[Teddy’s mom]

So my spoo teddy has learned he can jump up on tables and grab things. He has a taste for cell phones and remotes...and anything else he can grab. He’s very swift and quiet about it. I think I should rename him Ninja Paws🐾 I feel I’m wasting my time with the loud no and the eh eh eh mom noise. What r some other options? I want him to know it’s unacceptable for him to do this. I know it will take time but he’s smart and I know he will understand it in time. I want to b consistent and not confusing. I think he’s doing it cause he can and to get attention perhaps. Which there’s 5 people in our quarantine home. He gets attention and he also gets exercised. He will get up from his sleep go to table swipe something. My husband doesn’t like it. I kinda expect it he’s a big fella. He also has been into shredding. Which I assume comes with his age. I’ve been storing up all our soda boxes. He’s shreds two a day. Better those than furniture or couch pillows. So, what do u spoo owners do to keep those long legs and paws down and off things?

 

[PeggyTheParti]

We do our best to keep everything out of reach, and if Peggy happens to get something, I scold myself and not her.

Annoying new behaviours will occasionally pop up, but I've learned that if I don't give Peggy a chance to rehearse them, they quickly disappear.

The worst thing I ever did was chase her when she stole something. It was an early mistake, but it's had long-lasting consequences.

So:
-Keep the house puppy-proofed (or at least keep puppy contained to a puppy-proofed area).
-Don't chase. Ever. In fact, don't really give any sort of attention at all, otherwise bored puppy learns stealing things is a surefire way to liven things up!

 

[Liz]

Mia is an inveterate counter surfer. She doesn't do it for attention, though, just to swipe food when an unsuspecting house guest isn't watching. Like PTP said, keep the counters clear, and know that most of this behavior will pass. Mia loved shredding paper and cardboard when she was teething, but by keeping the counters clear, and ensuring she didn't have access to the bathrooms or kitchen garbage, she couldn't engage in this super fun self-rewarding behavior. He will age out of it as long as it doesn't become an embedded habit.

 

[For Want of Poodle]

"No" and then redirecting to what was appropriate for puppy teeth was my solution for most stuff. I taught her a pretty strong "Leave it!" in exchange for a reward, which I used while she was eyeing something. "Not yours!" is my word for an exchange.

I also kept the counters clear, blocked her off with a baby gate from the kitchen a lot, and had her drag a leash for a while. I also gave her all my flyers and junk mail to shred for my worm bins, sticks from outside to chew on, etc. I kept her off of the kitchen counter by setting her up for failure - I left a piece of meat on the edge of the counter when we'd noticed her starting to be interested in our counters. I lay in wait with a squirt bottle. She lifted her feet up to grab it - squirt!!! it was in a heavy pot, so it didn't fall off and she didn't get it. Repeated 2 more times in the next couple days without her ever figuring out that I was the source of the water ("God got you" a very few times before they have had the chance to "win" is the only way to do punitive stuff successfully with dogs, IMO)

To stop it - might be necessary to have a few weeks where its not rehearsed, so Teddy is either in a crate or on a leash, tethered to you or somewhere he can't get in trouble.

 

[cowpony]

Counter surfing is almost impossible to break once they learn it. Even if you catch and punish the dog, he will still have been rewarded by getting whatever he was surfing for before you caught him. Really all you can do is keep stuff off the counter or get a shorter dog. Teddy is a youngster right now, so its going to be extra bad. He will want to steal thing- pot holders, measuring cups, batteries, etc.- that wouldn't interest an older dog.

 

[Teddy’s mom]

Well I can’t get a shorter dog or taller furniture and countertops 😂 I guess we will ride the wave. I have been keeping things clear but he always finds something. 😬