats. Do this frequently. Show her that by staying away from the table and counters or trying to get food by jumping up, she WILL get food. Staying away and lying down works well. Prevent her from being able to "self serve." At other times when you're not able to watch her, keep your counters and table absolutely cleared of anything she could possibly want. She must be kept from being reinforced for counter surfing.

You can also walk her out of the area where food preparation is happening and give her a cue, such as, "out of the kitchen" or "out".....whatever (keep it the same) and when she gets to her "rug" or special place you show her, ask her to lie down and give a treat. Only expect her to stay put for 1 or 2 seconds and give her another treat. Gradually increase duration by spreading out the treats little by little. Also, gradually increase the distance you go from her. So, step back a few steps and immediately return to reinforce her for staying. Make it easy for her to succeed so she she can get the feed back that what she is doing IS working for her.

Every time she comes too close to the table or counters, lead her patiently back away again and repeat. She'll get onto it. Just make sure you reinforce her frequently at first, for staying "out." And be sure that everything is exceedingly clean and clear when you can't supervise. She can put her feet up all she pleases because she won't find anything good. Soon, that behavior will extinguish because there's no good to come from it. You don't need to make noises, startle, punish or anything. Just think....to reinforce or not to reinforce. It takes a little time to teach this and a lot of consistency and making these times a real lesson. But once they get the message about what works and what doesn't, you'll have an easier time. Even after the behavior has extinguished, you still must keep counters clear of food when you're not right there or the behavior will likely re-emerge. She'll try again at some point and Viola`...."Hey! It works again. Woo hoo, I scored." LOL.

THANK YOU!!!
Now I'm trying to think of how I can safely tether her while I cook.
Because this is not just about her climbing my kitchen table with her front paws, but it's about her safety.
See, Ophie likes to put her front paws on my stove ledge.
A little bit more growth, and she'll be able to put those paw pads RIGHT ON a burner while I'm cooking.
And it scares the CRAP out of me.
And she'd do it because there is not an ounce of fear that over-powers her curiosity in these types of situations.

 

[filarotten]

I didn't think about it, but I do teach mine, out of the Kitchen. I also teach them back to back up. I teach them back first, then have them back up as I am saying Out of my Kitchen. They know if I'm cooking, I do not like them in my kitchen.

I just don't like dogs in my kitchen when I'm cooking. I dont care how well behaved they are.

 

[Doberluv]

If you need to tether her to get her started with this training, is there a door knob or a table leg you could use? Just make sure that where you tether her, you can see her. If she struggles with this, you will have to stand there at first and get her to "enjoy" being tethered. Stand there and feed her, one after the other (tiny, teensy, almost microscopic treats. lol) Step back a step or two and step back to her and feed. Step back 4 or 5 steps and return and feed. (or toss) Gradually work up the duration and distance, gradually spread out the frequency of treats. You could make this it's very own exercise before you get started with all the other stuff. Do this for a couple of minutes and release her. You can practice this lesson at times when you're not cooking or otherwise busy. You might call it "the tethering lesson." Once she's more relaxed about being tethered, you can start cooking. LOL. And do all that other stuff.

When I taught my dogs to go out of the kitchen when asked, I didn't have to tether them. They were already pretty calm dogs. I sort of herded them out to show them where I wanted them. They already knew how to lie down and stay. But I didn't really want to use "stay" because I don't care if they stay in a particular spot. I just want them to go away. They can go in the adjacent living room and chew on a toy or take a nap on the couch. Or they can lie down by the propane heat stove which is in the kitchen, but out of the way. So, "out of the kitchen" just means clear out of my way. LOL. It is not the default behavior, as some people like. I often don't mind if they're hanging around lots of times. They help and let me know if I am making good food. They don't jump up on anything, whine or bother me too much. I just don't like them under my feet if I'm super busy or carrying a pot of boiling water off the stove. But other times, I invite them in (if they're not already there) and give them left over tid bits or a bite of what I'm cooking. So, "out of the kitchen" must be asked specifically in my particular case. It's just personal preference.