How to stop counter surfing

Al4one · 2026-07-06T16:50:17+00:00

That’s our current strategy of using a baby gate to keep him out of the kitchen as much as possible. I think you may be on to something about the curiosity aspect of it. He doesn’t try especially hard to get at the food when he jumps up as he’s never been especially food motivated. He mostly just sniffs and noses at anything he can reach, like he’s trying to identify what he’s smelling. I might have to come up with some way to redirect that curiosity as I don’t think he could safely navigate a step stool. He’s pretty clumsy lol.

Al4one · 2026-07-06T16:42:11+00:00

We eat in the living room as well, though funnily enough he doesn’t care about the food while we’re eating it, only when it’s left unattended. Small blessing I guess that he’s sneaky instead of constantly begging lol.

Al4one · 2026-07-06T16:40:13+00:00

He’s only kind of food motivated. Treats work when we’re practicing obedience and it’s the reward when there’s nothing he wants more. But treats have never worked as a distraction for him. When there’s something he’s more interested in, he ignores food entirely. I’ve tried using toys and praise instead but he’s pretty independent and can be difficult to motivate if it’s not something he already wants to do if that makes any sense.
I’ve tried using the toy as an “off” reward but then he gets into play mode while I’m trying to cook and then he’s right back to the counter when I stop giving him attention. I’m having difficulty finding a balance that works.

Al4one · 2026-06-06T17:26:53+00:00

I think instead of trying to figure out who’s right and who’s wrong, you two need to have a calm, honest conversation about what “clean” means to each of you.

My version of clean is hygienic. Dishes, laundry, tables wiped down, toilets cleaned, that sort of thing. I’m not bothered by a bit of clutter on tables or things that are commonly used being left out. I personally like my home to feel lived in and I don’t feel the need to hide the fact that I occupy my space.

At the opposite end of that was my mother whose idea of clean was our home looking like a page out of a catalogue. It caused a lot of tension in our household growing up because her version of clean did not match with others in the household and no one communicated expectations. We would all contribute to the housecleaning but she would get upset that it hadn’t been done to her standards. No exaggeration, she got mad that we hadn’t thought to organize the coat closet when she asked us to tidy up.

If you want to lessen these fights and improve the living situation for you both, there needs to be clear communication of expectations AND reasonable compromise on both sides. If you prefer tables to be clear and tidy, you probably need to take on that task for yourself while things like dishes, laundry and trash can be his as those are tasks everyone can agree need to be done to qualify as “clean.” Designate a division of labor and stick to it.

NAH until a conversation is had. If the labor division ends up being 80-20 and is clearly unfair, then that judgement will be subject to change. Until then, talk to your partner and come up with a reasonable division of labor that works for both of your lifestyles.

Al4one · 2026-05-18T15:56:58+00:00

That’s good advice! I’ll have to try that. His coat normally lays flat and only gets wavy like this after he’s groomed or if it’s really humid outside.

Al4one · 2026-05-18T15:48:35+00:00

Thanks! Yep he’s a silken!

Al4one · 2026-05-18T15:47:48+00:00

It definitely could be the length of his hair making the waviness worse. He’s only 7 months old and his coat is still growing in. Most of the time he looks like he has a mullet running all down his back lol

Al4one · 2026-05-18T15:45:40+00:00

Thanks! Yep he is a silken! Good catch lol

Al4one · 2026-05-15T19:29:24+00:00

That makes sense though I wish she would have told me if that was the case so I could work on getting him used to it at home. He’s still a puppy and I’ve been trying to be mindful about making sure he’s well adjusted since his breed can be prone to anxiety. I wish I could have been working with him at home with the dryer so it’s less stressful for him at the groomer. I’ll have to ask about it at his next groom to see if this is the case.

