behavior issue

Question
QUESTION: Hi. I got a JRT puppy back in July. We are having some behavioral issues with him. First, he is still not housebroken. He is better than when we first got him, but he still goes in the house. We let him out very frequently, but he still goes in the house the second we turn our backs, etc.  Also, he always jumps up on our kitchen chairs and tries to get at the food on the table. He has also started jumping on the coffee table and end tables to drink out of people's drinks. We have tried saying no, we have tried blowing a loud whistle, we have tried locking him in the bathroom as a punishment. Nothing seems to keep him from doing it. Making a loud noise gets him to get off, but he will go right back up a few minutes later. Any suggestions? It's getting to the point where I may consider a shock collar. I hate to even think about using one of those, but I want to break him of this now before it's too late. Thanks.

ANSWER: Hi Kristie,

Have you enrolled him in any type of puppy kindergarten?
It's a great introduction to basic commands like come, sit, stay, down, etc... and teaches YOU how to teach your puppy to "behave". Jacks are full of energy as you know and it takes a steady and firm hand and LOTS OF PATIENCE to teach them to follow your command. If you got him as a puppy in July then I am assuming he is less than 3 months old? Sometimes it takes up to a year for them to really really learn commands. It's good that you take him out frequently, I take my pups out every hour on the hour during the first few weeks to get them absolutely brainwashed that OUTSIDE is where we go to do our business. Use overly enthusiastic praise (go crazy with praise) when he does go, even use a little cheese treat or some other positive reinforcement  to really confirm to him what a wonderful thing he just did. It's the same with the jumping - correct him IMMEDIATELY with a firm NO and take him down. To teach him NOT to jump you have to first catch him BEFORE he jumps up. The second you see him starting to jump up is when you correct the behavior. Catching him in the act and correcting immediately is the best way to teach. To correct him after he's already up on the table is actually too late. He's not putting two and two together yet. He thinks your correcting him for being up there, but in actuality you want to correct him BEFORE he gets up there. Right when you see him about to jump you yell NO! Find something else for him to do that will amuse him and take his mind off the table.  Of course, lots and lots of exercise always helps the training process too.  
Don't worry and don't give up - it takes a good 6 months to a year to really see results, just keep up the great work. Consistency is the real key. Pick one method of correcting and stick with it. If you keep changing punishments, he'll only wonder what the heck you're doing.
Jacks!!! Gotta love em! They can make you crazy though huh?
Keep plugging, good luck!!


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He is actually 6 months old.  We did take him to an 8 week puppy course through Petsmart.  He has seemed to learn the basic commands, though not as well as we had liked.  The problem with the end tables is that they are on either side of the couch.  We allow our dogs on the couch so it only takes him a half a second to get on the end table and take a drink of whatever is there. We will try to keep an eye on him before he jumps on the chair and try to catch him before he gets up there. Thanks.

Answer
It wouldn't hurt to enroll him again, but definitely go with a dog training school and not a big chain store. They offer good citizenship classes etc, that compliment the 8 week puppy kindergarten. I know what you mean about the couch - you're going to have to be diligent about watching him and keep food and drink off the end tables unless you are sitting right there. Best of luck!