Useful tips on how to stop your dog from begging and stealing from the table

The smell of soup comes from the kitchen. You wash your hands and sit down at the table. You bring the spoon to your mouth, anticipating a pleasant taste, and... you hear a demanding roar. Well, of course, it was your dog who came running at the smell of soup. And she asks, no, even demands, to be treated. Why do you need to stop your dog from begging for food, much less stealing it from the table? There are several reasons for this:

the most obvious: beggar dogs and thieves are terribly annoying. In the first case, they look into your mouth, preventing you from enjoying your food. Secondly, the fried leg on the table may not wait for you... because the dog will eat it himself;
The food we eat can be salty, bitter, sour and sweet. Hot or very cold. All this is harmful to the dog's body. Normal food for a four-legged friend should be fresh or at room temperature;
a dog can beg for food in unlimited quantities. And this is fraught with obesity. Many breeds are prone to it.

Now you understand why the questions “how to stop a puppy from begging” or “how to stop a dog from stealing food?” relevant. Has your dog already adopted a begging pose and is looking at you with the most soulful eyes? Don’t let this habit turn into a habit - don’t be careless: by doing this you harm not only yourself, but also the dog.

Fight against food theft:

Analyze the dog’s nutrition, make sure that the amount of food you give is sufficient for it;
Do not allow your pet to be in the kitchen while you are eating. As soon as he tries to enter, give the command "Place". Correct behavior is rewarded with a dog treat from the owner's hands next to the pet's bed or placed in a bowl;
If a dog steals from a table and you catch it in the act of “crime”, use scaring sounds.
You can purchase a special device at a pet store or make it yourself. For example, a tin can with a few coins inside is suitable for this. As soon as you notice that your pet intends to steal a piece or pick up something from the floor, throw the jar next to it. The main thing is to do it in such a way that he does not understand where this frightening object came from;

Beggars are selective

A dog that asks for food at the table may simply be imitating human behavior (eating at the table with the rest of the household is a reward for it). But this behavior is caused not only by hunger. Dogs that beg for food either do not get the necessary nutrients from their own food, say the authors of the PetMD portal, or suffer from attention deficit. How to determine the cause? Start with the food your pet is getting: is it made up of quality ingredients or mostly by-products? Make sure the food meets your dog's nutritional needs and distribute the daily diet so that you feed your pet two to three small meals a day. This small change can stop begging for food from the table almost immediately. Talk to your veterinarian or try Hill's Science Plan, balanced to meet your dog's nutritional needs and health.

Causes of bad habit

The main reasons for the habit of picking up food from the ground on the street are:

Read also: How to stop depending on people?

Unbalanced diet. The dog's diet must include all the elements necessary for full life. If the pet does not receive them, having smelled an alluring aroma on the street, he will certainly rush after it.
Avitaminosis. Sometimes, with a full diet, the animal’s body experiences a deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals. This may be a consequence of improper functioning of the immune system, a complication after illness, or taking medications.
Wrong way of feeding. From the moment a puppy arrives in the house, it must have its own comfortable place to eat. He eats from his bowl, the size of which increases as the puppy grows older.

You should not feed your pet from the same bowl as another pet. This provokes the manifestation of the instinct to protect food, which subsequently leads to greed - the animal is ready to collect everything on the street.

Stress. Dogs taken from shelters or picked up on the street are especially susceptible to it. When an animal has experienced hunger, it has a reverent attitude towards food. In this case, it is difficult to retrain the pet.
Lack of attention from the owner. Sometimes the behavior of a dog is similar to the habits of small children - they strive to attract attention to themselves. If the owner does not spend time with the pet, it begins to behave unusually.

Overly spoiled dogs may also pick up food on the street. This behavior is common pampering. Usually in such cases there is no training or education at all, so the owner is to blame for the pet’s habits.

Sleep is the best medicine

If your dog continues to beg for food after his nutritional needs have been met, the next step you need to take is to evaluate the amount of attention you are giving your pet. If possible, try playing with him before your own mealtimes. This will help you burn a couple of extra calories before eating, and your four-legged friend will get a little tired and take a nap while you eat. However, some dogs stubbornly run to the table, despite all the owner’s tricks. With such pets it is necessary to use more effective training methods.

How to stop a dog from begging and stealing from the table?

the most obvious: beggar dogs and thieves are terribly annoying. In the first case, they look into your mouth, preventing you from enjoying your food. Secondly, the fried leg on the table may not wait for you... because the dog will eat it himself;
The food we eat can be salty, bitter, sour and sweet. Hot or very cold. All this is harmful to the dog's body. Normal food for a four-legged friend should be fresh or at room temperature;
a dog can beg for food in unlimited quantities. And this is fraught with obesity. Many breeds are prone to it.

