The training of a dog is always mysterious, it often turns out differently that I expect. Over the last two weeks, I thought Fate had completely outsmarted me. She took hamburger meat, crackers and bread off of the counter, almost at will. She was quiet and dexterous and clever.

But it turns out I did better than I thought, I might even have won this contest. Fate won’t go near the counters now, not even to sniff crumbs up off of the floor. She hated the noise of the mouse-trap snapping while I tried to set it up. If something is left on the counter, she looks up at it and backs up, nearly out of the kitchen.

I’ve done a half-dozen tests this week, and all kinds of tempting food has been left on the counter. She wants no part of it. Over time, we’ll see how lasting this is, but I think I have broken the automatic habit of counter surfing. Dogs are very noise sensitive – we forget that sometimes – and just seeing and hearing the traps seems to have been enough to discourage here.

This afternoon, there was an empty chocolate candy wrapper left on a table in the dining room and she pulled it off (there was nothing in it) and pulled the paper into some pieces. I think Fate will always be what I call a canine “opportunist.” Given a clear shot, she will take it from time to time. She is curious and daring.

But I think she won’t be pulling food off of the counter anytime soon. Without knowing it, I might have won.