What To Do If The Dog Asks For Food At The Table?

It is very strange not to see a dog ask for food at the table while we are eating. It seems to be something innate to them, an uncontrollable gluttony that leads them to continually disturb us, resting their snouts or putting their two paws on our knees. Well, is it possible to eradicate this innate habit?

Why does the dog ask for food at the table?

Seeing your dog walking around the table while you are eating is not exactly the best, especially if you have guests. This attitude could make you think that you are not feeding the dog or that he is hungry even if, as we know, this is not the case at all. In our articles we have often told you that the ancestors of the dog, the wolves, are responsible for some of their attitudes, and this is one of them: gluttony.

Dogs would never refuse food even if they were very full. Because? Simple, their ancestors, the wolves, lived immersed in nature and had to hunt for food and, on many occasions, had difficulty in obtaining food. For this reason they ate as much as they could when they had the chance, because the situation could be very different the following day.

For the same reason, the survival instinct, the law of the fittest, developed enormously: I eat and I don’t care if others are hungry. For this reason,  when your dog asks for food at the table, he doesn’t really care if you are hungry and if what you are about to bring to your mouth is your last bite, he just wants it. Well, although this is a hereditary habit, it can be improved and, as always, in our article, we will tell you how.

What to do if the dog asks for food at the table?

• Don’t give it to him. It is possible that your dog will ask for food at the table because you, or some other member of the family, on some occasion have satisfied him with a piece of bread, meat or ham. Therefore, the first thing to do in these cases is to give him absolutely nothing.
• Try to make it stay in its place. Do not pamper him even if you have already made a point of not giving him your food. Do not allow the dog to sit around the table while you are eating or it will only be a matter of time before he starts asking for food again. Make him stay in his place if it is already an order he is used to obeying. If he still doesn’t know what “In your place” means, take him there yourself, and let him know that he must stay there as long as you want.

• Do not feed the dog before your lunch. If you do, the dog may ignore his meal and ask for food at the table.

How to prevent your dog from asking for food at the table

If your dog asks for food at the table and it is already an ingrained habit, it may be much more difficult to teach him not to do it again. However, by following the tips listed above, you can still do it. If your dog is a puppy, this is certainly the best time to teach him not to ask for food at the table while you eat.

Get him used from an early age not to go around the table begging for food. When it does, in fact, we are the first to not feel at ease, and obviously we do not put our guests at ease. All dogs need a pack leader, so you need to let your dog know who is the leader of the house. For this reason, your dog will never have to eat before you, but always after.  

Have your pet stay in its kennel while you eat and only feed it when you are done. The first few times you will probably have to take him to his kennel yourself, but little by little the dog will learn. Never lock it in a room or on the terrace, as it is an extremely cruel act, which could traumatize the animal.

If he obeys your orders, say nice words to him and show him that you are proud of him and that he is a good and obedient dog. Sometimes reward him with something special (but only ever after you’ve finished your meal). This will make it easier for him to obey you next time.