Dog Begging Tips: How to Stop a Dog From Begging for Food

Dog begging is unwanted behavior exhibited during a dog owner’s mealtimes. Begging behavior includes whimpering, drooling, barking, nudging a person’s hand or leg, and extended eye contact with a pitiful expression—known as “puppy dog eyes”—that often makes pet owners break down and feed their dog human food at the dinner table.

Excessive amounts of “people food” is bad for your dog’s health and can lead to obesity, and certain types of human food also lead to illnesses and other long-term health problems. However, there are simple ways to stop dog begging and make mealtimes more pleasant for owners and pooches alike.

Dogs beg for several specific reasons. Your dog begs because:

1. 1. It’s effective. Dogs are intelligent animals and repeat activities they know will generate a positive response for them. If giving their owner “sad eyes” or whining gets them table scraps, they will do it repeatedly until discouraged from such behavior.
2. 2. It’s learned behavior. Responding to a dog’s actions, whether it’s bad or good behavior, reinforces it. Rewarding behavior problems with attention gives your dog permission to repeat it whenever food is present.
3. 3. It’s second nature. Begging is dog behavior that harkens back to their earliest history when they existed largely as scavengers rather than domesticated animals. Dogs ate food whenever it was available to store up energy and nutrition for times when it was harder to find. Though scavenging differs from begging, both behaviors stem from the same need.

There are ways to train your dog to stop begging. Follow these tips to prevent begging:

1. 1. Feed your dog. Give your dog its food before you sit down to eat. Feeding your dog while you eat directs its attention away from your meal and to its own food. If possible, give your dog its food in a separate room from your kitchen or dining room to keep them from begging at the dinner table in the first place.
2. 2. Ignore or refocus your dog. Scolding your dog for begging gives them as much attention as giving in to their whimpering. Ignore the begging or give them a new focus for their attention, such as a chew toy; over time, your dog will equate your dinnertime with playtime.
3. 3. Relocate your dog. To discourage begging, direct your dog to lie down in a comfortable spot, such as a dog bed. Teach your dog the basic command to stay in order to keep it in its bed, or put up a baby gate to keep them away from the dinner table.
4. 4. Reward your dog. Positive reinforcement through praise and dog treats helps break down unwanted behavior like begging. Give your dog a tasty morsel—away from the dinner table—and lots of affection when you complete a meal without interruption from begging.

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