You sit down to a nice meal only to find that your canine friend thinks it’s also mealtime for him. He is determined to have a share of your oh-so-good-smelling food as well. He either scratches at your leg, barks or whines depending on his size and personality. It’s annoying but oh so tempting to give in to his wishes. After all, he is SOOO cute! I know, I’ve been there – those huge, sad eyes can melt your heart into a pool of butter. Besides – what’s wrong with just one bit of that gorgeous steak or ham or chicken that he would love so much? You hold out for awhile but soon the hand slips below the table with the delicious morsel. Unfortunately, that was the end of your peaceful meal. Gulp, gulp and soon the begging starts all over again. Sound familiar? Here are 4 tips to try to break that bad begging habit.
1. Remember that we are part of the problem too. No matter how skillful your dog is at manipulating you, eating table scraps is not a good thing for your favorite pet. A dog who is well-fed doesn’t need human food and in fact, it may contribute to canine obesity. By feeding your dog from the table as well as from his own bowl, he may be getting too much food. This can quickly pack on the pounds since what we eat often contains more fat than what he would get from his own food mixture. Resist the urge to slip him extra food or he will confuse your meal time for his and will continue to engage in begging.
2. The easiest way to stop begging behavior is to feed your pet first. Then put him outside or in another room during human meal times. While he may protest with barking, after a while he will get used to the routine and accept the fact that he has his own meal times.
3. If you want to keep your pet in the room while you dine, try spraying him with a blast of cool water from a spray bottle when he begins begging. Firmly tell him “No!” at the same time and pretty soon, he will tire of bothering you at meal time.
4. Take your dog to obedience school where he will learn commands like “sit,” “stay” and “down.” When he begins to beg, use the commands he has learned to tell him what it is that you want him to do.
By practicing consistently with your dog, you will soon have him understanding what it is you expect of him. When this happens, mealtimes can indeed be enjoyable times for everyone in the family.
