Stealing Food from TablesUnderstanding the reason why a dog practices a behavior is important. In this case, it is fairly obvious. The dog knows that food is on the counter, and dogs like to eat. Almost all dogs are stimulated by the numerous intriguing scents attached to the various food items that are being prepared on the counter. So, they are initially going to jump up on the counter because they are curious and they want to eat what is up there. Once they are successful at eating something yummy that they took from the counter, they have learned that stealing food from the counter is very rewarding. This can become a real problem. Jumping on counters, especially to steal food, can be dangerous to a dog. There is no guarantee that the dog is not going to jump up on the counter and get chicken, lamb, pork or some sort of meat with bones in it that, when ingested, could cause medical problems. There are a whole host of potential problems attached to the dog eating raw food, especially if it occurs on a semi-regular basis. Additionally, it is safe to say that most dogs will be far less inclined to want to eat their dog food if they have had the taste of forbidden fruits like lasagna, ribs, T-bone steak or barbecued chicken. So, for all of these reasons, it is best to teach the dog not to jump on counters and steal food. Please contact us at About Us to talk with a certified dog trainer to stop fido from messing up your kitchen counters. |