How to Keep a Dog Out of the Kitchen

Co-authored by Jessica Powell and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: July 29, 2022 References

Dogs are man’s best friend—except when they’re getting underfoot in the kitchen or trying to steal food off your countertops. If your dog is a nuisance when it comes to the kitchen, don't worry. You can train them to stop going into the kitchen, and there are things you can do in the meantime to keep them out until they're fully trained. Soon your dog will stop going into the kitchen and you can cook and leave food out on your counters in peace.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Boundary Training

1
Put a leash on your dog and grab some yummy treats.^{[1]
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Jessica Powell
Certified Professional Dog Trainer
Expert Interview. 5 October 2021.} When you first start boundary training, you’ll need to control where your dog goes. Put them on a leash and grab their favorite treats to get them excited about what’s going on.^{[2]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
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- The sooner you start training, the better. It’s easier to teach good habits than to break bad ones, but with a little patience, you can teach your dog to stay out of the kitchen (even if they don’t want to).
2
Walk toward the kitchen, but stop just before going inside. Hold the leash tightly so your dog walks right next to you. When you get to the doorway of the kitchen, stop just before going in, and make your dog stop right alongside you.^{[3]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source}
- You can make your dog sit, or you can tell them to heel beside you if they aren’t getting the message to stop.
- If you have an open floor plan, pick a spot to mark the boundary of the kitchen, and stop there each time.
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3
Give your dog a treat for stopping with you. This will teach your dog that stopping outside of the kitchen is a good thing. Make sure you give them lots of praise, too!^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source}
- Some dogs aren’t super into treats. If that’s the case with your dog, stick to giving them pets and praise so they know they did a good job.
4
Do this until your dog stops on their own. Walk away from the kitchen, walk back toward it, and stop. Use a treat every time to let your dog know that they’re doing great. Depending on your dog and how old they are, you might have to do this upwards of 20 times over a few days or weeks.^{[5]
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Trustworthy Source
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source}
- If you have multiple entrances to your kitchen, do this for every one.
- If your dog is older and already has a habit of going into the kitchen, you’ll probably have to work on this part a lot before they stop on their own.
5
Walk into the kitchen, but make your dog stay out of it. Now it’s time to test your dog’s abilities. Take their leash off and make them sit at the entrance, then walk a few steps into the kitchen.^{[6]
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- If your dog follows you automatically, spend a little more time leash-training them so they understand.
6
Give your dog a treat every time they stop outside the kitchen. Turn back around and give your dog a reward if they didn’t follow you into the kitchen. If they did, that’s okay; just make them sit and try again. Keep walking further and further into the kitchen each time.^{[7]
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- One training session probably won’t be enough. Try doing this for a few days until your dog understands that staying out of the kitchen is a good thing.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Barriers

1
Use a baby gate as an easy boundary. Set up a plastic or wooden baby gate in the doorway of your kitchen to keep your dog out.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Jessica Powell
Certified Professional Dog Trainer
Expert Interview. 5 October 2021.} You can leave it closed the whole time, or you can shut the gate whenever you’re cooking and you want to keep your dog out.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source}
- Try to find a baby gate that’s taller than your dog. If it’s too short, your dog will be able to jump over easily.
- You can use a baby gate or a pet gate, depending on your preference. They’re pretty much the same, and they have very similar features.
- If you don’t want to deal with stepping over a baby gate all the time, get one with a latch that swings open.
2
Enclose your dog in an exercise pen if they’re small. Exercise pens, also called ex-pens, are small enclosures made of wire that can keep your dog contained in a small area of your home.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Jessica Powell
Certified Professional Dog Trainer
Expert Interview. 5 October 2021.} Pick one that’s big enough so your dog can play with a toy if they want to, then set them in their exercise pen when you need to keep them out of the kitchen.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source}
- Set up your exercise pen in a shady area out of the direct sunlight so your dog doesn’t get too hot.
- Exercise pens are great for smaller dogs that are under 20 pounds (9.1 kg).
- You can find exercise pens at most pet supply stores.
3
Tell your dog to go to their crate or their bed. If your dog is crate trained, you can command them to stay in their crate or their bed while you’re in the kitchen.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Jessica Powell
Certified Professional Dog Trainer
Expert Interview. 5 October 2021.} If your dog can stay in the crate on their own, you don’t have to shut them in; otherwise, close the door until it’s safe to let them out.^{[13]
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Research source}
- Make sure their crate has a comfy bed, cozy blankets, and fun toys to keep your dog occupied so they don’t get bored or anxious.