Why is my dog begging? Why do dogs beg for food?

Your puppy begging for food can be quite irritating for a dog mom or dog dad. Many dog parents don’t know what to do when their dog is begging for food and drooling over food laid out at the dinner table. Your dog gives you those puppy eyes to coax you into giving them food scraps that might actually be bad for them.

As a dog parent, giving into your dog begging could lead to behavioral problems and health problems (canine obesity) down the line.

You can’t blame your puppy for begging for food but you can certainly do something about it. Here are the steps to follow to stop your dog from begging:

1. Block your puppy’s access to the table: Blocking your pet’s access to the table is the best way to stop your dog from begging for food. Keep your puppy busy with games or exercise as another fun distraction.
2. Recognize when you should change your puppy’s diet: Your puppy’s diet might play a huge role in your puppy begging. If you recognise your puppy leaving his food plate and begging for food, then it is possible that your puppy isn’t satisfied and you may need to change their diet.
3. Rewards when appropriate: Reward your puppy for good behavior when he or she does not beg you for food. But remember not to give your dog food from your plate, as it will encourage begging.
4. Puppy training: Teach your puppy basic skills in obedience — commands like sit, stop, down, leave it etc. These commands will help shape your dog’s behavior for the better!
5. Ignore your pup and do not not give into those eyes: Ignore dog begging and redirect it to something else like maybe playing fetch or other games. Ignoring dog begging behavior is a good alternative to help your dog from food begging.
6. Feed your puppy first: You should feed your puppy before having your food, preferably in a separate room from your dining table to separate these two experiences.

Want to learn more about dog training, dog behavior and dog nutrition?

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