Does anyone have a solid protocal for teaching a dog to not counter-surf?
I know that it would be best to not have food on the counter, but life isn't working out that way! I work nights and am not home, my husband has dinner with the kids and then goes right upstairs for getting everyone ready for bed. Often food is still on the counter or stove. He is trying to clean up the leftovers, but the kids are 2 and 4, so sometimes it is just hard to balance everything.
What drives me crazy is this is a new behavior; it has come up in the past 6-8 months. He used to never beg or counter-surf. Now, he has to be in another room for dinner or when food prep is going on, and is grabbing loaves of bread, raviolis, chicken, steak etc! I know it all is delicious for him, but I worry he will get burnt or eat something that will make him sick.
I have been wracking my brain (and googling) for an effective (and quick) way to train Yuki to not do this. All I can come up with is setting him up, by putting delicious food on the counter, table etc and when he is going up to get it, making a loud noise etc, therefore making it an unpleasant experience to counter surf. Obviously not hitting him or something like that! But I am just not excited about the aversive aspect of this.
What am I missing? How else can I deal with this? Thank you for any and all ideas!!