It is not uncommon for dogs to beg at the dinner table, or whenever they see you eating. Begging is a common behavior problem that many dog owners face. The great news is that a begging dog is relatively simple to train.
Here are a few helpful tips to train your dog.
No feeding from the table.
🐾 If you do not want your pup to beg at the table, the first step is to avoid feeding her from the table, so she learns that she never gets anything in that context. It is essential that everyone in the family is consistent. Otherwise, your puppy will not learn that it is not acceptable to be begging.
Control your pup’s access.
🐾 Control your dog’s access by using a baby gate to confine your dog to a specific area. To help your dog associate this time with a positive reward, give your dog an interactive toy to keep him occupied.
🐾 Place your dog in her crate. At home, we taught Emma to go to her crate while we eat dinner. Now, she goes on her own.
🐾 You can teach your dog to stay on a mat or bed during dinner time. Always reward your dog with a treat for staying put.
Keep your dog occupied with an interactive toy.
🐾 Puzzle toys not only keep your dog busy and distracted, but also help your dog associate the crate with a positive experience. Emma’s favorite toy is the Classic Kong Toy. Please take a look at our post on KONG toys for ideas.
Based on my experience, dogs can be easily trained. Most of the time, it is harder to teach humans to stop feeding their dogs. It can be hard not to give in once in a while and give a little nibble from your food. Be strong and remember that the key to successfully training your pup is to be persistent and patient.
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