[closdubois]

So I had decided, both in an effort to minimize begging and for general health, to not give my dog human food. When I first got him, he seemed to be ok with it. He stared at my food while I ate for a little while and then he would sit or lay down beside me and ignore it. But over the last few days he's gotten more 'beggy'. He'll whine and gets closer and closer to my plate. FYI, this only happens when I eat in front of the tv, so my food is on a lower table in front of the couch.

Last night I had ordered a pizza. He was especially antsy and kept going around to my plate and then to my sister's plate and getting closer and closer. I would say 'ah!' or 'no!' when he got too close, and a few times I used my leg to push him away. Well finally, he got close and he opened his mouth and got close enough to put his teeth on the crust of my slice of pizza. I said "No!" and I got up abruptly. I said "NO" and then "Ok you're going outside." I wasn't yelling but I had a louder voice than my usual soft voice. I tried to guide him outside but he wouldn't budge of course, so I picked him up and carried him outside. I left him outside until I finished eating. Then I let him back in. He doesn't usually spend any time alone in the backyard because I have to watch him to make sure he doesn't crawl under the house and go out the front into the street, so I think he knew being outside was a punishment? He stayed on the steps of the doorway the entire time and I heard him jumping and scratching at the door a couple of times.

Anyway, what other ways can I train him to not try to swipe my food? Does the spray bottle to the face thing work?

PS. I had a fight with my ex about it because she said I was being too harsh not giving him any human food. Should I give him stuff from time to time? I don't want him to get used to it because he already isn't too keen on his dog food, and I fear he'll only want to eat other stuff. The ex mentioned cracking a raw egg over the dry food from time to time.

 

[RedGermanPinscher]

Do you have a crate?? If so, My suggestion would be rather than putting him outside while you are eating maybe put him in his crate with a treat filled Kong (something of high value), such as cheese, peanut butter, hotdogs. And whenever you sit down to eat (and only when you sit to eat) give him the Kong. Or Gate him off in the kitchen or where ever you feed him and make your dinnertime his as well. Yes, you can use egg, cottage cheese or olive oil as a topper to his food if you'd like.

 

[Willowy]

If you don't want him to beg, but do want to give him "human food", only give it in his bowl. If you feed him from the table even once, you'll never eat in peace again.


I agree you should put him in another room or train him to stay on his mat/bed/etc. during meals. Letting him hover and then punishing him for giving in to temptation isn't going to teach him anything.

 

[Amaryllis]

I trained Kabota that quietly waiting dogs get tidbits, but I don't mind being watched (and drooled at) while I eat. I started by requiring a sit, then a sit and waiting for 5 seconds, then 10 seconds, then 15 seconds, etc. Now, he'll wait the entire time I eat for a little bit at the end. Sometimes I surprise him with a tidbit in the middle, too. I did have to devote a week's worth of meals to training.

If you don't want to do that, I third crating or gating him while you eat. It's not nice to tempt somebody and then blame them for falling to it.

 

[Pawzk9]

If you don't want him to beg, but do want to give him "human food", only give it in his bowl. If you feed him from the table even once, you'll never eat in peace again.
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Or use it for training treats. Dogs don't know what is human food and what is not human food. The key is to not reinforce begging. I would teach "leave it" (you should be able to find several threads here which talk about that) or teach him a different place to be while you eat. Or both.

 

[InkedMarie]

I don't even know why but I've never given alot of people food, if you mean snack type of foods. Ours Ger bones, pumpkin, berries, yogurt, that kind of thing.

 

[closdubois]

thank you for the advice. i think i will put him in a different room from now on while I eat.

 

[hanksimon]

1. Do Not Ever Feed Your Dog From Your Plate While You Are Eating.
2. I think that most dogs won't beg, unless they learn how So I think that your Ex used to give the dog scraps... and that's why he begs.
3. I think that what you did was correct. Removing attention is automatic punishment. It only take 30 seconds to a minute. And the advantage of the short time is that you can 'reinforce' that begging is no longer allowed, so that he learned to stop begging.
4. However, let me agree with Willowy. Don't punish after giving him a treat, or even if he gets close. "Reprimand" once like you did if he stares or whines, and take him outside for a minute or less if he does it a second time or if he ever tries to sniff.
5. Make sure that everyone follows this.

I never fed my pup people food, so he may smell the air, but nothing more, and won't leap after food that falls on the floor. If I want to feed him a carrot or bean or piece of broccoli etc., it is clearly separate from what I'm eating or preparing. However, one day a was talking with a friend while eating half a sandwich. I was waving the sandwich as I talked. Then I relaxed, letting my hand fall to waist level, falling at eye level for my dog, tempting beyond control. As I continued talking, my friend watched my dog walk up behind me, put his teeth on my sandwich, and very gently pull it out of my hand, then lie down and eat it. The friend had a great laugh, and all I could do is laugh, too. The dog didn't really do anything wrong, because that's how I give him treats. He didn't grab and he didn't nip. He just gently pulled it out of my hand... so no punishment.