How to stop a puppy jumping up to the table to nick some food.?

Question

I have a 4 month old newfoundland puppy. She jumps up on the table or work surface in the kitchen to nick some food. I have tried everything but once I turn my back on her she still does it. What worries me is she'll bigger and taller that she can get anything that she shouldn't. How can I stop her?

Answer 1

You're making it too complicated on yourself. Don't think outside the box, think simpler.

Look, how does a puppy jump? Exerted force from the legs from the floor, yes?

Simpler than that. What does a puppy use to jump?

It's legs.

Your answer is simple, my friend. Remove them.

OPTIONAL: After removing the legs, make them for dinner. It'll be ironic when the dog wants to try to jump on the table for them but can't.

And everyone loves irony.

  

Answer 2

regina w, I haven't had any problems with my newfoundland.

Answer 3

You can set your dog up for some aversive training.  

There are electrical pads or sheets that you can purchase -- place it in the area where she jumps or touches with her paws.  It she touches the pad - it will give her a mild shock.  Or, you rattle around the kitchen like normal.  (A friend with a air-horn sits at the table -- watching your puppy like a hawk).  If she does anything bad, standing on her hind legs to get on the counter, tries to pull something out of the garbage bin -- your friend hits a short blast on the horn.

Also - it takes longer but is more pleasant -- you can train her to be good -- here's a clicker-training site that is really helpful.  In their example - you would teach your dog that if she's in the kitchen - she must lie down on her mat.  You teach an alternative behavior instead of attempting to extinguish the bad one.  

Answer 4

Or simply have a little plastic bottle and every time she nicks food or puts her paws up on the counter quirt her face with water. It wouldn't hurt the dog but they find it most annoying.  

Answer 5

are you able to get like a baby gate and block her from the kitchen? We have 2 cats that live in the upper level of the garage (we turned our garage into our animal home/sanctuary) and when we don't want them to wander the yard and only stay on their "porch" outside (they have an upstairs room and then we leave the door to outside open so they can walk outside for fresh air), we installed a removable baby gate. They cost about 17 bucks at Wal-Mart. Or you can find them especially for dogs in catalogs. As she gets older and is able to reach, then introduce her to kitchen and tell her "No" sternly but not mean and no hitting.

Answer 6

maybe the problem lies in the way you feed her.

you should always feed your dog food in its own bowl.

a good way to discipline is with a empty plastic bottle, like the one where bottled water comes in. every time she jumps, you say a firm no in a loud voice and hit the floor beside her with the empty bottle. dogs don't like the sound. and she'll know that every time she jumps, she'll hear that sound which she won't like, and stop.

see if that works.  

Answer 7

Aversive training with food. My trainer taught me this one since when our dog was a puppy she'd steal things off the table. First get yourself some bitter apple spray or if they have it something called Yuck! it's way worse than bitter apple. Then put a piece of something your dog would normally be very attracted to where she can see smell and reach it after you've sprayed it with the solution. When she takes it she'll get quite a surprise. You may have to do it a couple of times but I only had to do it once.

You may want to train her to stay away from the table also. The best way is to train her to laydown or sit and stay. Then increase the amount of time. Then when it's time for a meal you can sit and stay her somewhere out of reach of the table. Begging is a subtle sign of dominance, since in a pack, a higher up dog would be able to make the less significant dogs part with their food. Good luck!  

Answer 8

Try taking a rolled up magazine or  newspaper and swatting the table real hard (not the dog) and saying in a very stern voice NO when she does it.

You might also want to sign up for some obedient classes.  

Answer 9

Teach her to sit and obey, until she can do that she needs to be taken out of the room during food times.

Do not give her table scrapes while she is around near the table, this is reinforcing the wrong habits.

Take her to puppy school or get some obedience taught to her.

Answer 10

well shes only very young still so when she does jump up on the bench u just have 2 say no in a stern voice not like your yelling at the dog just a stern no and then she will learn that jumping upon the bench is bad once u have trained her 2 stop jumping up give her a doggy snack and tell her shes a good dog  

hope i helped =)