Putting up Barriers

We use barrier training to teach our dogs that certain areas are off limits to them. Some areas are temporarily off limits like the driveway when we are having a garage sale or a certain room if we are having company or doing work in that room.

Some areas are permanently off limits - or should be. We haven't really enforced the permanent areas very well. They aren't allowed on our beds or furniture. Usually.

They weren't allowed near the kitchen counters, but that didn't keep them from laying just beyond that area, hoping to trip me while I prepared a meal.

We've decided that our new kitchen will be completely off limits to them. That was the intention with the old one, but it was too open, and they had to walk through it to go from room to room. And walking through it led to laying in it and laying in it led to begging near the counters.

The new layout, however, gives us some perfect barriers to define the kitchen and they will be able to walk around the island rather than through the kitchen to go from room to room.

So, now the process begins of teaching them where they are allowed and where they are not allowed.

Sure, they look happy enough about it now, but once they figure out that the kitchen is off limits permanently and that their smorgasbord of dropped crumbs and cooking accidents has been closed, they are definitely not going to be happy.

I can hear the whining already.