A Counter Surfing Reframe

Tales of dogs “stealing” Thanksgiving turkeys, loaves of bread, or entire pizzas, are plentiful in our collective consciousness. This behavior, as you might already know, is frequently referred to as “counter surfing.” The phrase refers to when a dog jumps up to peruse the items on countertops, tabletops, and the like, usually with the goal of getting something really tasty for their efforts.

At almost ten years old, Tycho’s counter surfing behavior has recently gone up in frequency. There could be many reasons for this increase. Perhaps the household humans have become less careful about putting things out of his reach. Maybe he is feeling particularly well and spry. Perhaps with our recent travels, he’s had access to countertops that are lower in height and more accessible. Or, maybe he’s simply hungrier and willing to work harder to get food.

Counter surfing is one of those behaviors that comes with a reinforcement format that is hard to beat. The reinforcement of consuming or playing with whatever good stuff a dog manages to collect is immediate. No delayed gratification here! And, the items a dog can get from a countertop are usually novel, and in an amount that makes a lasting impression. In my own home, despite the household humans’ efforts, the behavior has also been reinforced with attention (even if it’s in the form of a surprised expletive or two).

Tycho has collected turkey burgers, pizza, dishtowels, oven mitts, silverware, and parchment paper. Some things are worth eating, some things are more fun when flung around the room, and still others are brought to me to show off. If there’s nothing up there that’s worth it, Tycho ceases his efforts but keeps hope alive for another time.

A few months ago, we were watching TV. We watched Tycho go into the kitchen, put his paws up on the countertop, just to see what if there was anything up there. And the most magnificent sentence came out of Ryan’s mouth:

“Gosh, he’s becoming so independent in his senior years. How nice that he can help himself to what he wants.”

While it was meant partly as a joke, the words were really meaningful.

The words were meaningful because they conceptually reframed Tycho’s behavior. “Reframes” help us think about issues and problems in different ways. Sometimes, reframes do us the grace of removing our own emotions from a situation. In this case, instead of feeling upset, embarrassed, or angry, we get to be proud of our independent senior dog who can communicate when he wants something.

Reframes also help us shift from the sort of dichotomous moralizing that we so find so tantalizing. Is this behavior naughty or nice? Are the effects of this behavior good or bad? Are this being’s intentions innocent or sinister? A reframe can help to not only remove this morally charged either/or thinking, but it can also help us better understand common dog behavior.

Reframes can do the work of “normalizing” dog behaviors so that we can see behaviors as the usual things that dogs do. If a behavior is a usual thing, we get the possibility of empathy for our dogs. My goodness, I would have trouble avoiding eating something fresh and delicious that I loved if it was right there in front of me. I can also shift my thinking and figure out how to fulfill my dog’s needs. For example, if Tycho pulls the oven mitts off the counter and barks at me, instead of seeing him as a naughty monster, I can see him as bored and needing to play. I know what it’s like to be bored, after all, so I can be attentive and understanding to his experiences.

Reframing counter surfing behavior doesn’t mean that we ought to let our dogs take whatever they like from the counters. Believe me, I understand how frustrating, upsetting, and sometimes risky counter surfing behaviors can be. Reframing dog behavior well does not minimize or diminish the impact of that behavior.

What can emerge from a skillful reframe is thoughtfulness about possible interventions. I can give my dog outlets for his behavioral needs if I think of counter surfing as a form of “foraging.” I can preemptively manage his access to the kitchen during times when the behavior is more likely to happen, or I could even train him to do an alternative behavior when there’s deliciousness on those countertops. For example, we’ve started to be more conscientious about shutting the gate between the living room and the kitchen when we’re eating and watching TV.

A good reframe can also prompt us to be gentle with ourselves for mistakes. I, as one of the household humans, am in charge of the cleanliness of the countertops and what lives up there, after all. As a human being, I get overwhelmed, distracted, excited, and the like, and those facts sometimes lead me to make mistakes.

Here’s an example that was captured on one of our security cameras. The camera is set up to capture the door to the garage, but it also captures the stove and other parts of the kitchen. The view is unfortunately partially obscured by the kitchen sink faucet, sorry!

I’d finished cooking turkey burgers and then attempted to hustle Dottie and Coralie outside to potty. It was snowy and cold outside, which usually means it takes longer for Dottie and Coralie to find the least miserable spot to go. I was outside for a few extra minutes as a result, and it was my mistake to have not protected the food better. In the video, you’ll see Tycho help himself to THREE turkey burgers on a plate next to the skillet on the still-hot stove.

Thelma is hovering nearby on the floor. I love how Tycho notices her and decides he will just eat the second and third burger out of her reach. I also love how delicately he puts his paws up on the stove. He holds this position for an impressive amount of time! You can see his front leg start to shake with fatigue.

Tycho had recently finished a course of radiation therapy for a soft-tissue sarcoma in his right elbow. His triumphant return to counter surfing was a cause for celebration, because it signaled he was truly feeling better. He was back to being a dog again. It’s also worth mentioning that Tycho has loads of training under his belt, and he even earned two Rally Championship titles last year. Even dogs who have lots of training accomplishments are, well, dogs. Behaviors like this can be big picture reminders of their dogness.

Tycho wears his pizza shark pajamas on the day he graduated from radiation treatment for cancer. He got a special bandana with a bell on it.

I made the same mistake again with pizza just last week, to Tycho’s delight. This is best viewed as a hilariously humbling reminder that learning often takes repetition.

1/26/2024