Jumping on Counters (when nothing's there)

Let's talk about jumping on counters. First, see your vet, because sudden counter-surfing in a dog who never did it can signal a medical issue like Cushing's disease or hunger from a metabolic problem. Once the vet clears the dog, the rule is simple: if the dog is on the counter, the dog finds something on the counter.

It only takes one piece of chicken to lock the behavior in forever. Step one: clean the counters. Counter-surfing is a self-rewarding crime scene.

Step two: a place command whenever you are cooking or eating. The dog is on the mat, not at your hip begging. Step three: every counter jump earns a time-out in another room for thirty seconds.

No scolding, just silence and separation. Be the leader, be the alpha of the kitchen. The alpha decides who is on the counter.

Now, the deeper fix: an empty counter plus a dog in the kitchen equals a counter-surfing dog. Empty the counter, place the dog, clean the kitchen. Now here's Steve's notes.