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Ok, its been awhile since i've posted in here. Which is a good thing, haha.
Our biggest problem is Gunnar constantly jumping up on the counter, table, coffee table, looking for food. He knows the word "OFF", and gets down by atleast the 2nd time we say it. But literally 30 seconds later, he'll be right back up there.

Other than that he's a pup. I guess the last thing i was wondering, is how the heck you teach lay down? haha, thanks guys

Mikey T

Any behavior the dog natural does does not need to be taught the dog already know hows to do it, The indtruction is doing on cue. I use a method called capturing which is basical rewarding the dog when it lays down on its own, no command/cue every time the dog lays down reward. The dog will lay down more often. When you can predict when the dog will lay down you can begin teaching a cue. As the dog is lying down say down and reward. Repeat 30 times. The use the cue just as the dog starts to lie down alteast another 30 times. then Just before the dog starts to lie down but ina sittuation you know it is highly likely the dog is about to lie down another 30 times before even considering trying to use the cue in other context.

see puppy training thread for more on this technique and others as well for teaching down.

Couple things if he is jumping up on the counter it is because he has been rewarded for doing so in the past. The strongest behaviors are the ones that are rewarded intermittently. These are the behavior tha are almost impossible the extinct simply by nolonger rewarding the behavior. That is because the dog is not expecting to be rewarded every time in the first place so if there is no reward no big deal. Most problem behaviors in dogs are ones in which the dog has been occasional rewarded for even if unintentionally making it impossible to completely eliminate the behavior by makeing sure it is never rewarded going forward. What need to happen is makeing a more appropriate behavior more rewarding. So how often is the dog reward for walking by the counter without jumping up? All to often it is too easy to ignore the behavior we want. You need to make a concious effort to reward the more acceptable behavior. not simply try to punish /discract ect the unacceptable behavior.

Stopping Negative Behavior Positively

counter surfing

my quess the puppy is an adolescent see; Puppy Adolscence - or Demon Spawn

these type of problems also relate to a lack of impulse control in the puppy other such behaviors include rushing doors, pulling on lead, jumping up etc. I find these are some of the only problems inwhich dogs generalize so teaching impulse control in a different context of helps in other contexts as well


Guidelines for Teaching Self Control

impulse control

Lowering Arousal

Any dog can live calmly

Protocol for Relaxation

Rewarding Non-behavior


IF the dog is hunting for additional food find a more productive outlet for it such as buster cube

kong stuffing pointer
scent games