Table Surfing--Brohah

One of my dogs hops onto the kitchen table whenever there's a scrap of food that's been left for even a few minutes. He's gotten more daring as the years have gone by, despite our catching him in the act and clapping loudly, admonishing him, "BAD Fozzie!" Obviously the reward for this bad behavior is greater than the punishment.

I've read about putting mousetraps under newspaper and then baiting your dog. The snapping sound of the mousetraps scare the dog into never table surfing again. Fozzie is very sensitive to sound. He hates the sound of my iPhone alarm and runs away whenever it beeps. I thought this might be the right training for this sound-sensitive pooch.

I bought two traps, and I have to say, I was a little giddy--was this going to work? After years of stealing our lunches and having to be vigilant about pushing in chairs if there was food on the table, would this be the simple solution? Nothing painful for the dog--the traps never touch him. Just a "snap" and I'm nowhere near it so I can't be associated with it. What meaty sandwich will I celebrate with, leaving such a gourmet feast unguarded and helpless, chairs pulled out like I haven't a care in the world...? ...okay, cart before horse.

I put the traps below the newspapers and noticed the traps made little "mountains" out of the newspapers. I put the pieces of chicken in the "valleys." My 3 dogs where all around the table--the waters were chummed.

"I'm just walking up the steps. Just going about my business as usual." Yes, I really said this. And at the top of the steps I looked back and waited. The only thing missing was the score to, "Mission Impossible."

And just like Mission Impossible, Fozzie jumped up onto the table, navigated the traps and ate each of the mounds of chicken, then re-navigated back through the traps and hopped down off the table licking his lips. UGH! I tried it again. Surely he would set off a trap. And that's a negative. The traps were untouched.

What was I missing?

Ohhhhhh....I needed to put the food on the little mountains, actually on the traps.

By this time Fozzie was pretty full but my other two dogs had been watching him and learning. They were not table surfers, but now after watching what a great feast Fozzie was getting, and he wasn't getting into any trouble, my dog Archie climbed up onto the table and set the trap receiving the punishment meant for Fozzie.

So far I had reinforced the behavior in the one dog I had not wanted to continue this bad habit and by "monkey see, monkey do," my other dog decided to get in on the game.

If you are keeping score: Dogs: 3 Trainer: 0

Later in the day, after Fozzie's stomach was no longer full, I did hear a "snap!" The food remained in place on top of the newspaper and Fozzie scampered from the kitchen. I left the food and traps on the table all weekend and they stayed untouched.

Just sitting here typing, with fresh chicken pieces and the traps set, Fozzie jumped up onto the chair, whined and looked at me. I watched intently, yet didn't correct him. He looked at the food sitting on top of the traps and you could see his little wheels turning in his head. He licked his lips several times. And finally he jumped off the chair.

I'm not sure if this will have a lasting (forever) effect or if I'll have to repeat it. I'll have to see if Fozzie is smart enough to know that food on newspaper is "dangerous" or if all food on the table is off limits.

For now--chairs will remain pushed in and dreams of unguarded sandwiches are still a fantasy.