How can you get dogs to stay off counters?

Answer 1

well you can train it to not go on the counter. Have some discipline, and about the furniture, you can either declaw them or get them a toy so they can scatch on that instead of the couch. == Declawing? No, no, no... it's obscene. How's the cat supposed to defend itself, climb trees, get out of dangerous situations without it's claws?

You can stop them from clawing furniture and getting up on work surfaces using the element of surprise! Shout their name and clap your hands, shout "Get down, " or "Stop that, " and they'll often get the message really quickly!

For scratching get them a scratching post, or nail some left over carpet to a door frame - they just love to be able to stretch up and pull down on their paws to get a really good scratch!

And, if all else fails, get a water pistol! You need one where the spray carries a decent distance (but not one of those pump action ones!) and if the cat starts to misbehave, shoot it!! It doesn't do them any harm but it definitely gives them the message...

Don't try the water thing if you have a Turkish Van cat as they just love to get wet... Answer: I cleaned out my guest bathroom entirely (my only non-carpeted space) and layed their cat stuff, and also layed HUUGE cardboard scratching post (one of those that if it gets dirty with hair and all u can flip and use the otherside, then toss them) - I use this because it's quite sanitary compared to having the permanent kind, even if it's more costly. Then heavily coat the bottom part of it with catnip so they can definitely smell it but not easily get to it. I gave them plenty of "better" food - my kittens love wet food even if they're almost adult now. And made it like a paradise, only that there's NO FURNITURE and NO FUTON and NO WOODEN SURFACE to scratch on. At first, they'd cry cry cry trying to get out, scratching the door. So I sprayed Lemon/Orange/Pepper scent on the other side of the door so they hate having that under their claws. Afterawhile, they settled down, there wasn't much to do in there, they started just going into bathtub, etc (i took away the shower curtain or anything they can claw on). After 2 days or so, they start using the scratching pad 'cause that's the ONLY THING they can defeat boredom with. After they get "how to use scratching pad", I let them out. They started chewing scratching furniture. I just pick them up when I find them doing any of those, toss them back into the bathroom and lock them up for couple hours. Then let them out again. And repeat the process. After 3~4 days of that, they LEARN that they get tossed back to boredom if they do certain behaviors. And they also LEARN scratching post is TOTALLY OK to scratch on (and that it works well for their claws). It also fixed various other habits like chewing on wires and defecating elsewhere. (I just hold their nose up close to their "stuff" when i find them, then tell them, in the disapproving tone of voice, 'NO' then put them back in the bathroom.) They eventually understand and don't do ANYTHING that will earn them a trip to a separated small space. they don't even scratch the carpet. But you have to be careful and don't make your "actions" look as punishment. when they're outside, they'll run away from you thinking you're just out there to grab them back in there. So you have to make sure to pat them and give treats and do everything to make sure you still LOVE them very very much. (in my case, I play fetch w/ them, lol... and also use a stick with mouse dangling to play with them, etc.). I also hold them very often to get them look outside (mine are indoor cats with lots of curiosity on what's going on outside). They were very used to me touching them. So they eventually differentiated between my hands grabbing them for trip to bathroom or my hands giving them a pat. (they usually KNOW when they do something bad and look at you with those eyes even if you still haven't figured out what they did wrong. they look SOOOO guilty) And if you just hate this clawing stuff still, and this is too much for you, u can always get soft paws. It's expensive to get it done at pet shop but if that's what you'd rather prefer, I guess that's the only way. My husband and I just bought the soft paw product, and we work together to put them on. I usually hold the cat or something so the cat can't move or jump or something, and he clips the claws, then we put the soft paws on. Some soft paws fell out after 3 weeks, some stayed on for almost 2 months. (they fall out when they "shed" their nail shieldings - it's like snake shedding skin, cats shed their outer layer of nail). And I used 1 package for both kittens, and whole packages last quite awhile. We didn't put any on the back claws since they usually didn't do much damage on anything. We only put these on when we brought the kittens to in-law's house which is entirely covered with the wooden floor (it was new house and we didn't want them to get nervous in new place and scratch) and stayed there for couple weeks. they simulate scratching behavior when they're under stress, too. (so we thought better of it and used soft paws and not a single scratch on the nice wooden newly waxed floor!)

Answer 2

Cat BehaviorFill a spray bottle with water, and place it where it is readily available. Each time the cat jumps on the counter spray him/her with the water. Since most cats don't like water, finding it adversive, it is not necessary to use a lot of water and a desired response is quick. After a few times, the cat will stop the unwanted behavior when they hear the bottle shake. Next, maybe even a reach for the bottle will prevent or stop the cat's desire to get on the counter. Usually in a short while, the behavior should no longer be a problem. There should no longer be a need for the spray bottle, unless of course you are working on other undesirable behaviors. Remember to never physically harm a cat, and never yell as they are very emotional creatures.

On the more "annoying" side. I've heard you can lay tin foil across the counter and the cat will get down because they don't like the rustling sound. Also you can lay pieces of tape all over the counter (sticky side up) and the cat will jump up, get tape all over it's feet, and decide it doesn't want to get up there again (while making you laugh your ass off as it wiggles it's feet trying to dislodge the harmless tape)

Answer 3

There are several possibilities, none of them practical. 1. Stay home and watch the table and the cat all the time. 2. Never put anything on the table that the cat would be interested it. 3. Don't put the table near anything interesting, like a window. 4. Cover the table with something the cat will not enjoy stepping on, like cactus or molasses. Why do you want to keep the cat off the table, anyway? Isn't it a member of your household?

Answer 4

If the cat likes something on the furniture it will keep going to it, so if you see it going to one particular thing, put that thing on the ground so that it doesn't need to climb onto the furniture to get it. My cats climb onto the table when they're hungry so i know.

Answer 5

You could try the spray bottle method, spraying the kitten with water whenever he/she does smething bad. Cats don't like water, so it shouldn't take long for him/her to get the message =D

Answer 6

Put shallow plastic plates with a few tablespoons of water in each, covering each and every surface you want the cat to avoid. It will soon develop a strong aversion to counter tops.

Answer 7

Make sure to smack them as soon as they get up on the counter