Knowing how to train a dog not to eat off the table can be quite challenging at first. If you are fortunate, you already have a dog that rarely bothers about what you eat or what he eats. Unfortunately, most dog owners don’t have this luxury.
Many dogs are easily motivated by food as a reward. They quickly learn that when they bark when called, they’ll receive a treat, and when they beg they’ll get a piece of dry dog food off the kitchen table. While some dogs just like food, other dogs can become overly aggressive, causing problems in many social settings. Understanding how to train a dog not to eat food off the table, and how to break these habits, can make all the difference in your dog’s life.
One of the dog training tips on food etiquette that is especially important is that owners feed their dogs only after they’ve eaten a meal. Food should never be left on the table during a meal time, for any reason. The best way to teach this command is through repetition. Practice it before feeding your dog so that he learns it each time. This will help establish a routine, and it will make it much easier to enforce the rest of the dog training tips.
If your dog frequently exhibits counter surfing behavior, it’s probably because he is hungry. Counter surfing can be a source of serious social problems, so it’s critical to train your dog not to do it. To teach him this, begin by standing quietly near the kitchen, with your dog on a leash, while you prepare a meal. Have a plate and some water available, as well as some chew toys and a couple of water dishes. Let your dog sniff the dishes and then walk over to the counter to watch his reactions.
When your dog approaches the kitchen, immediately put away his food and toys and then say, “Thanks for watching me. Now it’s time to eat.” When your dog reaches the table, put his bowl down and begin talking to him in a low calm voice. Praise your dog and give him lots of positive reinforcement when he stays quiet and puts away his food. Once your dog has mastered this simple step, you can then teach him other tricks such as crossing your legs or picking up objects out of his paws.
One of the most common reasons why dogs steal food from their owners’ kitchen counters is because they view it as an invitation to play. This is especially true in large active dogs like bulldogs, rottweilers, Great Danes, and Great Pyrenees. Puppies are more likely to steal food from their owners’ coffee table or any other place they think that their owners will be watching them. Some people even allow their puppies to sleep in their beds and steal food from their food bowls. This may sound extreme, but the point still remains that you must teach your dog that the kitchen is off limits for playtime or else it will be a constant source of temptation.
If this is your first time teaching your dog the “no-no” commands, consider only using the “no” command when you want your dog to stop an incompatible behavior. It can be very easy to lose your temper when dealing with a dog that refuses to sit still when around the kitchen table or television. You do not want to scream and yell at your dog or use other physically or verbally abusive methods. If you feel that you are about to lose it in a public setting, remember back to the puppy’s days at home and how much fun you had running around the house playing fetch and jumping up on the counter. Remember how much fun you had running around the house playing fetch and jumping up on the counter.
The best way to teach your dog the “no-no” commands for sitting down and leaving on the counter is to start with one area of the house and work your way out. You may have to deal with a stubborn dog that refuses to listen to anything you say but if you stick with it you should find that the dog stops trying to leave the kitchen when you want it to. The best thing to do is keep training short and work on one thing at a time. Your dog will learn quicker and more effectively this way.