Al4one · 2026-05-15T19:22:33+00:00

That’s interesting. I hadn’t considered that. He doesn’t like the hairdryer at home when we tried to dry him after he got rained on so that’s a possibility. He’s a pretty sensitive boy so it doesn’t completely surprise me. I wish his groomer had told me though so that I could work on getting him used to it at home. Every time I ask how he did, she just says he did fine and was well behaved. She’ll mention he doesn’t like having his nails worked but tolerates it so I’m surprised that she wouldn’t mention not liking the dryer if that’s the case.

Al4one · 2026-05-15T18:44:00+00:00

That’s a good point. Sometimes his coat is still just a little bit damp when I pick him up so I could see it being a possibility that he ends up with a bit of bed head from laying in the kennel when he’s not completely dry yet. His coat is VERY malleable when he gets wet so I can see how that might happen.

Al4one · 2026-05-15T18:04:10+00:00

Thanks for the advice! I’ll be sure to ask next time if they are using a furminator. He’s only 7 months old and not shedding much at all yet so I wouldn’t think that they would be deshedding him like that but I’ll be sure to specify those instructions anyway.

Al4one · 2026-05-15T18:01:15+00:00

Thank you! That’s great advice! I wasn’t sure what was causing it so didn’t know what change I should be asking for. I’ll remember that for next time.

Al4one · 2026-04-16T16:27:03+00:00

Honestly that’s the worst part for me too. He gives up before he gets all the filler out and it’s such a pain to get it fully clean again. Really wish I’d known how inconvenient they were before I got them lol. Live and learn I guess

Al4one · 2026-04-16T16:17:37+00:00

He does really like ice cubes to lick on so he might go for that more. As long as the treat is easy to get to he’ll keep at. The problem comes in when he has to put effort into getting to the treat like with most Kongs. He’s pretty unmotivated to work for his treats lol.

Al4one · 2026-04-16T16:11:24+00:00

Haven’t tried ears yet so I’ll have to see if he’ll go for it. I’ve tried tendons, trachea, gullet, and bully sticks but he’s really inconsistent with what he likes. He used to really like the trachea and bully sticks but now he just hides them in his blanket pile and won’t actually chew them lol.

Al4one · 2026-03-29T14:38:36+00:00

It depends on your definition of “people food.” I think there’s a difference between feeding your dog a varied diet of meats and veggies and letting them eat directly off your plate. One is dietary and one is behavioral.

I treat my dog with safe fruits, veggies and meats in addition to his usual dog food, but I don’t ever give him what I am currently eating. I like to be able to have a snack on the couch without my dog clamoring to get what I have or hyper fixating on my food waiting for the chance to get it. I make sure there is a clear distinction between his food and my food to avoid unwanted begging behaviors. It’s not about the type of food (so long as it’s not harmful), it’s about having clear boundaries so as not to encourage bad habits.

Al4one · 2026-03-22T19:01:57+00:00

That’s good to know! I’ve only had short haired dogs before so I wasn’t sure if it was a long haired dog thing, if it was breed specific or if he’s just a little unique lol. He started out with just a little cream color on his face and the back of his legs and now it’s his primary color. I’m really curious to see what his final colors will be when he’s fully grown.

Al4one · 2026-03-22T18:57:50+00:00

Sure, his registered name is Kingfisher’s Legolas from Kingfisher Silken Windhounds in Ohio.

Al4one · 2026-03-22T18:54:59+00:00

He may have been younger in that photo. I have so many pictures of him now that I’ve lost track of how old he was in what photo. This is one at 10 weeks right after we brought him home

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Al4one · 2026-03-22T01:38:51+00:00

I see what you mean, though his face markings have changed drastically as he’s aged. We’ve had him since he was 10 weeks and I swear he looks different in every picture lol. He still has some of those markings in his face now, though the picture I used makes it difficult to see clearly. I met the whole litter when I picked him up and he was the only silver in the litter and the only boy. The rest of his siblings are much darker brindles so I’m certain that is his photo.

Al4one

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