05/10/2026
Ambassadog Kaylee is pleased to add an advice column for dogs to her Kaylee Uncrated blog! Today, she shares her thoughts on counter surfing. Check out her page and follow her for more great advice!
So today's question comes from one of our followers, and I think it's a good one!
Dear Kaylee:
I like to counter surf and my Dad says I can't. But the counter is where all the good stuff is! Why is it bad to counter surf?
--Wanting the Good Stuff in D.C.
Dear Wanting the Good Stuff:
To start with, remember that all dogs are good -- I, myself, am exceptionally good, the best maligator ever to walk the earth, or so I'm told! -- but just by being a dog, you are guaranteed entrance to heaven (there's a whole movie about that!), so clearly you are good, and by extension, all the things you do are good...or certainly not bad!
That said, counter surfing is indicative of a bigger problem, and the problem is simple: you haven't properly trained your human!
Remember, you are a good dog, deserving of all good things, so clearly your Dad should be serving you any good stuff on the counter, rather than forcing you to do the work of getting it yourself. He should be saying, "I have some nice chicken here, would you like it? Let me put it in your bowl so you can savor it!" instead of forcing you to sneakily grab it and run, which does not allow you to fully savor it (since it's hard to savor food when you're being chased by a yelling human!).
So my advice to you is to work on properly training your human. When he gives you good things from the counter, give him positive reinforcement -- lick his hand, wag your tail, give him a bright-eyed smile, lean your whole body against his leg in a loving way and sigh. In short, reward him for giving you your just due.
And don't be afraid of adding balance to your training routine -- if he has something good on the counter and doesn't give it to you, it's okay to whine a little, or paw at him, or stand on his foot, or bump him gently (or not so gently, depending on what's on the counter and how long he's been ignoring you). As soon as he looks down and notices you, go back to positive reinforcement (kisses, smiles, tail wags, affectionate leaning). After a while, he will get into the habit of sharing the counter wealth the minute he sees you!
Now some people will advise that you can start fading out the positive reinforcement at this time, but I don't advise it. Humans are often insecure and need to be reminded that they are loved and appreciated. It never hurts to give a thank you whine, or an extra tail thump, or just a big, sloppy kiss (if you're a lab) or a more delicate, dainty kiss (if you're a small dog) or a kiss with a bit of teeth in it (if you're a maligator). Your human will appreciate the effort, and the counter bounty will continue to flow!
Enjoy that chicken!
XOXO, Kaylee
P.S. I really feel like my stories paint their own pictures, but Facebook says I needed a picture, so I added a selfie of me relaxing in bed. Giving good advice is hard work so I needed a nap after that!
