disciplining my dog

Question
Dear sir,
I have a 4 year old yellow lab named Maddie.  She has just recently started to grab things off the countertops and chew them up when we leave.  First bannanas started to disappear then she would have my sons bib on the floor licked and chewed .  I made sure there were no food items in her reach today and when I came home she had still gotten on the counter and grabbed a paper bib and chewed it up.  Yesterday she was able to reach a plastic bag full of peanuts and ate the entire thing. She has never shown such bad behavior. Can you please give me suggestions on how to stop it, and how to discipline her correctly when I see that she has gotten something off the counter.  I have not changed anything in her diet, nor am I feeding her any less and she is still acting like she is starving.  I do have a 13 month old little boy who is now walking around her, she is not really comfortable with him . Could he be the problem?
Thanks for your help!!
Sincerely,
Meredith Hagan

Answer
It is unusual for a 4 year old to suddenly develop bad behavior.  Either she has suddenly discovered she can take things off the counter top, or she is showing her resentment of the child.  If so, that is a serious problems and must be dealt with.  Having a good pack structure reduces such problems.  The dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog.  Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones.  You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/


Counter surfing is a real problem.  To a dog, anything unguarded is fair game.  If you are consistent about it, you can teach a dog not to steal food when you around.  I sometimes use mousetraps to keep a dog from taking things off a counter or table top.  This is more effective with some dogs than others.  One bad experience
getting snapped is enough to make some dogs leave things on the table or counter alone.  Others become adept at taking things without setting the mousetrap off.  I once tied a mousetrap to a cracker with a string.  The dog was very surprised when the mousetrap came down too.  Better than mousetraps when you aren't around is the crate.  Other dogs may not be as bad as the young Labs I am plagued with.  Still your house and dog will be much safer with the dog in a crate when you are away.  The dog may be happier in its den than loose in the house.  It relaxes, it  feels safe in its den.  It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving its self.  Dogs that have been crated all along do very well.  Many of them will rest in their crates even when the door is open.  I think the plastic ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling.  They are harder for dogs to open too.    Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew.  Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in. Leave it some toys.  Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter.  Don't leave anything in the crate the dog might chew up.  It will do fine without even any bedding.  You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.  If the dog hasn't been crated all along, start out putting the crate in one of its favorite sleeping spots.  If you have able to trust the dog with a cushion, blanket, or bed, put it in the crate.  Next, put its toys in, maybe treats too.  Feeding the dog there is a great way to convince it the crate is a good place.