Human tastes differ from one person to the next, but dogs aren’t as picky. A dog will eat anything and everything that is offered. When it’s just the family at the table, this is not a problem. Food intake can be kept an eye on. When dinner guests are present, it’s a whole other ball game. Dogs begging behavior can be an embarrassment. The logical step is to teach your dog not to beg!
The initial step is basic: do not start the bad habit of begging in the first place.
In the dog world, there is a hierarchy. The alpha dog is top notch and all other dogs follow along as the beta dogs. With eating, the alpha dog goes first. Then, if the alpha dog permits, the beta dogs eat. Alpha dogs will deny permission to eat by snarling, growling or snapping at dogs.
Acting as the alpha dog in your house will set this tone. As the alpha, you will be in control of the food access. Giving in too easy signals to the dog you are not a strong alpha. The dog will simply take over and start begging. Do not encourage this.
Consistency is next. Do not allow the dog to beg some times and then deny at others. A dog can not comprehend the difference. Frustration will creep in as you have to constantly redirect the dog’s behaviors.
Natural instinct is for dogs to follow smell. When food smells fill the air, dogs know food is not far behind. Allowing the dog to act on this instinct will turn a pleasurable experience for them into an undesired habit for you.
There is no nutritional value in people food for dogs. Traditional dog food is a perfect mix of fat, protein and other food categories. This gives dogs a balanced diet and can not be duplicated with people food table scraps.
Train a dog not to beg in much the same way as any other training: voice commands. Simple commands such as “go”, “sit” and “stay” work in begging training as well. Resist the urge to reward good behavior with a treat. This will go against everything you are working to teach your dog.
If voice commands prove ineffective, try leash training. For leash training at the dinner table, there will be some ingenuity on your part. Wrap the leash around a table leg, empty chair or sturdy pole in the room. Gently tug the leash towards you. As you do, it will pull the dog away on the other end. Be careful to remain gently in nature. Harsh tugs could lead to neck injuries on the dog.
Make the training a family affair by enlisting the help of other family members. Once seated at the table, you can begin to eat. When the dog makes a move for your plate, give a voice command. The other person simply tugs at the leash. After a few tries, the dog will associate the voice command with physical reaction.
Patience and persistence is the key to success here. After awhile, your dog will get the clues that begging from the table does not bring the rewards it use to. Life in the wild may be better, but training is easier at home.
Article By Andrew Strachan. Find out more about how to stop your dog begging and lots more dog behavior training advice at http://www.types-of-dogs.com/training/
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