Bench Surfing

[shyfig]

My Jed (BC) is now nearly 8 months old and we have had him since 5 mths. He is an inside dog....very smart, but very persisitent. He continues to bench/table/bed surf and take things away to chew on. You name it he has taken it including a new pair of joggers that were there one minute ready to put on...gone and half chewed in the next minute (the phone rang I was distracted )

Firstly I was consistent with training him to get down when he stretches up....if he did get something I would chase until I had it back, letting him know that he it was unacceptable (strong no). Then I read that chasing may be considered a game so I saw a similar problem rectified by Dr Harry on Better Home and Gardens. It involves not chasing but trading the article with a small treat. Now this works famously with Jed ands meant he will give up a dangerous item like a knife as soon as I say "Trade".

So he is very reponsive to the Trade command, to sit, heel, come, walking on lead with a halti collar....but I cannot find any effective method to stop him from surfing and taking.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Kelpie-i]

3 small words:

Double-Sided Tape

[Erny]

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Scat Mat

or

Zone

Edited December 21, 2010 by Erny

[Erny]

3 small words:

Double-Sided Tape

Are you being serious, Kelpie-i? Or am I being dull-headed? I haven't heard of that little tip before.

[JulesP]

3 small words:

Double-Sided Tape

Are you being serious, Kelpie-i? Or am I being dull-headed? I haven't heard of that little tip before.

Animals don't like putting their widdle paws on double sided tape. Foil works well too for the same reason.

I just don't let my borders loose in the house to do what ever they want. They are taught to stay on their beds, or they go in the crate.

Sorry but trading the stolen article for a treat is just silly. Borders will realise very quickly that it they pinch something Mummy will come along with a yummy.

I prefer not to give them the opportunity in the first place.

[Kelpie-i]

Hey Erny

Yes double-sided tape works a treat and as JulesP said...they don't like to put their widdle paws on the tape...horrible sensation Scat mats are good too but can be a little pricey for some however if they can afford it, then the scat mat works best, otherwise it's "Bunnings here we come" !

The "cure" now needs to be aversive, because the act itself has now become very self-rewarding for the dog. Trading games will not work!

[persephone]

While 'trade' is a very useful behaviour .....and can be life saving! it can also encourage a smart dog to find stuff to trade (looks down at Hamlet) .....

The "cure" now needs to be aversive, because the act itself has now become very self-rewarding for the dog.

[Fourjays]

I can happily tell you that I went through this with my GSP pup - now 11 months. He no longer bench surfs or takes things he shouldn't (well, most of the time!). Just some of the things he destroyed includes my favourite heels, the keyboard off the laptop!! and a cordless telephone I have never had a dog like him before - the counter surfing drove me insane!

I was just consistent with him and gave him time outs (outside) when caught in the act of bench surfing. Being a very sociable boy, he hated that. With the picking up things he shouldn't (mostly my sons toys), he just learned to come and show me what he had, and I'd take it off him. I occasionally rewarded him for bringing me things, but not often. I did however, always praise him for bringing me something, rather than sneaking off to go chew it...it's a hard balance as I was conscious of not rewarding him to go and get me things just for the reward/praise.

Mostly though, I restricted his access to the house whilst working on this problem. We have baby gates set up so that he just was not allowed into areas where he could have a free-for-all with things (like the toy room or the bedrooms). This seems to have worked the best, along with the time outs when caught in the act. He also went through a phase of pulling things down off shelves - or things hanging up, so I also included crate confinement to prevent him having access to things when I couldn't supervise him, and in time, he has grown out of this behavior too. Similarly with pulling washing off the line - we put a fence up so he had no access whatsoever and he no longer pays the clothes any attention (that problem took 6 months though!)

I started to notice a big difference in this behaviour by 9 months and now at 11 months, it very rarely occurs. He also has been taught to go lie in a bed, especially when people are eating or preparing meals. So hang in there and be consistent and try to not let him self reward as much as possible.

[Fourjays]

Oh and by the way - try having a 'house line' on him when he is inside - which is simply a long lead or piece of rope tied to his collar. That was if he does take something, you dont' have to chase him, you can grab hold of the lead/rope and have control of him from a distance. That way you can then go march him outside for a time out (or whatever you want to do), as soon as the behavior occurs - which is important

[shyfig]

3 small words:

Double-Sided Tape

A great idea..thanks!!

[Erny]

Animals don't like putting their widdle paws on double sided tape. Foil works well too for the same reason.

Yes double-sided tape works a treat and as JulesP said...they don't like to put their widdle paws on the tape...horrible sensation ;) Scat mats are good too but can be a little pricey for some however if they can afford it, then the scat mat works best, otherwise it's "Bunnings here we come" !

