You Can Fix Your Dog’s Begging Before Thanksgiving
Most people who have dogs understand that feeding your puppy food from your own plate—whether from your seat on the couch or at the dinner table—is not a good idea. They also know that the more they do it, the more they encourage their dog’s begging.
Knowing is one thing. Confronting your dog’s pleading eyes is another thing entirely. But if you’re having Thanksgiving this year, you probably don’t want your dog trying to manipulate your guests into giving them pieces of meat or pieces of pie crust.
While all dogs are different and respond to training differently, there are steps you can take now to curb their habit of begging (or at least trying) before Thanksgiving. Here’s what you need to know.
How to train your dog to stop begging
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), training a puppy is one thing, but breaking the habit of begging will require repeated training. Here are some of their tips:
- Practice ignoring your dog during small meals like breakfast and lunch.
- Do not acknowledge or react to your dog (positively or negatively) while you are at the table.
- If your dog handles food without begging, encourage positive behavior after the meal is over.
- Give your dog something he likes and will grab his attention while eating, like an interactive toy or a bully stick (aka bull penis).
- If your dog understands basic commands such as “sit”, “stay”, and “leave her”, use them during meals to keep your dog away from the table and as far away as he may ask.
AKC experts warn that your dog’s begging may get worse before it gets better, noting, “When a trick works for dogs and suddenly stops, they actually try harder before eventually giving up.” According to the AKC, the key to successfully training your dog is to keep up with it—even through potential difficulties—because they will learn (eventually).