Protect my dinner!
There is a snowball's chance in hell that I'm going to stand there helplessly, watching my dog eat my dinner, so that I can avoid any unhappiness in my dog.
My dogs do not have more rights than I do.
My dogs do not have more rights than my children either. And if I came in the kitchen and I found my child sitting on the counter, about to eat the cake that I had sitting there….
I'd put a stop to that too, lickety split!
Stopping Unwanted Behaviors
HOW I put a stop to that would depend on the dog or the child. Ideally, I'd do exactly what needed to be done to interrupt the behavior. (By the way, that is what this is called – an "interrupter").
That interrupter could vary anywhere from saying "eeek!!!!" for a softer dog, to physically taking hold of the dog and pulling my roast right back out of their mouth for a harder or more determined dog.
At which point I might not really want to eat it – but damn it – the dog isn't going to eat it either.
Going forwards – put the roast somewhere else while your dog learns not to get on counters. All of mine do figure that out but in all fairness, it's generally not a good idea to leave a hunk of hot steaming meat on the edge of the counter. At the very least, your dog might start licking the bottom and you'll never know about that. But it's still disgusting.
My dogs are not allowed on my table or counters – if I find them up there, I'm going to handle it like I would a toddler – I'm going to remove them very quickly and I'm very likely to be saying something as I move in – how forceful I am is totally dependent on the dog. No, this will not scare them, or at least not if you know your dog and what gets their attention. But it will certainly put them on notice that you have an opinion about their behavior.
This action may or may not train your dog. If your dog cares what you think, then they may well never touch your food on the counters again. If your dog does not care what you think, then you might actually have to put some time into teaching your dogs that food on the counters is not for them. Or just manage the situation – no tempting food on the edges of the counters.
Positive does not mean becoming paralyzed when something is happening that you don't like. Deal with the situation. Decide if you want to move forwards with management (no food on counters) or training (when food is on the counters the dog is taught an alternative behavior like staying out of the kitchen or on a mat).
Going forwards…what's your plan?
Denise Fenzi has titled dogs in obedience (AKC and UKC), tracking (AKC and schutzhund), schutzhund (USA), mondioring (MRSA), herding (AKC), conformation (AKC), and agility (AKC). She has two AKC obedience champions, perfect scores in both schutzhund and Mondio ringsport obedience, and is well known for her flashy and precise obedience work.
While a successful competitor, Denise's real passion lies in training dogs and solving the problems that her own dogs and her student’s dogs present. She is a recognized expert in developing drive, motivation, and focus in competition dogs, and is known internationally as an engaging speaker and an expert in no force training for sport dogs. She has consistently demonstrated the ability to train and compete with dogs using motivational methods in sports where compulsion is the norm.
In addition to training and speaking, Denise is a prolific writer. You can find her at www.denisefenzi.com where she maintains an active blog on all things related to dog training. She is also an active writer on facebook; follow her there to learn more about her range of interests in addition to dog training. Denise and Deb Jones have recently finished a four book series, "Dog Sports Skills" which has recieved widespread acclain in the dog sports community. In addition, she has written additional books on her own, including "Train the Dog in Front of You", "Beyond the Back Yard; Train Your Dog to Listen Anytime, Anywhere!" and, for the younger audience, "Blogger Dog, Brito!" Several of these books have won Maxwell awards for Best Training and Behavior book from the Dog Writers of America.
Denise thoughtfully and persistently works to break down the barriers that prevent people from obtaining a truly interactive and mutually enjoyable sport relationship with their dogs. Fenzi Academy is the culmination of her efforts as a forward step in providing progressive information to any trainer who wishes to learn.
Author's recent posts
Play with Dogs: Play for Everyone!
October 27, 2020- August 31, 2020
