Picture this: It’s Thanksgiving. You’ve planned this perfect meal for your whole family to come over and enjoy. The table is perfect, fancy plates out with the cloth napkins. The turkey is ready for carving and everyone starts to make their way to their seats. Plates are full and laughter fills the room and all of a sudden you hear it. CRASH! Your unsupervised dog has found the pumpkin pies and they are now covering your kitchen floor.
You were worried about your dog begging at the table, never even thought about them stealing food off of the counter. Unfortunately ever since the pies ended up on the floor your dog has continued to randomly jump up on the counter and tables to steal things. And you begin to wonder, can you ever train your dog to stop counter surfing?
Why Dogs Counter Surf (and Why It’s Not Bad Behavior).
Counter surfing: When a dog jumps up and steals anything (food, paper products, etc.) off of counters and tables.
Dogs are opportunistic scavengers and foraging is a natural behavior for them. So there should be very little surprise that if the dog can reach things, they are going to try and take it. To us humans it’s a “bad” behavior, but dogs don’t come prewired to know that’s not acceptable.
Counter surfing is self rewarding. Your dog investigated, they got something they wanted, and so they are going to do it again. Here’s the tricky part, the reinforcement can vary so they keep coming back and trying again and again.
Think of it like a slot machine. Sometimes you pull the lever and get a dime and maybe that one time you hit the jackpot! You could keep “losing” by getting small payouts but you’re gonna keep trying for the jackpot right? Your dog is doing the same thing. Sometimes they get a napkin and other times they get your whole sandwich (or in the case of holidays maybe it’s a whole pie).
Begging at the table has the same effect. If they get that one chance to win, they’re gonna keep coming back for more.
Why the Holidays Make Food Stealing Worse
This time of year you might notice that the problem is getting worse. The environment is setting your dog up to keep up the countersurfing behavior.
More food being left out on the counters within reach
More distractions while you’re cooking
Guests who sneak table scraps or leave their plates unattended
These opportunities leave jackpot after jackpot just waiting for your dog to win every time.
How to stop your dog from counter surfing or begging at the table
Step 1: Manage the Environment First
Luke tries his puppy dog eyes on his foster mom-to get a snack.
Management is the “work smarter not harder” method. When you don’t have time to train because you’re busy hosting-this can save you a lot of the headaches.
Keeping counters clear of anything and everything your dog likes to steal. Remember even a dish towel you’ve been wiping your hands on or a paper towel roll can be just as exciting, if not more than food.
Have a secure lid on your trash can. I’ve seen trash cans that have the sensor that opens them, and I know many dogs who can make the sensor go off. If yours doesn’t have a secure lid, do you have a space that your trash can go behind a door?
While cooking and during meal time, use barriers such as baby gates, crates, doors, or leashes to keep your dog away from the kitchen and table.
Being away from their humans, especially when things are chaotic can be hard for a lot of dogs. Check out my 3 part series about building Safe Spaces for your dog if barriers can be challenging.
Step 2: Teach What to Do Instead
It’s easier for our dogs to understand what TO DO rather than what NOT to do. Taking a few minutes everyday (and I literally mean like 1-2 minutes) to train a behavior you want, can make all the difference.
A stationing behavior like “go to place” keeps your dog out of your space, and able to relax while things are happening around them. Plus if you train it on a moveable item like a bed or a mat, then you can build up to take that behavior anywhere.
Leave it and Trades are two more SUPER valuable behaviors to train.
When teaching leave it think of what you want the dog to do instead of taking the object they found. Leaving it makes sense to us, but for our dogs that can be confusing. I like to pair the “leave it” cue with the dog making eye contact with me. That way they are looking away from the item they want and are focused on me, so then I can give them another cue such as “go to place” and I can safely remove whatever that object is.
Trades are helpful for when a dog gets to the object before you have a chance to tell them to leave it. You should NEVER just take things from dogs. This can sometimes lead to them becoming resource guarders and create a bigger problem. Whenever you trade something you want what you have to be of equal or higher value to what they have.
Think of it like this. If you had a $20 bill and I came up and took it from you, you’d probably guard the next $20 bill from me. But if I said hey here’s a $50 can I have your $20 (or even here’s 2 $10s) you are going to be more likely to trade with me. Your dog will do the same thing.
*Note: please be aware of their body language and if they are hovering over the object, snarling, or growling please do not keep approaching them. Reach out to a qualified professional to help you.
Step 3: Set Up Your Guests for Success
I am a big supporter of being an advocate for your dog. This goes for standing your ground when your family gives unsolicited advice. They may mean well, but unless they are part of your dog’s support team, they should respect your decisions when it comes to management, training, and other decisions.
It can be really hard to stand your ground, especially when you’re wearing all the other hats that come with hosting the holidays. Coming up with a script before the stress builds can make holding that boundary easier (sounds like how we train our dogs right?).
Your script can be anything from “please text before you arrive and don’t ring the doorbell” to “no food in any part of the house besides kitchen and dining room.” Whatever feels best to you while still holding boundaries advocating for your dog and for you.
If you have a family member you know likes to show love by feeding your dog then put out several treat jars around your house so your family can treat your dog whenever they want. If you’re worried about extra calories, adjust how much they get at mealtime to counterbalance the extra goodies.
Another option is to let family members help with prepping enrichment items. They can prep lick mats, and shreddables while you prep dinner. Then they can give the dog those items to keep busy while everyone gathers around the table to eat.
Holiday Foods That Are Dangerous for Dogs
Nothing is foolproof and mistakes are bound to happen. Make sure before the big day arrives you know where your closest emergency vet is located and have the number for ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435, either in your contacts or in a place that is easy for guests to find. If your dog (or any pet) eats something dangerous, don’t wait for symptoms-call immediately.
For families in Maryville, Townsend, Tellico Village, and surrounding cities our closest emergency veterinarians are all located in Knoxville.
Here is a list of safe and unsafe foods.
Candi used her incredible nose to find her the biggest jackpot ever on the counter!
Safe:
Unseasoned Turkey/Chicken
Plain Green beans (raw or cooked)
Carrots (raw or cooked)
Apples (no seeds or core)
Peas & Corn (off the cob)
Plain Sweet Potatoes (cooked)
Plain Pumpkin (not pie filling)
Unsafe:
Onions & Garlic
Grapes/Raisins
Chocolate, Pies, Candy
Turkey/Chicken Bones & Skin
Raw Dough, Stuffing, Gravy
Fatty or Salty Foods
Alcohol, Coffee, Caffeine
Anything with Xylitol
Dogs who counter surf or beg at the table aren’t bad dogs. Unfortunately these behaviors are self reinforcing and so they are going to keep happening if not addressed.
Management is always the first step to a behavior change plan. Sometimes it’s where you stop because you don’t have time or energy to do more work, other times you do the training part of the plan that way you don’t have to manage forever.
If food (or object) stealing is a bigger problem than a quick holiday fix, I can help you reach your goals. I do in-home private coaching in Maryville, TN. During our sessions I customize your management and training plan to your specific problems and goals. You can reach out today to book your Initial Consultation.
Hi! I’m Beccy and I’m a professional dog trainer with 15 years of animal training experience. I use Fear Free, enrichment based, positive reinforcement methods to help dogs and their humans build skills, confidence, and lasting behavior change. My goal is to create a less stressful life for you and your dog. I offer in-home training in Maryville, TN and surrounding cities throughout Blount, Sevier, Knox, and Loudon Counties. Online training is available for clients outside of East TN.
