How to stop a dog from stealing food from the table

Continuing with the topic of pet training, in this article we will discuss how to prevent your puppy from developing a bad habit and how to wean your dog off stealing food from the table if the problem already exists.

Formation of unwanted behavior

So, you have a cute little bundle of joy in your home who is constantly hungry and learns to beg for treats much faster than he can follow any other commands.

Important! Feeding your dog tasty treats from the table is a sure first step toward training undesirable behavior.

Like any growing organism, a young puppy often wants to eat long before feeding time. Moreover, any junk "human" food is much more palatable to them than dry food or porridge with meat (without salt or spices).

So, by satisfying your need for a dose of cuteness and rewarding your baby with a treat every time he asks for something, you are creating a whole host of serious problems for yourself in the future:

1. Behavioral problemsThe puppy will quickly learn that the treats it's interested in are almost always located just above its level. Once you've shown it the target, you won't have to wonder why it's stealing food from the table.
2. Poor appetiteYour pet will definitely refuse commercial food, expecting a less nutritious but much tastier treat.
3. Gastrointestinal problemsHuman food containing large amounts of salt, spices, and preservatives has an extremely negative impact on the functioning of a dog's gastrointestinal tract.
4. Excess weightIf an animal receives a basic ration + a treat during training + treats from the owner's table, obesity is simply guaranteed.
5. DisobedienceIf you constantly tell your dog it's not allowed to do something, but then you "break down" and allow it to take your food (and it doesn't really matter whether it's handed to you or climbs onto your plate and grabs it), the animal doesn't develop a consistent expectation. Moreover, it develops the mindset that prohibitions can be broken.

So, here is a list of actions that over time form undesirable behavior, which is often aggravated by stealing from the table while the owners are away (or even in their presence):

• feeding at the table;
• allowing the animal to be in the owner’s arms or nearby during meals;
• lack of reaction from the owner when trying to take something from the table;
• the absence of prohibitions that limit the dog in its desires.

How to stop begging

As soon as you notice your dog is interested in what's on your plate (or table), don't wait until the problem escalates to the point of your dog stealing from the table. Dog trainers recommend training your puppy to prevent this unwanted habit from developing in the first place.

How to stop begging?

1. Don't feed your dog from the table!
2. Don't encourage her to beg for a tasty treat. Main food should be given in a bowl, and any treats should only be given from your hand during training sessions for correctly following a command (not at the table!).
3. Don't allow anyone to sit next to you while you eat and look at you with pitying eyes or demand food.
4. Never leave food on the table.
5. Introduce prohibitive commands and take your pet through a special training course aimed at dog's refusal to beg.

An experienced dog trainer explains in detail how to stop a dog from begging in this video:

How to stop a dog from stealing from the table

If time has passed and your pet has already developed the habit of taking food from the table, it will take much more time and effort to correct the situation. Remember that correcting an animal's behavior is much more difficult than initially training it to follow the rules.

You can find a multitude of different tips online on how to stop a dog from stealing food from the table, but any dog ​​trainer will tell you that "distraction" and "scare" approaches only work temporarily and don't solve the root problem. Your goal isn't to divert your dog's attention, but to clearly and unequivocally show it that taking food from the table is never, under any circumstances.

Please note that the basic requirements are aimed not so much at training the dog, but at correcting the owner's behavior:

1. Don't feed your pet from the table!
2. Analyze your pet's diet; it should fully satisfy its physiological needs.
3. Don't leave food on the table! Don't provoke the dog!
4. Limit your dog's access to the kitchen while you are away.
5. Don't scold your dog if it ate something, but you didn't catch it red-handed.

Remember that even when your dog learns not to climb on the table in front of you, if left alone, it will definitely check out what tasty food is in the treasured forbidden place.

Now let's talk about how to stop your dog from taking food from the table. The steps are quite simple.

1. Prohibitory command! The dog must clearly understand the meaning of the word "No".
2. Preventive banThe "No" command is given when the dog is just beginning to think about checking out what's on the table (it's looking thoughtfully at the table, about to jump on a chair, etc.)
3. We scold at the moment of the crimeNot only is it permissible to scold, but it's also necessary if you catch your pet breaking a rule. We discussed exactly how to scold a dog in the relevant article.

Of course, this method for stopping your dog from stealing will require persistence, firmness, and patience. Moreover, dogs that have had problems with stealing from the table before tend to remember past misdeeds, so you should never relax the rules described above.

For more information on how to stop your dog from stealing and keep it away from the table, watch this video:

Read also:

• How to train a dog to sleep at night
• How to stop a dog from sleeping on the bed
• How to stop a dog from chewing shoes