Hey all - I was wondering whether a realistic training goal is to keep Chuck out of the kitchen.

To back up, right now he is 16 weeks old and I've fenced off a room in the large living area/dining room, foyer, and kitchen for him during the day. In the evening I let him out into the larger area to roam. All he does is go to the kitchen and stick his tounge in the cracks.

My sister insists that she's met dogs that (have been trained to) know to stay out of the kitchen, even if they can physically access it.

Any feedback on that possibility? Staying out entirely seems impossible to me, but maybe staying out on command is more realistic?

Thanks!

My girls aren't allowed in the kitchen while i'm cooking, they annoy me when they're constantly licking the ground and under my feet. They know that they're not allowed in there when i cook (different story if my parents are). I just body blocked them and walked into them saying "back." I drew an invisible line and if they passed it i'd have them back out behind the line. Now i can just tell them "back" or walk towards them and they'll back out.

It's doable for sure. Chuck is kind of at the age where everything seems impossible lol. Dizzy is not allowed in our kitchen. I didn't really use a method to teach him, I would say 'ah ah' and just send him away with a sweeping arm gesture with my finger pointing toward where I wanted him to go. After a while he just figured out I didn't want him in there and he doesn't bother any more.

I did this with Kye off the bat, very useful because of hot things, food he shouldn't eat and triping hazard. I used the same technique as Jen and Abby, my word was OUT, after a few weeks he just walks up to the line and sits when I am in there. I try to keep him out even when I'm not, but that doesn't work so well. It's funny when he tries to push his luck and stick his paws over. hehe

EDIT, also don't feed him in the kitchen, but you knew that.

If he can sit or lay down on command from afar you can have treats on you while you are in the kitchen and have him sit or lay at the line. Once he does, toss the treat to him out of the kitchen (important) and praise him. Keep repeating and dont ever fail to correct him if he ever crosses. Back to square one if you slip.

Link is allowed in our kitchen but this method worked for our office room. We call it the boundary game and he gets it in other applications as well...sometimes

Another suggestion is to use bitter apple. That way if he sneaks by you it won't turn into a self rewarding behavior, meaning he gets some yummy combo of stuff from licking the floor.

wpskier222 wrote:

Another suggestion is to use bitter apple.

I'll have to try that. I tried hot sauce on his crate water bowl that Kye chewed but apparently he likes it, who knew lol.

Ha ha! Hot sauce? I would never think of that, but knowing Dizzy he'd like it too, but the bitter apple works for him, but I've heard some dogs actually like it, so you never know. It ended his rug chewing project.

Yeah.. Yuki likes bitter apple, she chewed the couch more when I sprayed it. I just do what Abby does, say 'ah-ah' and escort them out, eventually they learned it wasn't worth the effort to try anymore.

I'm a little concerned pushing him away will be a game, as Jen said everything seems impossible right now haha. I'm going to give it a shot though! Reinforced by bitter apple...that's actually helped reduce his general interest in the kitchen already.

Thanks!