How to Stop a Dog From Begging For Food

Dogs will eat just about anything and everything if they can. A dog that sits at your feet whining, barking, and scratching at your chair will interrupt your peaceful meal and create a stressful situation. Learn how to stop your dog from begging for food with our helpful tips and tricks.

Why is Your Dog Begging?

One of the first things to explore is your dog’s psychology and understanding why it is engaging in the inappropriate behavior of begging. Somewhere along your dog’s journey, it learned to request food at any given time. It is a good idea to ask questions that can lead you to the start of your canine’s habit.

• Have I fed my dog today?

• Do other family members feed our dog table scraps?

• Is my dog sick?

• How did my dog learn to beg for food? Did I allow the habit to start, or did it begin at a previous home the dog lived at before adoption?

There are many reasons why your dog is begging at the table, and sometimes it is easy to pinpoint the cause. Once you know the reason, you can start working with your canine to change the behaviors or consult a vet if you think your furry friend is sick.

8 Ways to Break Your Dog’s Begging Habit

1. No Dog in the Food Areas

When looking for how to stop your dog from begging for table food, an easy fix is to keep your dog out of the area by using a gate, crate, or leash. Your dog may not like this at first and whine from the other room, but eventually, it will learn that eating time is for you and not the dog to sit and beg. 

Remove your dog from the room before preparing or placing your food on the table, and allow your dog back in after you put the food away. Your dog will realize it is not missing out when it can’t come into contact with any food.

2. Rewards

Dog psychology shows that understanding the value of rewards during canine training is key to good manners. Training your dog to stop begging for food does not have to be something that leaves your dog sad and feeling unloved. Give your dog praises, extra pats, or a treat at the end of the meal when it does a good job staying an appropriate distance from the table.

3. Feed Your Dog

A dog with a full stomach will be less likely to come looking for more food. Give your dog dinner before you put your supper on the table. Your dog will enjoy its food and learn how to avoid the desire to beg for your meal when it has a satisfied tummy.

4. Ignore Your Dog

Another method for learning how to stop your dog from begging for food is using the silent treatment. When your dog sits at your feet whining and looking at you with those sad puppy dog eyes, the best thing you can do is completely ignore your dog and remove all eye or voice contact. Your dog won’t like this and may start pawing at you or barking, but it will soon realize that you will not feed it just because those eyes are trying to send you loud messages.

5. Say “No”

There comes a point when learning how to stop a dog from begging for food simply means you stick to the plan and say, “No.” Even when your adorable puppy looks up at you and slowly blinks, you must hold your ground and not succumb to the temptation of passing along a piece of ham. You will only continue down the same road of your dog asking for food and whining if you don’t say “No,” and mean it.

6. Dog’s Place

Give your dog a special place to sit and lay down during mealtime. Your dog will be eager to come to sit by your side, but if you train your dog to know how to stay on its pillow during meals, it will stop begging for your food. Give your dog a chew toy or bone while it is in its quiet place and you are eating to help keep your dog's attention. You can also take your dog for a long walk before dinner so that it is worn out and naps while you’re eating.

7. Training

Dogs desire to please their owners. Understanding the psychology behind a dog’s natural instinct of obedience shows how essential training is to a dog’s life and behaviors. Most of the time, teaching your dog how to stop begging for food will come down to training. Teaching your dog commands like “leave it,” “no,” or “put it down” will help your dog understand that begging is unwanted behavior. Rewarding your dog when it obeys the commands will engage its brain in positive reinforcement, and it will desire to repeat the behavior.

8. Be Patient and Consistent

Training takes time and routine. Be patient as you redirect your dog’s habit of begging. Just like it took a few days for your dog to learn that food would come if begged for initially, it will take time for the puppy to realize that it is no longer allowed to have extra food.

Ensure everyone in your home knows how to stop your dog from begging for food with consistent training, communication, and follow-up. Every time you sit down to eat or are standing at the counter eating, remember to hold firm to your training practices and keep the routine going so your dog learns quicker and more effectively.

True Canine Can Train Your Dog

True Canine trains dogs of all sizes, breeds, and behavior issues. We can help you understand your dog’s psychology and communicate appropriately to redirect behaviors and modify your dog’s eating habits. Training a dog to stop begging for food is one of our training program goals. Call our specialists today to find out about training programs.