vitauta
Executive Chef
what do you mean, "allow" (the dog to surf the counter tops)? i've had a number of lovable pets, but they were, without exception, smart, devious, and totally without a conscience as to their (mis)behavior. my pets didn't pass up many opportunities, when i was absent, to do precisely those things that were strictly forbidden when i was there. just like it is not possible to "childproof" your home to absolutely ensure your child's safety, i believe a pet owner cannot effectively train a pet to refrain from forbidden behavior in unsupervised situations.