Begging for food is a common complaint among dog owners. It can be very annoying and even embarrassing for everyone in the family when you have guests. We have therefore listed a few ways to get your dog to stop begging.
Let him go to his place
Going to his "place" is a command that you can teach your dog in a relatively short time. By designating a 'place', such as his basket or crate, he is expected to go there on command and stay there until he is allowed to leave. Of course this takes some training, but with consistency and practice your dog will pick it up.
Instruct your dog to go to his place every time you eat and force him to stay there until you are done. The key is to be consistent. If you do this every time people eat, you will see that after a while your dog will automatically go to his place during meals.
Do not feed off the table
If you feed your dog off the table, even just once, you can expect him to wait there every time. This is a common mistake dog owners make when their dogs are puppies. It's easy to understand. Puppies are cute and hard to resist. You think you can correct the unwanted behavior in time, but unfortunately it is a hard habit to break. The best way to prepare yourself for success is to start off right. Do not feed your dog from the table from the start.
Train your kids
If you have children, you know this is difficult. If all the adults in the house follow the rule of not feeding the dog from the table, but the little ones do, your dog will become a beggar, despite the best efforts of those in the house who do. It can be a painful and frustrating process, but you should train the children not to feed the dog unless you have specifically given them permission to do so.
This is where the “place” command comes in handy. Over time, your child will also get used to having the dog in place at mealtimes and will stop trying to feed him.
Feed your dog during meals
To discourage begging, feed your dog at the same time as you eat. While plates are being set at the dinner table, you're also filling his bowl with dinner. When he's full and satisfied, he's less likely to hunt for leftovers. When he finishes first, instruct him to go to his place or lie down.
Give your dog a distraction
Meals offer a good opportunity to offer dog toys filled with treats or a special bone. It can be a special time of day to do something the dog can't do otherwise. The trick here is to only give the special distraction during meals. If the dog gets it at other times, it won't be nearly as attractive and will come to the table to resume his bad begging behavior.
Ignore your dog completely
If your dog is begging, any attention you give him can reinforce the unwanted behavior. Even if you're clearly unhappy with him and resort to yelling, your dog may see that as a greater chance of getting what he wants. It is much better to completely ignore your dog than to raise your voice. Pretend your dog is not there and eventually, if you are very patient, your dog will get the message and move on. Repeat this consistently with every meal.
Move your dog away from the table
Use a leash and a fixed object to tie up your dog elsewhere. This can be a bit of a nuisance at first, as your dog may whine and bark. Eventually, you may be able to remove the leash with the aim of keeping your dog at a distance without the leash.
Playtime or training before meals
Plan a vigorous play session or brisk walk before a meal. Toss the ball up and down for 15 minutes, or go outside for a quick walk. This will tire your dog and encourage him to go to sleep while the family enjoys dinner.
Make sure guests know the rules
You and your dog may have worked really hard to stop begging. So don't let all that effort go away with the hand of a well-intentioned but uninformed dude. Politely explain that you struggle with begging. Let them know that you're finally seeing a change, and you appreciate her not giving your dog anything.
Don't let your dog be the cleaning crew
This one is especially difficult for those with young children who are constantly dropping food around the table. It's so much easier to let your dog clean up the leftovers. However, tasting all that delicious food at the table encourages your dog to look for food there again and again. So, grab a dustpan and dustpan and clean up yourself.