Aaaaah. Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. It would be a good strategy for behaviour that hadn't yet become ingrained/reinforced.

The "cure" now needs to be aversive, because the act itself has now become very self-rewarding for the dog.

Agree with this.

Hey Erny ...

Hey back

Edited December 21, 2010 by Erny

[shyfig]

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Scat Mat

or

Zone

Eventually getting a "Scoot" from www.hiddenfence.com.au which will keep him out of the main areas of offence....kitchen and my bedroom/study. Thanks for sharing these other links!

[Erny]

Eventually getting a "Scoot" from www.hiddenfence.com.au which will keep him out of the main areas of offence....kitchen and my bedroom/study. Thanks for sharing these other links!

Unless it is a 'forever' thing (ie NEVER allowed in your bedroom/study) I like to train to a word command that tells them they can enter (and which for them will also mean that it is safe to do so .... no stim/aversive).

[Sue & Waldo]

My daughter's dog (lab) never surfed but at the age of 5 has started after staying with a friend's puppy also a lab who surfs. She only surfs when we are out of the room. Any ideas of how to deal with her?

[poodlefan]

I've found the only thing that works is not to keep items on the benches that a dog might like.

That's what the microwave is for.

Behaviour that isn't rewarded (in this case self rewarded) is likely to decrease. You can speed up the decrease by adding an aversive (like the double sided tape) but the best and most enduring method of preventing it IMO is not to tempt the dog in the first place.

[whiskedaway]

I've found the only thing that works is not to keep items on the benches that a dog might like.

That's what the microwave is for.

Behaviour that isn't rewarded (in this case self rewarded) is likely to decrease. You can speed up the decrease by adding an aversive (like the double sided tape) but the best and most enduring method of preventing it IMO is not to tempt the dog in the first place.

Completely agreed. We keep everything off the counters now and any cooling baking etc is kept either in or on top of the microwave, or on top of the fridge. If we catch her with her paws on the counter, she get told "Down" and if she's not listening (because she is a Sibe after all) I'll sometimes put my hand down on the counter so that it makes a slight noise next to where her paws are and she'll get down. The biggest problem is when visitors come over because they don't realise and leave things where she can get them. For us, it's not just a matter of stopping her stealing our food, but also because eating anything not in her diet makes her sick (mostly bread, but there are a few other things that upset her belly too).

[shyfig]

I am having trouble figuring out how to comment on multiple replies so would everybody just accept my thanks for sharing their advice and views.

Funnily enough Jed was perfectly behaved today...not one bit of bench surfing ..not one paw out of line. I think he was up all night reading the DOL forums...

[luvsdogs]

I have a counter surfer & the only way to stop it is to not leave anything within reach. As to the double sided tape, I tried that with my kitten when she would continually jump up on the bench when I was preparing food. It worked the 1st couple of times but when it got less sticky she didn't care. And it was very hard to get rid of.

[shyfig]

I have a counter surfer & the only way to stop it is to not leave anything within reach. As to the double sided tape, I tried that with my kitten when she would continually jump up on the bench when I was preparing food. It worked the 1st couple of times but when it got less sticky she didn't care. And it was very hard to get rid of.

Double sided tape has not worked with Jed! I agree keeping things out of reach is the answer.

Yesterday and today we had friends stay over with their dog....it was interesting to see Jed with another dog on his territory. The other dog is male and Jed just followed him all around the house and yard for the entire two days.....funnily enough he wasn't at all interested in bench surfing or anything remotely similar. Maybe he needs a playmate??

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

shyfig and all

I use pecariously stacked tin cans along my bench tops. So if dog jumps up or sniffs, they fall off and clang and make a lot of noise and being tin cans are not much fun to play with. I usually put a cream or yogurt lid under the bottom can to stop any chance of rust.

Bonus of tin can method - they dob the dog in.

I've also seen cats repelled by motion activated air fresheners...might work on a dog - depending what scent you pick.

I've also used dabs and smears of vics vapour rub because it smells bad.

I trade with my dog for leather sports balls, I have returned three and collected three so far this season, and we found and returned 22 last season.

And she usually fetches my ugg boots to check if I'm paying attention before she starts plucking them. Ah hem. I mostly keep the bedroom door shut when I'm not in there.

I also do my best to keep dog attracting things off the benches. And the dirty dishes are always pecariously stacked. I noticed dog was quite keen to help with pre-cleaning dishes stacked neatly in christmas venue dish washer machine. I blamed cousin's dog for leading her a-stray. And I shut all the doors.