[nagdu] question

[The Pawpower Pack]

Hi Lisa,

Since my back door leading to my back yard where my dogs take care of  
business is located in the kitchen, then yes-- my dogs are in the  
kitchen all of the time.

They are also in the kitchen when I'm cooking, doing laundry,  
cleaning, or whatever.  I have have multiple disabilities which means  
that my dogs need to be in the kitchen with me to alert me to sounds,  
to retrieve dropped objects, to retrieve things from the fridge.

Counter surfing and eating food from the table is not acceptable what  
so ever.  When my dog first comes to live in my home, I keep them on a  
lead for a period of time ranging from a couple weeks to a couple of  
months.
They learn appropriate behavior during this time and I use kitchen  
time to enforce and practice obedience commands and other behaviors  
expected in my kitchen.

Mill'E, my seven year old golden is a kitchen pro.  She lays out of  
the way in a place where she can watch me and will retrieve or alert  
if needed.  My Doberman, Laveau is still learning and although she can  
be trusted to be in the kitchen with me, I don't trust her in there  
alone.  A doberman's stomach can lead them into all kinds of temptation!

Rox