How To Prevent Your Dog From Asking For Food While You Are Eating

Surely on several occasions while you are eating, your dog begins to mount his personal show to ask you for food. If you can’t keep this situation under control, various problems can soon arise, especially if you have guests for lunch or dinner. But how can you change this particular attitude of your dog?

To change any of your dog’s behavior, you must first begin to understand his feeding ritual. Asking for food is part of his nature as your adorable little dog is in fact a hunter. So it is absolutely natural for him to be careful of any movement and food that he brings to his mouth while eating. In any case, all is not lost, this bad habit can be changed simply by educating the dog. For this reason, we will share some useful tips below.

Avoid feeding him during your meals

The first thing to do is to avoid feeding him during your meals. If you are having breakfast, lunch or dinner, don’t make the mistake of sharing your food with him. All family members must follow this rule. If he asks for food, try to ignore him as otherwise your dog will persist until he gets what he wants.

Establish a daily routine for his meals

Your dog cannot eat at any time of day, he must have specific times. For example, puppies younger than 5 months need to eat at least 4 times a day, while adult dogs only need to eat twice a day. If you get your dog used to following specific times, you can better control his nutrition and health.

You can also try feeding him during your meals. This habit can be effective if you spend enough time indoors.

Prepare rewards

If your dog continues undaunted to ask you for food, tell him no and have him sit up. When you have finished eating you can give him treats as a reward. That way he will get used to not asking, because he will know that eventually he will receive a prize. Over time, your dog will assume this behavior and it will no longer be necessary to give him any reward.

Of course, when it comes to dog treats, always remember not to buy those with too many artificial flavors and don’t forget that these kinds of rewards should never go beyond 10% of his daily diet. You can also try natural snacks. In this sense, a very healthy option is that of ripe fruit. Strange as it may seem, dogs love it. Try a small piece of apple, cantaloupe, or broccoli.

And if you go out to eat with your dog …

In Italy there are restaurants that allow dogs to enter and, especially in large cities, it will not be impossible to find the place suitable for us and our 4-legged friend. In addition, during the summer, with restaurants and outdoor bars, the opportunities to share this moment with our dog will multiply. To keep it from becoming a nightmare, some precautions should be taken.

Before you go out, the best thing to do is to feed your dog. With a full stomach, you are less likely to start bothering.

If he is a puppy and is not yet well trained, it will surely be difficult to prevent him from barking or crying. At this age, they really have a lot of energy. For this reason, in these cases, the best option is to make a preventive stop in a park before going to a restaurant. This way, when you arrive at your destination, the puppy will be a little tired and will certainly prefer to lie down and rest.

If there are no dog bowls in the restaurant, ask the waiter to bring you a container of water so he can drink and stay hydrated. And, so that he doesn’t get bored, you can take his favorite game with you.

Get to know your dog. If you know that she gets scared when she sees other people or other dogs, maybe going out to eat together isn’t the best idea. Therefore, make sure your dog obeys your orders when you say words like “sit”, “stop”, “come” or “down”. If your puppy still can’t follow these basic rules of behavior, it’s best to leave him at home for the time being.

Finally, remember that even if your dog behaves well, when you take him for a walk in a public space or if you are eating in a restaurant, he must always be on a leash and, if necessary, he must wear a muzzle.