How to cease your canine counter browsing, by knowledgeable coach Ben Randall

This week, our A-list canine coach Ben Randall tells us methods to cease our dogs from getting on the kitchen worktops.

Dogs who stay in the home (and let’s face it, most do as of late) aren’t daft and really shortly work out that kitchen counters provide wealthy pickings when it comes to meals and different rewards.

This is the dilemma being confronted by J.H., who has written to us from North Yorkshire by way of our [email protected] e mail handle, to ask how greatest to cease his grasping Labradors from leaping up and having nostril at what — or what not — is likely to be value sniffing and investigating on the worktops.

Dear Ben,

I’ve two comparatively well-trained labradors, who I take out capturing with me in the course of the season. However, my challenge is one which has developed not too long ago after I moved to a brand new home.

Like all labs, they’re fairly meals motivated, however they by no means attempt to steal any of my meals, both from the desk or when I’m cooking within the kitchen. This subsequently may sound a bit odd, however, ever since I moved into a brand new place just a few weeks in the past, my younger canine particularly may be very occupied with what’s on the worktops and sometimes jumps as much as have look and a sniff, regardless that he by no means really takes something.

What can I do to forestall him from doing this, please? Especially as my older canine has determined it’s an amazing concept, too. If I catch them within the act and tick them off, they appear sheepish, as a result of they know I don’t need them to do it and but nonetheless they persist — assist! Any recommendation could be appreciated.

J.H., by way of e mail

Thanks a lot in your letter, J.H. and please don’t be too involved about this annoying behavior that your labs have developed. I’ve been perfecting my BG (Beggarbush) basis strategies for almost 20 years and perceive that even skilled canine homeowners come up in opposition to points that they aren’t positive methods to deal with.

However, with a bit frequent sense and persistence, it gained’t take lengthy so that you can cease your two scanning the kitchen worktops for any fascinating alternatives. You can be taught extra by way of @beggarbush on Instagram and my (this hyperlink will allow you to get a free trial) or ask me your personal query by emailing [email protected].

You’ve talked about that, though this new behavior is irritating and undesirable, your younger canine, particularly, just isn’t really counter browsing for meals and that, if there’s a meal or a scorching drink there, he doesn’t contact it, which is constructive, because it proves that your coaching thus far has been working.

You additionally say that you’ve got not too long ago moved home and I feel this this might be the actual challenge right here. Remember, a canine’s nostril is almost 10,000 occasions extra highly effective than our personal and I believe that that is your canine’s manner of investigating his new environment. He’s sniffing, leaping up and having rummage about with a view to work out and really feel extra snug in his new setting. However, as he’s leaping up and presumably scratching and doubtlessly breaking issues, this must cease — and quick.

Ben’s high three suggestions for stopping your canine counter browsing

1. Teach the important and doubtlessly life-saving ‘leave’ command

As with a lot of my recommendation, educating or reinforcing the ‘leave’ command is one of the simplest ways to curb your dogs’ enthusiasm for questioning what’s of curiosity in your kitchen worktops. It’s additionally key in establishing a brand new constructive routine, as a result of dogs — similar to us people — thrive on routine and construction. In addition, as soon as your dogs know the ‘leave’ command, you’ll be capable to forestall them from consuming something that falls on the ground, which might doubtlessly save their lives, particularly if the merchandise (resembling darkish chocolate or human medicine) is poisonous to dogs.

Who? Me? No, I haven’t seen your dinner. Credit: Getty

2. Create a brand new, constructive narrative that’s extra thrilling than your worktops

Once you’ve spent just a few weeks perfecting your boys’ response to the ‘leave’ command and they’re appearing on it fortunately and shortly, I’d place their beds in sure positions in every room, together with a chew (resembling a purple deer antler) or a toy that they solely have access to when they’re on their beds. Bear with me, as, though this may sound a bit odd, it’s an effective way of building a brand new state of affairs round their want to analyze the kitchen worktops. The subsequent time they present any curiosity on something on the facet, whether or not it’s baggage of grocery procuring or a newly-made cup of espresso, inform them to get ‘in’ their beds (you may learn methods to train this command, right here) and provides them their chew, which can encourage them to settle, calm down and be much less focussed on what you might be doing or what may pique their curiosity on the worktop. If you might be constant in implementing this a number of occasions a day, this can quickly turn into a lifestyle in your dogs when getting into or spending time in every room.

3. What do I do in the event that they often transgress and begin leaping up once more?

If, after just a few weeks of instilling this new routine, you catch both of them having a sneaky peek on the worktop if you end up out of the room, shortly walk in the direction of your dogs, give the ‘leave’ command, level at your their mattress or beds, challenge the ‘in’ command and reward them with their chew, a chunk of kibble or some calm reward. I promise that, in case you persist, they’ll quickly realise that extra good will come of remaining calmly on their beds than sticking their noses into your procuring baggage.

I want you all the very best with educating your two boys this regime and that you simply all quickly settle into your new cottage. I really feel positive that, after getting been following this steering for just a few weeks, they may relax and calm down, as they know that is their everlasting home and their good behaviour is positively rewarded. Good luck together with your new chapter and do let me understand how you get on with this coaching regime.

Ben Randall’s e-book, ‘How to Train Your Gundog’, is out now. You can order it here for £40.

For extra detailed recommendation about Ben Randall’s constructive, reward-based and confirmed BG coaching strategies, one-to-one coaching classes, residential coaching or five-star dog-boarding at his BGHQ in Herefordshire, phone 01531 670960 or go to www.ledburylodgekennels.co.uk. For a free seven-day trial of the Gundog app, which prices £24.99 a month or £249.99 a yr, go to www.gundog.app/trial