How to Stop Your Dog From Begging

It’s dinner time and your family sits down to enjoy your meal, and your dog sits by your side all doe-eyed and sweet, just waiting to be given a morsel of whatever you’re having. It’s cute at first. But it happens all the time, even when you have guests over. How can you put an end to this annoying behavior?

Don’t start it

The obvious answer is, don’t start it. Never feed your dog from the table. It’s a bad habit to get into, and it doesn’t do your dog any good.  Your dog gets fed enough, and if you start feeding him from the table it will be twice as hard to stop for both you and your dog.

Give your dog something else to do

You can also give your dog something else to do. Create a cushy place for him to be while you are eating and give him his own bone to chew on. If he comes to the table, lead him back to the cushy spot. Do this enough times, and with complete intent, and you will find repetition does work—eventually.

Crate training

If your dog is used to a crate, mealtime is a good time to get in the habit of crating him. Put a chew toy in the crate so he knows this isn’t punishment. You may hear some adorable whimpering, but you should pay no attention to it. In time he will settle down and get the idea.

Use a baby gate

If nothing else seems to work, get one of those baby gates and just section him off from the dining room. If he can’t get in, he can’t beg. And in time he will get used to it.

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