What to do when a dog bandit forces food from us?

A gourmand rascal, glutton, always hungry, unsatisfied or bored?

Demanding food is a behavior of the members of the dog gang that we don’t like. It’s worth knowing, however, that your dog has not come up with it on its own. If the dog begs for food when we’re eating, it means somebody has taught this to him or her. Making this mistake will have its consequences, as unlearning it is difficult and time-consuming. But not impossible. Animals resemble humans in many respects. We can often observe and many dog owners will confirm that our pet takes over our behaviors and starts acting in a similar way to us, the caretakers. It is all due to the fact that dogs are smart and learn very fast, acquire certain habits and start acting in a drilled manner.

Dogs are spontaneous and active animals, and attention- and love-seekers.

They can force food because they are hungry, bored, cannot relax, need impulses, like interactions with a human being and thus they seek contact and your attention, or they don’t have enough activity and trainings of various kinds.

What to avoid:

• Inconsistency – it is especially important not to teach bad patterns starting from a very young age. Even giving a small snack from the table, seemingly harmless, can end up with an adult dog regularly begging for food. It would also have a long-term consequences – teaching a dog to take food from people, including strangers.

• Don’t give your dog human food, it can be harmful.. The dog should get accustomed only to dog food. This is the only way to ensure you provide a proper amount of nutrients in right proportions.

• Don’t overfeed your pet: obesity in animals can lead to serious health conditions. An adult dog should eat once or twice a day and can’t have constant access to food. It is the caretaker who sets eating time and it is vital not to forget it and remember about regularity. It is important to buy the highest quality food made of ingredients that satisfy the dog’s needs of nutrients and are at the same time calorically balanced.

• Don’t feed your pet between the set feeding times during the day – this is one of the reasons of begging for food.

• Don’t shout or hit, don’t use violence under any circumstances – the dog will become afraid of you instead of unlearning an unwanted behavior. The dog will not understand that it has done something wrong, it is not the case, and any violence towards your family member will backfire.

Bear in mind that a well composed diet should satisfy all nutritional needs of your dog. If you see that your dog regularly sneaks food out of the table, kitchen or a hand, check if its basic diet, i.e. everything that your pet gets during the day, is sufficient. It is probable that your dog forces and sneaks simply because it is hungry, the food portions are too small and don’t have enough calories.

The essential part is to introduce and a settle steady feeding time as a rule in your household. Your pet will get used to getting food on a set time and in one and only place at home. Specialist literature says a dog should eat at a different time than people, but in case of a begging pet you can act otherwise. Try to combine the time of your meal with the feeding time of your dog, but make sure that your pet’s bowl contains something yummy – your dog will give you a rest and will be preoccupied with pleasant consumption.

If you doit, you should stop dropping leftovers from the table, giving your dog pieces of meat or human tasty snacks. Another, less pleasant method can be giving a begging dog a slice of lemon or other sour fruit.

Bear in mind that only patience, consistency and regularity will make it possible to overcome bad habits in your dog.

Here is a little warning – if you give in even once and give something delicious from the table or a fridge, your dog will continuously beg for food. They are smart and intelligent animals, just as their caretakers????

A dog begging for food is also a caretaker’s problem that can be difficult to deal with. How about a training? Try to introduce short commands, such as “stay”. Then before a meal, you can pass your dog the command “stay”, which should result in their remaining on their bed, or in a different – and separate – room. A training like this one, when repeated and used often, should be remembered permanently by your pet, as every methodic activity reinforces behaviors and habits.

When talking about training, it is worth remembering an essential issue, which is the importance of a great deal of physical activity in the open air: a dog who has not been active is constantly agitated and prone to play a prank, banter and force playing, your time and obviously food.

Yet another way to handle begging is stoic calm.

what kind of a diet for a dog Ignoring the begging is the most difficult way of stopping your dog’s gluttony. When your pet shows up next time and begs with an imploring look for a snack, don’t hang in! The owner must then show their self-assertion and stay adamant and resilient to barking, fawning or hooking. Consistent ignoring these behaviors will have positive results – the dog will get bored with begging. It will be easier with dogs who have mastered the command “leave it.”

If your dog begs, simply don’t pay attention even when it barks loudly, howls or jowls; don’t give up and be tough. Wait until it gets tired, composes itself and relaxes – get yourself preoccupied with something else, don’t look your pet in the eye, and don’t pay attention to it on purpose.

If a family member or a friend is surprised by this, tell them about the situation, explain the circumstances and say that you are trying to wean the dog off begging for food. They will surely understand. You know that the lesson and your consistency will pay off, the dog will make some noise but nothing wrong is happening to it.

The dog has very sensitive smell as well as sight, so try not to irritate it and don’t leave candy, meat or sausages in its sight, bearing in mind how tastefully they smell for the dog and that the smell is much more prominent for the dog than for humans. It would be a good idea to keep the dog away from the table during family meals or when there are visitors, redirect the dog’s attention to a play in another room or outdoors. It is good to have e.g. a bone close at hand and activities for the table quarantine time.

If everyone within a household or your guests gets involved and supports you, the progress will come soon. It is essential to keep your behavior self-assertive and consistent, only this kind of breeding will make the dog remember for good not to beg for food or even smallest additional portions.

It is not about denying your dog anything, but about your dog being disciplined, having healthy habits, developing well, and feeling well in your company and about you feeling well in its company.