Here's how to do it: When he jumps up onto the counter in search of food, put a dog treat in front of his nose. When you have his attention, use the treat as a lure to guide him off the counter and onto the floor, saying “Off.” When his feet hit the ground, say “Yes” (or click) and give him the treat.
The 7 Ways to Keep Dogs Off Counters:
Preventing Counter Surfing
Jumping up on the counter or kitchen table in search of food is a natural dog behavior. Dogs are scavengers and opportunists, and food (especially yummy smelling human food) is hard to resist.
How Do I Stop My Dog From Jumping On The Table? [Stop Counter Surfing]
Here's how to do it:
The Root of the Behavior Dogs jump to greet you for several reasons and for the most part, it's for positive reasons. It's an instinct and natural behavior, a tool to screen you for your whereabouts, and excitement that you are home.
An innate canine impulse, jumping up serves two purposes for dogs: it's a way to show excitement, and it allows for an up close and personal sniff of scent glands in the human face. Combine the two–your pup's excited you're home from work and craves a whiff of your natural aroma–and the result is one jumpy dog.
Mostly they are wanting to say “hi”. When dog's are excited they love to greet us by licking our faces. Also, many times the jumping behavior is rewarded because the owners give atttention to this behavior by doing one or more of the following: Talking to the dog.
The nipping and biting is simply an extension of their over excitement. The good news is that jumping is easy to change. In my experience some techniques do not work. Pushing a dog down and yelling will actually make a dog more excited as they think you have started a game.
The Off Method When your dog inevitably jumps up on the counter or table, place a treat in front of their nose, say the command “off” and then use the treat to lure your dog to putting his or her feet on the ground. Once their feet are on the ground, immediately give the treat and praise your dog.
Tin foil – lay sheets of tin foil on the seats of the couch. Some dogs don't like the sound or feel of the tin foil so they avoid it at all costs. Double Sided Tape – your dog may not like the feel of the tape on their paws and may hope back down.
Is it OK for Puppies to Jump? While excitable puppies will naturally jump up and down, puppies shouldn't be expected to jump competitively until they reach around 15 months old.
Do you have a jumping puppy on your hands? While most dogs are capable of jumping several times their own height, it doesn't mean they always should. Puppies shouldn't be asked to jump in extreme or competitive situations until they're at least 12-15 months old (or older for giant/slow-maturing breeds).