Every rational discussion about counter surfing begins with the suggestion to be careful and to keep edible items, especially anything the dog will love, far out of reach.

If you’ve chosen a dog that is long enough to reach your counters, keeping food off the counters and tables in the kitchen is critical.

Old school training would hold that discipline should be delivered when dog attempts to approach your food, but many of us have found that our body language or demeanor change “echoes” in the dog’s response to us. Point is, rushing the dog, saying “no” firmly, and maybe popping the collar “will” probably reduce the frequency that your dog does these things.

But newer viewpoint might hold that using your body size advantage/strength advantage conveys a bigger picture to dog that you may use force randomly. If you follow an assertive approach, you are likely to use it at times where the dog does not at all understand why you are in your “fast, firm and fair” mode.

Really, there is truth in both sides. If you can honestly cease to leave food out ever, your dog won’t be looking for it the few times you might forget.

What about using a Hidden Fence for counter surfing?

For the most part, the training required with a Hidden Fence makes total sense in comparison to having dogs regularly running across the street. Indoor usage should be limited to urgent issues, but, your counter can be wired…your dog can be trained to avoid your counters using a Hidden Fence.