Help! My Dog Is Begging at the Dinner Table.

Do you have a dog that loves to beg for food while sitting at the dinner table? This is more common than you could ever imagine. You may be tempted to give your dog food. However, this reinforces the unwanted behavior and can lead to stomach issues and health problems. Instead, you should focus on changing the behaviors. We have included some tips below to help you along the way!

Feed Your Dog First – It’s time for dinner, and you are ready to sit down to enjoy your meal. Before doing this, you should feed your dog in a separate room. Eating in a space away from the dining area will help prevent begging behaviors. Furthermore, feeding your dog before you eat will hopefully fulfill their appetite, making them less likely to beg for more food (we understand this may not always be the case, though!).

Send Your Dog to a Comfortable Spot – The best way to get your dog to stop begging is to send it to a comfortable spot away from the dining area.

Ignore and Redirect – Do not give in to your dog when they beg for food! This is the worst thing you could do. Giving into your dog teaches them that if they ask for food, you will give it to them. A recommendation we have is to ignore the behavior altogether. Ignoring the behavior will force your dog to realize its efforts are no good.

Reward Your Dog – It is best to reward well-behaved dogs who do not beg for food. We advise you not to give your dog treats at the table, encouraging begging. Instead, get up from the table and give your dog a treat away from the dining area.

We hope you implement our tips to prevent your dog from begging for food at the dinner table. Blocking access to the table is another idea that you can try. You may also provide an alternative activity to your dog so they can occupy their time elsewhere. Consider a puzzle that is filled with tasty treats. This may do the trick!