Positive reinforcement

When you teach your dog these helpful commands for the first time, you say “Good job!”, pet him, and offer him a treat. As your dog makes progress, you stop giving treats and reward him only with words. Once your dog has learned to lie down in a certain place, you can use this command whenever he asks for food near the table. If after a few weeks you are still not getting results, you can use a safety fence to “lock” your pet in the desired area while you eat. But remember that this is a last resort and you should continue to train your dog to move away from the table during household meals.

How to stop theft

If the situation worsens and the dog climbs onto the table for food in the absence of the owner, you will have to resort to more severe methods:

The easiest way to stop a dog from stealing food is with general commands - “fu” or “no”. They should be practiced regularly.
Place an object on the edge of the furniture that will make a sharp, loud sound when dropped. Place it so that it falls as soon as the dog starts jumping on the table.
Use Fisher discs to prevent your puppy from climbing into people's dining areas. He associates this sound with a dissatisfied roar and will help if the baby has not yet been trained in basic commands.
Place pieces of food near the table, sprinkling them with pepper. This will help form a negative reaction to food outside the bowl.

Time and sequence

Ignoring your pet's persistent attempts to steal a piece from your plate will not solve the problem. Of course, you need to say “No!” to form good habits, but it is also important to replace the manner of begging for food with a command that the dog must follow at that moment. After you have commanded “No!”, you can say, for example, “Place!” or “Lie down!” These commands require him to leave his seat near the table. The essential point of this type of training is that you do not reward the dog for following these commands. If you encourage her in this situation, she will always come to the table and beg for food before following your command. Practice these commands throughout the day to reinforce good behavior skills.

Teach your dog basic obedience

By teaching your dog basic obedience commands, you can then use these commands to prevent impulsive behavior such as begging.

For example, if your dog always jumps on your lap and asks for food while you're eating, simply tell him to "Sit" and "Ew!" This stops the unpleasant behavior.

If someone accidentally drops food on the ground and your dog tries to get to it, give him the "Foo" command to prevent this behavior.

Why do dogs love to beg for food?

All animals and dogs are no exception, they love food. They sense her scent with their subtle sense of smell and try to get her by all available means. Of course, among dogs, as among people, there are those who have an exquisite taste and will not be happy with a delicacy from the human table. But most pets are not averse to enjoying the treats offered by the owner. Especially if this dish has already been prepared and is on the owner’s plate.

It is believed that the main reason for begging in a dog is hunger or increased appetite. In fact, there are many more reasons why a dog begs for food. It is important to find out why the animal begs for food and only after that, begin training and weaning. The following reasons are identified:

Incorrectly formulated diet. If an animal does not receive the required amount of calories, it may simply experience hunger. In this case, consultation with a veterinarian or a professional breeder is necessary. The specialist will review the diet and advise whether an increase in calories is needed so that the dog does not feel hungry, but does not begin to gain weight.
Problems with discipline. As a rule, pampering a dog begins from a very early age. The puppy is fed by all household members, because this cute creature follows the owner and everyone who lives in the house. Instead of playing with the pet, the person gives the puppy a treat, often from his own table. With age, this becomes a habit, and it becomes extremely difficult to wean a spoiled animal from begging.
Showing curiosity. Dogs, like cats, are quite curious creatures. They become interested in what the owner is doing. And if it also smells delicious, the temptation doubles.
Infection with worms. A dog’s feeling of hunger can occur not only as a result of a calorie deficit in the diet, but also due to helminthiases. A distinctive feature in this case is the lack of weight gain in the dog with increased appetite. Helminths, which inhabit primarily the intestinal tract, feed on all the nutrients that come with food or other food. If the animal has not undergone antiparasitic treatment for a long time, now is the time to do it, after consulting with a veterinarian.
Fear of feeling very hungry. Begging is a hallmark of street dogs. An animal that came into the house from the street or from a shelter, which is basically the same thing, experiences psychological discomfort from being hungry again. Even if there is high-quality and nutritious food, the animal on a subconscious level has a fear of losing all this. Such dogs try to eat for good, in case the food suddenly runs out. The animal absorbs food quickly, often chewing it poorly and then again asks for more. The feeling of satiety in such a dog comes slowly, sometimes very late. After eating its food, the dog sits next to the owner in an attempt to beg for more.
Problems in the functioning of internal organs. Begging and constant increased appetite may be evidence of dangerous pathological processes inside the body. This condition may be evidence of the development of malignant neoplasms, hyperthyroidism or diabetes mellitus.

