She's now a little over 5 months. Had her for over 2 months. She is STILL getting up on the kitchen counters. There is nothing there. I haven't put anything on the counters for weeks. When I tell her off she responds immediately. Then jumps again 30 seconds later. Sit-stay works works until I have to turn my back or go in the other room and then she's up again.

It's getting exhausting to constantly correct her ...

It's the terrible 2s in dog years.  Ringo is doing the same thing.  Not just counter surfing, but getting into everything.  Tonight he even got Halo in trouble.  They got under the Christmas tree and found one of their presents and opened it.  I found them happily playing with it.  I guess it could be worse.

Just remember this to shall pass.  The next step is the puppy stupids. That's when they forget everything they know.  Not!  They just pretend really good.  That is the teenage years.

Hang in there. It won't be long and you will be wishing you had another puppy.  Just like kids they grow up way too fast.

Yeah...the stove...she turned that on a few times - always check it periodically " src="/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/blue/emoticons/smile.gif" />

Bev...sorry...but I just really had to laugh HARD! You so know that it was Ringo's idea to open the presents...too funny...let's just hope he understands why he doesn't get any presents on the 25th...yeah, right! LOL.

BTW...that's what I was wondering...is it a phase she will outgrow as training in general progresses and teething stops...or am I doing something terribly wrong. I correct her EVERY time (by saying off or simply pushing her off). Thank God I am patient ... I have an open kitchen so I can't close it off when we're watching TV ... and she makes the rounds periodically.  Not sure if she's looking for food or just anything to chew up.

And yes, she gets into everything else of course - socks mainly - but that I know for sure they simply outgrow.

It is possible to stop the counter surfing, but I think the only reliable way is with persistence and training.  I have seen folks uses mouse traps, cans with rocks in them and a thousand other contraptions.  The problem is the dogs are smart and figure it out most of the time.  Now I have recommended some of those methods in the past to friends as a way to keep their dog from counter surfing when the owner is not around.  I think these methods work best when the method is varied so the dog never knows what he will encounter. 

All that said, what works for me is a two prong program.  First, I am very consistent with telling them off every time they are surfing.  I try to anticipate so I catch them before they are up there and maybe getting a reward.  I also do not completely clean off the counters.  I want interesting things up there so I can teach them to leave those things alone.

Second, I teach them that they are not to take food ever unless I say it is ok and the leave it command (once they learn to leave food alone until permission is granted you don't need leave it for food, but it is still a great command for anytime you want them to leave something alone).  This takes a while but it really pays off because you can take them anywhere and they will leave food alone.  Start with feeding time.  Make them sit and wait for their food until you release them.  Pick a release word and use it consistently.  You can also do it by putting treats around and walking them through the treat field on leash at first.  As you advance then you can do it off leash.  Even harder put human food in various places and same thing with leave it.  Eventually, they will get to where they won't pay it any attention, or will look but not touch.  This is easier if you start when they are puppies and don't have the bad habits, but can be taught to older dogs as well (just takes longer). Remember to sometimes let them get the treat by releasing them to get it.  That way they get the reward for doing what you ask.

Both my girls are so good I can leave something yummy on the coffee table with them in the room and leave and it will still be there when I get back.  Ringo still has a long way to go though. 

The one thing you have to watch out for with multiple dogs is the competition between the dogs to get food or whatever.  That is sometimes the hardest part of the training, especially when a new pup comes into the pack.  We had some regression that I had to work when Ringo came home because the girls were afraid he would get something before them.  We just worked through it and they are ok again. 

If you teach the leave it with food and the off on the surfing you will eventually get a dog that does not surf.  Actually I think the counters lose interest for the dog because they know they can't get anything unless you allow it.

Tessa - I think GSP test us more than some other breeds, but then I think GSPs are smarter than other breeds.  Just a word of caution and something to think about with using Okay as a release word.  That is a common word  used when we talk and if the dog hears okay in conversation, well he is released and acts accordingly. So you can end up inadvertently releasing your dog.  I have seen this happen many times where the handler gets upset because the dog broke whatever exercise.  The handler hadn't even realized they had released their dog until someone else pointed it out to them.