July 22, 2026
How do I fix counter surfing?
Full Question:
Hi, I have a 4 yo rough collie whom I got as a 5 month old from a show breeder. He's crate trained, knows basic obedience, understands "leave it" and "no", and has been taught to settle away from the table when we eat. My mother left food sitting out on the counters and there began his one bad habit. It has been over a year since then and we have made sure to not leave anything on the counters or table, as well as tether him or crate him when we can't watch him around food on surfaces. I have also began work on trying to discourage it by leaving medium-value treats on the table and counter (varying distances from me) and telling him "no" when I see him try to go for it, then rewarding with a high value when he gives up and settles. Am I going about this the wrong way? Is there more I can do? I'm thinking about buying a motion detecting spray that startles him when he jumps up. I would like to go back to the days when he didn't try to go after things he saw on surfaces. 
Leerburg's Answer:
First, you are on the right track. Here are a few suggestions of what I would add or do differently.
1) Awareness that completely extinguishing this behavior is going to be incredibly difficult because it only takes one repetition to reinforce the behavior and undo any extinction that has been happening. I would consider adding an expen or a gate to your kitchen area, if possible, to prevent the dog from going into the kitchen at all. The location is one factor of the reinforcement that we can control. I would limit or block the dog from the kitchen for a long time while you work on breaking the behavior. This could be from a few months at minimum to over a year, but we can never truly guarantee that without us present to block or reinforce the correct behavior that the dog won't take advantage.
2) In addition to the counter conditioning you are doing, I would keep practicing a food refusal exercise. The general approach should be that the dog shouldn't be allowed to eat anything, including its own food, without permission from the handler. You can reinforce this with structured feedings and not allowing the dog to eat anything until it's given a permission cue.
3) At some point, depending on the behavior and temperament of the dog, I'd consider adding aversive correction to the behavior. I'd do this with a prong collar and obedience leash, or more optimally, a remote collar and intentionally use superstitious association to essentially teach the dog that the counter "bites". Ultimately, this decision is up to you, and I would recommend our Remote Collar Master Class if you want to explore this route.
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