How To Keep A Hound

[Guest Whistle]

My newest boy is just as sweet and well behaved as can be. He is truly one of the easiest hounds that we've had, with one exception. He is a major chow hound and is SO food motivated. This is good in a lot of ways, but not so good when I'm in the kitchen cooking. I cook dinner every night. I have a little nook where I cook that is separated from the rest of the kitchen by an island. No one is allowed in when I'm cooking, hounds or humans. A sharp "out" and squirt with a water bottle has been enough to make hounds "get it" for over six years, but it isn't for Duke. Once he smells what's cooking, he could not care less about a squirt of water in the face or a sharp "out" or "no." The entryway to the kitchen is too wide for a baby gate and I really don't want one there anyway. Besides crating him, does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep this knucklehead out of the kitchen while I cook? I do feed the hounds before I start preparing the human dinner.

[cleptogrey]

with a new dog i take advantage of their keen interest in food. i keep them in the kitchen w/ me when i prepare food and teach them the ropes of being well behaved. yes, i use food for motivation...why not? they are intersted and focused. but it's a good time to introduce leave it, down, back and stay. i also take advantage of the situation and teach them NOT to poke their head into the fridge, NOT to counter surf, NOT to go for the garbage and to WAIT. but that's my thing, i don't mind a dog hanging out on the floor waiting patiently(that needs to be taught) for a treat(maybe some fat trimmed off of meat) after i prepare dinner. after a while it's old hat and the interested pups really don't care. they just check it out and then leave if there aren't any treats-a-comming.