A veterinarian or animal psychologist can help determine what leads to begging. The fact is that begging for food most often ends with the owner giving in and giving the animal the coveted piece of food. And this, in turn, can cause serious complications. Most foods from the human table are not suitable for a dog's body. The most dangerous foods for dogs are:

Avocado, a recently popular food among people, should absolutely not be given to dogs. The product can cause stool upset and even cause vomiting.
Bones from fish or poultry. This product is strictly prohibited for dogs. Sharp parts of bones lead to damage to the walls of the digestive tract, causing not only internal bleeding, but also intestinal obstruction.
Chocolate or cocoa. This product is rich in theophylline, theobromine and a number of other substances that negatively affect the functioning of the heart and nervous system.
Animal fats. They can cause complications on the pancreas, provoking its inflammation. Therefore, it is not advisable to give your dog fatty meats, especially pork.

If the reason for begging is a violation of discipline, some tips given below can help correct the behavior.

Features of digestion in dogs

All dogs are carnivores. Their stomach is adapted for animal proteins and a very small dose of plant foods. Due to the rather short length of the intestine, all vegetables and fruits that enter it are only partially digested, but are still required by the body to obtain fiber and other useful elements.

The dog's stomach has one interesting feature. It is able to change its size up and down, adapting to the regularity of nutrition. For this reason, veterinarians recommend periodic fasting days for four-legged animals, simulating an unsuccessful hunt in the wild.

INTERESTING!

Picking up on the street and the hunting instinct are inherited by our pets from their ancient ancestors. Wild dogs never abandoned the prey they found even when they were full, knowing that they then risked remaining hungry for several days.

Unlike herbivores, carnivores require 12-15 hours to completely digest food. They feel full longer, but prefer to eat more at one time. The most optimal feeding regimen for such animals is 2 times a day.

Theft is a more serious case. Here you will have to show incredible perseverance

Stop choosing food

This applies to the habit of “vacuuming”. When the dog begins to stretch, give a prohibiting command, distract it and arrange a short training session. Generously encourage obedience, give tasty allowed treats: crackers, cheese, fillet, etc. Ideally, the pet should calmly walk past scattered pieces without control from you.

Do not offer treats from the table

This is one of the main rules. If you continue to reinforce a bad habit, the dog will not get rid of it. Would you like a treat? Do this only after eating. Leave the desired piece in the bowl. Let the pet understand that he will not receive anything until the end of lunch, and wait near his “plate”.

Leave traps

The theft is established without your intervention. The situation is difficult to control. This is the main problem in re-education. The dog understands that the punishment comes from the owner and tries to climb onto the table while no one is looking. You need to fundamentally change the situation.

Place traps: these can be structures made of threads, glasses of water, jars of nuts... Sometimes it is enough to lay out a layer of tape on the table, but usually the temptation is stronger. Do everything to make it unpleasant for your dog to climb on furniture. It is important to leave food, the pet will not react to the table without “tidbits”.

Be careful: your companion may swallow the trap, so you should not leave him unattended. Do not use harsh methods if the dog is too young or sick. The degree of impact must be selected individually. It is recommended not to stuff food with pepper, as the person under your care may burn the mucous membranes or even lose their sense of smell.

Living with a beggar dog is difficult, and weaning from theft is even more difficult. It’s much easier to ignore a puppy dog look one day than to deal with the consequences for a long time. However, even in advanced cases, not all is lost. Good luck!

Source

How to get rid of begging

The solution to the problem of begging does not come overnight; it requires effort and painstaking training. Main rules:

The pet should not be encouraged. Understanding that the animal seeks the owner’s approval in everything will tell you how to wean the dog off the table. Any manifestation of begging should be ignored. The dog will look you in the face, whine, bark, put his paws on the edge of the table, but you need to remain firm and not pay attention to him.
You should not give your puppy anything while you are eating. Before you wean your dog from begging, you need to wean yourself and your family members from giving your pet treats. Everyone must participate in changing the dog's habits, otherwise training will not be successful. This rule especially applies to small children who always like to hand feed animals.
While eating, you cannot communicate with your pet or even mention it in conversation.
You should not look at the dog, as the animal perceives eye contact as encouragement.
When the dog starts to climb onto your lap or towards food, the “place” command is allowed. If this does not help, you need to send him to another room. Living in a private house, you can let the dog out for a walk in the yard while the family is eating. This will deprive the animal of unnecessary temptations.

involvement of the owner’s family in the education process;
avoidance of concessions and exceptions;
ignoring the emerging feeling of guilt;
persistence if change does not come quickly.