Stop Your Dog From Begging at the Table
It’s difficult to enjoy your meal when there is a constant paw nudging on your knees or a frowning puppy with his chin in your lap, hungrily eying every bite of food you spoon into your mouth.
Begging is an annoying behavior that is easily manifested and difficult to get rid of. The story is always the same. You feel guilty eating your comparatively divine cuisine whilst your doe-eyed dog watches sadly from the background. Eventually, you relent into feeding him a few scraps off your plate. You figure it was just a tiny piece of chicken and tossing him the leftover pieces you weren’t planning on eating anyways won’t be harmful.
However, once your dog gets used to the idea that he can weasel some food off your plate with one doleful look, this behavior can become obsessive and highly irritating. House guests, family members, nobody will be safe from your dog’s begging ways. Allowing the bad behavior to get past a certain point could cause him to become aggressive around food.
How to Train Your Dog Not to Beg
The best way to ensure your dog doesn’t become a beggar is to prevent the issues from occurring early on. If you can train dogs not to beg from the beginning, it will be highly beneficial to them as well as yourself.
If your dog has already developed these habits, it’s difficult, but not impossible to repair the damage with a few simple steps. The following tips will assist you in keeping your dog from skulking around the dinner table and also prove to be a great lesson in dog obedience training.
Ignore His Advances
First and foremost, you were most likely the one who taught your dog it was acceptable to beg at the table. So you must be the one to end it. While eating your dinner, if your dog is in the room, he has probably already taken up his usual post at your feet, expectantly waiting for you to hand him a morsel. In this instance, it’s best to ignore your dog’s advances until he learns his attempts are futile and gives up.
Set House Rules
Let your family in on the plan and make sure they follow the ground rules. Having everyone agree to stop feeding the dog human food will aid your efforts in ending the behavior.
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For instance, if you’re refusing to give your dog a bite of your hamburger, but your kids are handing him green beans under the table, your attempts will prove counterproductive. With teamwork, your dog will find nobody to turn to when he tries to continue begging.
Be Persistent
Unfortunately, your dog has already become attuned to the idea that with enough hard work, he can get whatever he wants from you and will begin to add whining, barking and howling to the typical routine. The important thing to do here is to stay strong and continue to pay him no heed.
Keep Your Dog in a Separate Room
If your dog is still standing, it’s likely he’ll move onto plan B and try stealing food from your plate and the counter top when you’re not paying attention. To avoid this, keep your dog in a separate room while your family has dinner. Make sure he can’t see you.
Assume Pack Leader Role
The best way to teach him you’re the alpha in the pack is by feeding him after you finish your own meal. Although it may seem like a better idea for him to be distracted by his own food, your dog needs to learn you’re the boss and that humans come first.
The most important part of teaching your dog not to beg at the table is to stick to the plan. By employing these tips, you’ll be on the path to having a healthier, more well-behaved dog your friends and family won’t mind having around.
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