A common complaint among dog owners is that their dog begs for food all the time, especially during family meals, becoming a real nuisance in the long run. It is one of the most difficult habits in a dog to correct, especially since it is often the owners themselves who contribute to the problem. In the first instance, we must therefore devote ourselves to straightening our bad habits, and then concentrate on the dog's actions. However, if you dedicate yourself to the task of breaking the vicious circle at the origin of the eternal demand for food with perseverance and patience, within a couple of weeks you will be able to file the problem as a closed case.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Ignoring the Dog
Step 1. Try to understand the dog's behavior
Dogs are relatively simple creatures. If they perform an action following which they receive an award, they will continue to repeat it in the future with the expectation of being rewarded again. Operating in reverse, if the dog sees that his actions do not bring any benefit, he will have no reason to repeat them.
- Some dogs just sit next to you and stare at you; others, on the other hand, come to cry without interruption until you give in to their insistence. If the dog doesn't get what he wants, he will start barking, scratching your legs, jumping on you to point out his frustrated request.
- If you react to such behaviors by giving him food or petting him, you will only validate his actions. Not only food, but also caresses, compliments and throwing the ball can be interpreted by the dog as positive reinforcers.
- Just indulge in a couple of occasions with positive reinforcement (misused) and the dog will learn that, to get a taste of the owner's food, just start begging. Dismantling this belief, once rooted in the dog's mind, requires a process of eliminating the reinforcement and the undertaking is not the simplest.
Step 2. Do not feed the dog
The first inevitable step in teaching your dog to beg is to absolutely stop passing food from the table while you are sitting down to eat.
- Most people give in to the dog's insistence and hand it small morsels of food, thus confirming to the animal the goodness of its attitude.
- During meals, you must totally ignore the existence of your dog. This point is crucial both to prevent the habit of begging and to correct an already existing vice. No matter how much your dog barks, whines or stares at you when you eat - don't feed him.
Step 3. Avoid talking to him
Unless absolutely necessary (for example, to give him a command), don't pay the slightest attention to your dog; which means don't talk to him and don't say his name.
No matter how unnerving it is, never berate a dog for begging for food. Attention of any kind, even negative, can reinforce the behavior
Step 4. Don't look at the dog
Above all, don't look him in the eye. Dogs often read, in the owner's gaze, affirmative answers to questions that they have in mind and of which we are completely unaware.
Even the smallest attention can encourage negative behavior
Part 2 of 3: Remove the Dog from the Table
Step 1. Take your dog to another place
Teach your dog to place himself, on command, in a particular corner; or get him used to being in another room of the house while you eat: this could re-educate him not to beg for more food.
- Try letting the dog out or taking him to another room. The basic idea is not to be seen while eating; once the stimulus is removed, desire is eliminated. This remedy will not stop the dog from barking and whining, but at least there will be some distance between you and his annoying insistence.
- If you don't like the idea of enclosing your dog, educate him to stay somewhere else while you eat. If the dog is already used to the carrier, put it inside, during meals, in the company of one of his favorite toys.
- If you have educated your dog to command "kennel", give it to him every time he approaches the table. Many dogs, however, may continue to stare or whine even from a distance.
- Educating him to go to bed requires you to give him food rewards for putting himself in the right place. However, if the reward comes after begging, the dog will persist in its misbehavior. It is better to practice with the "kennel", therefore, when the meal is not on the table. As soon as your dog understands the command, and will execute it without hesitation or hesitation, you can try to use it in moments when it is studded with other stimuli (see, in fact, the succulent food on your plates).
- You may need to tie up your dog or lock him in the crate during meals.
Step 2. Teach the dog to "let go"
It can be helpful to teach your dog the command "leave it alone", which means "let go of whatever you are sniffing".
You will need to practice this command by keeping the dog on a leash and away from the meal table
Step 3. Use the "time-out" method
If your dog does not voluntarily leave the table or continues to beg for food even from the kennel, you could try taking him to another room (time-out zone).
- As soon as your dog starts begging insistently, take him to a room where there is no food or play. It must be a boring place, away from you and your meal. It doesn't have to be a pleasant area of the house for the dog.
- After a few minutes, let it out. If it starts again, put it back in the time-out room right away. It won't take long for the dog to start associating the boring room with his misbehavior.
- It is not excluded that your dog will start whining and barking when locked in the time-out room. This may seem like a worse prospect than a pushy dog, but if you stick to this routine with persistence, you will undoubtedly straighten out the unwanted behavior.
Part 3 of 3: Consolidation
Step 1. Involve other people
Make sure all family and friends who frequent your home understand the rules you are following. Otherwise your work will be of no use.
- The failure of even one person is enough to frustrate all your efforts. Your dog will learn to distinguish between strict owners and complacent owners.
- Explain to family and friends that your commitment to stop the dog from begging for food is all in the pet's best interests. The dog needs a balanced diet and to always remain in the right weight in order to lead a healthy and long-lived life; human food, given casually from the table, only risks compromising the health of the dog.
- Not to mention that a "glutton" dog spoils the joy of living with a four-legged companion.
Step 2. Never give up
Just give in even once and your dog will resume his relentless and insistent begging.
- If I were to give in, it wouldn't be the end of the world. But you will have to start your work all over again.
- Remember that diligence and consistency are the keys to success in dog education. No means no; consequently, you must always be faithful to the rules you intend to impose on your dog.
Step 3. Don't feel guilty
Your dog is not wasted, will not starve and will never hate you for keeping him off the table.
- Remorse is a human emotion. Your dog will not hold a grudge for denying him the scraps of your meal.
- If it makes you feel better, reward your dog immediately after finishing dinner by giving him a healthy treat. Do not give him the prize for free: take the opportunity to consolidate a command already taught or to start educating the dog to a new one. Never give out prizes that have not been earned. The dog lives in the present, so he will think he was rewarded for the behavior he was having at that precise moment.
Step 4. Don't give up
Your dog should stop begging for food within a couple of weeks or so, unless you (and anyone else who visits your home) have been consistent and careful to abide by the rules.
With no food reward, the dog will eventually change his behavior, especially if you set up the time-out room
Step 5. Talk to an expert
If your dog is more stubborn than you, perhaps it is worth enlisting the help of a professional dog trainer to help you correct your pet's behavior.
- It is very likely that this is not the only bad habit acquired by your dog. Both you and your four-legged friend may need an obedience course in order to review the validity of your commands.
- Contact the kennel or veterinarian closest to you. They could teach dog education courses, or direct you to a trusted professional.
Advice
- In case you have guests, warn them that house rules include not feeding the dog. Ask them to behave by following your example. If they give in and feed the dog, or pay attention to them, your dog will start to insist on having food from the table again.
- The presence of guests is a good opportunity to remove the dog from the source of temptation and put it in the carrier or in another room.
- The best way to deal with a bad habit is to prevent your dog from learning it in the first place. If you never start giving him samples from your plate, the dog will certainly not expect to receive them.
Warnings
- Some dogs may even step up their attitude in the extreme hope of getting a reward. These are precisely the cases in which it is more difficult not to give in, because the dog can be quite nagging. Just remember that by pleasing him, you are reinforcing the dog's belief that he is doing the right thing, when instead you are accustoming him to a habit that will only cause you annoyance.
- If you are afraid that your dog will bite you in order to get food, the ball, or simple attention, now is the time to contact a professional dog trainer.
