Regardless of whether you’re facing a new puppy or have been suffering from a stubborn pup for years, there are solutions for you. While an immediate solution is to lock your dog in another room or purchase a specially designed baby gate, long-term solutions involve training your dog not to jump. If you don’t have the time or patience to spend on training your dog, you may want to consider sending him to a specialized obedience course.  Baby gates for dogs

Counter surfing

You’ve probably heard that a nip in the bud won’t make them stop eating human food, but this isn’t always the case. In fact, some dogs can be so good at counter surfing, they can tell you when you’re upset, and offer you body language that deflects your own emotions. This is the wrong approach. Instead, use reward-based training to teach your dog that food is off-limits.

Redirecting your dog’s attention while you eat

A pet toy is an excellent distraction from chewing and mouthing on human food. Dogs jump to attract attention, and negative attention only encourages their behavior. To stop chewing on human food and baby gates, provide your dog with a toy that he can chew on and reward him for. Make sure to keep a few chew toys around the house, and try to identify what triggers your dog to chew. When this happens, offer your dog a chew toy or other appropriate item before he mouths on something.

Teaching your dog the “leave it” command

Many methods of counter surfing will work, but they often have undesirable side effects. Using a stimulation device will make your dog jump away from a counter and may result in a painful sensation. The best time to train your dog not to jump on counters is before they’re tempted. Even if your dog does get to the counter while eating a sandwich, telling him to “leave it” will not work the next time. baby gates for wood stoves

Punishing your dog for stealing

While it is tempting to punish your dog for stealing human foods and jumping over baby gates, this method is ineffective. Dogs are persistent and will likely try to steal more than one time before giving up. In addition, it is extremely difficult to deliver the punishment at the exact moment that the behavior occurs. Therefore, it is always better to discourage the behavior in the beginning. Instead of punishing your dog, try rewarding your dog for good behavior.

Rewarding your dog for a behavior

Rewarding your dog for a behavior, such as leaving your counter alone or jumping over a baby gate, can help prevent further problems. Many dogs love to “counter surf,” or sneak food on your counter. While it’s tempting to give in to this temptation, it’s better to wait until the proper time to punish your dog. The most effective way to do this is to use a tasty treat. Rewarding your dog for leaving the food alone is more rewarding than yelling.

Redirecting your dog to appropriate chew toys

Redirecting your dog to appropriate chew toys is an excellent way to curb destructive behavior. Dogs naturally chew on toys, so redirecting his chewing to these items can reinforce a good habit. Additionally, chewing is calming for dogs, and will prevent your furniture from being covered in teeth marks. Listed below are some ways to redirect your dog’s chewing.

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