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How to unlearn your dog to ask for food

If you give your dog food from the table at least once, you can be sure that he will remember it. Very important in this matter is your consistency so as not to break in front of the dog’s pleading gaze. If your dog gets his meals at a regular time, he will get used to the fact that he does not get extra food in the meantime.

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What will you learn from this article:

  • the dog can force food because he is greedy, but also because he is very hungry
  • once you give your dog food from the table, he will remember it
  • feeding your dog at a certain time helps to control his approach to eating

The dog asks for food persistently

Food is a huge weakness for my pet. I think I can honestly call him a real glutton. Whenever it’s time to eat, he waits politely at his bowl, jiggling his paws nervously.

Although my pooch gets as much food as he needs, he also receives his favourite flavours from me, it does not mean that he passes by indifferently to my food. Even he is well fed, he still looks pleadingly at my plate.

It took me a long time to unlearn him to force food from me. It used to be a very big problem. Attempting to eat anything in the company of my dog ended up with constant requests from him, for at least a small piece of what I have on my plate.

Fortunately, today it is completely different. My pooch knows he has his own delicious food and what I eat is not suitable for him.

Why do dogs beg for food

What makes your pooch unable to pass by your plate indifferently? There may be several reasons for this behaviour. Do you have any suspicions as to why your little dog is acting this way? Write me your guess in the comment box below and read ahead:

– the dog is a glutton

The most obvious and at the same time the most common reason a dog asks for food from the guardian’s table is that he is a typical glutton. He loves to eat and cannot pass by someone who is eating at the moment. After all, there is a chance that someone will want to share with him.

For the dog gourmand, the fact that he has just eaten his entire meal is no obstacle to beg for food whenever the opportunity presents itself. Unfortunately, if you succumb to your pet’s charm in such situations, it can have very bad consequences for his health.

Obesity in a dog is a serious problem that cannot be underestimated. Therefore, if you think that your four-legged friend may be overweight, I refer you to the entry fully devoted to this topic.

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– dog boredom

For a bored pooch, eating can be a form of spending free time. Even if he is not hungry at all, he may ask for food in order to keep himself occupied.

A pooch’s mind works in many ways similar to ours. I admit that sometimes I also reach for a packet of chips while sitting in front of the TV. Even if I don’t feel like eating, I have a need to do something while watching. Your pooch pushing for food may do likewise.

Therefore, if your four-legged friend asks you for the road food, even though you know that he is definitely full, think if it is not due to his boredom. Perhaps you don’t spend as much time with him as he needs to.

– the dog remembers difficult experiences from the past

Dogs are very memorable animals. Especially when it comes to past events that were accompanied by very strong emotions, both positive and negative.

In the case of dogs whose past was not easy, in many situations, they will not be able to get rid of their old habits in their everyday life. Even though they now live with their loving family.

Unfortunately, there are dogs that had to fight for food. Whether they would be able to squeeze through the crowd of other quadrupeds and reach for food depended on whether they would be hungry. Such situations can remain in the pooch’s memory for the rest of his life.

A dog may want to eat because of the memory of what he has once experienced. He tries to get food in advance, unable to fully understand that he does not need it.

– insufficient amount of food

The reason your dog is asking you for food may be more prosaic than you think. Your pooch might just be hungry. Consider whether the amount of food you give him is as caloric as he needs.

If the pooch is in the phase of intensive growth, his need for food may be temporarily greater than you think. If you’re unsure as to whether your pooch’s menu is okay, don’t hesitate to ask your vet for advice.

I also encourage you to read my article on what a dog should eat to stay healthy. You can find it on this blog as well.

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Why the dog don’t want to eat his food

The pooch’s hunger may also be because he does not eat all the meals you give him. Make sure his bowl is always empty after eating. If not, it may be a consequence of several factors.

Perhaps the food you give your little dog just doesn’t suit him. Quadrupeds have their own taste preferences. They will not consider all types of food palatable.

The doggy may not eat all of his meals due to a food allergy. It is possible that the food you give your dog contains ingredients that trigger an allergic reaction in the dog. As a result, the pooch feels discomfort while eating and is, therefore, unable to eat his entire meal.

How to unlearn your dog to ask for human food

There are several ways to unlearn your dog from forcing food. It all depends on what the behaviour of your four-legged friend comes from. Not every method will be effective in all cases.

– do not give your dog food from the table

I can confidently say that the most important rule is not to feed your pooch while you are eating something at the table yourself. If you share food from your plate with your pooch, you can be sure that your pet will remember it.

The next time you sit down at the table to eat your meal, your pooch will again expect you to share something with him. This is perfectly normal behaviour for the pooch. He is unaware that this situation may have been occasional.

There was a feeling in his mind that if he waited a long time at the table, he would get food from you. Therefore, the first rule is not to create such situations.

It will be much more difficult for you to teach your pooch not to ask for food, once his behaviour has proven successful. Dogs do not like inconsistency, especially in the behaviour of their owners. If you agree to something once and then not, your pet has a right to be confused.

– give your dog food at a fixed time

Our pets love the routine and the agreed day plan. This also applies to regular times when meals are served. A very important matter is teaching him that he is getting meals at a specific time of the day. In the meantime, he doesn’t get any extra treats.

I know it can be hard not to give your dog his favourite treats in between meals, but if your pet is having trouble with forcing food from you then this is a key factor. Let the delicacies be something the pooch receives occasionally, e.g. while learning new skills.

If the pooch gets used to the fixed hours of meals and understands that there is no point to wait for extra bites from your plate in between, he will stop acting that way.

– do not lock the dog in another room while you eating

One of the worst things you can do is to lock your pooch in a different room while you are eating. This will be counterproductive. The doggy will be very nervous about this situation. It will be even more interesting for him to see what is going on at the table and who is eating.

Therefore, it is a bad idea to isolate your dog in such a situation.

The dog asks for food from the table

I realize how difficult it is to say no to your pet’s pleading eyes. Unfortunately, the basis for unlearning him from asking for food is your consistent action. Any deviation will start the learning process all over again.

Your pooch asks for food from the table or he isn’t interested in his meals at all? Share your experience with me in comment section.

If you have any questions for me, want me to bring up a topic in the next post, be sure to drop it in comment box – I will try to write about it soonest!

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