How to Address Your Dog Begging & Barking
Does your dog’s begging barking and annoying begging habits ruin your daily dinner? Check out this page for some proven tricks to put an end to the madness!
Dog Begging Barking.. What Now?
Ha-ha, I just relived a been there, done that moment! Seriously though, should we shake the guys hand that invented Beg ‘n’ Strips, or curse the idea the word beg and dog are in the same sentence? Actually that’s a cute name but to pair the word beg with anything dog related is somewhat ironic and really makes my head spin. After all, most of us have owned a dog at some point in our life that begged for food, attention or something it was after. Have you?
Hey that’s perfectly fine if you can deal with the annoyance, but when begging barking accompanies the behavior that’s a horse of a different color! Not only is this annoyance disruptive, little Fido learned by action and response exactly what to do to get your attention. Sure he may get yelled at during your diner but guess what? He’s got your attention and that’s something he won’t ever forget!
To paint a picture with this article I’m going to use food as an example, and your dinner time. Keep in mind that the “object of desire” Fido is begging for could be anything he’s after. Be it food, attention, to get in a room or area he shouldn’t, etc. For now, let’s use your supper to set the stage.
Tip:
>>Why Not Try a Range of Bespoke Delivered Treats to your Door to See if that helps<<
Your dog’s perspective..
Now you’ll need to put yourself in you dogs shoes.. or should I say paws? Anyhow, you get the idea, there yet? I’m there with you. Wow!, that fried chicken smells good, maybe if I whine a little someone will notice me? Dang, they keep looking over and talking to me, is that Shh I hear? Let me pace a bit, maybe then someone will throw me a morsel.. awe that didn’t work. Ruff.. oh look, Ruff, RUFF! Oh boy, OH BOY, they’re really paying attention now! If I keep this up and maybe pace a little more, I’ll FINALLY GET A TREAT!
As you can see from a dog’s perspective it’s all about the reaction. Quickly, dogs learn by doing and figure out what works by your response. So, what would be a better solution than to let Fido get the best of you? And, not to mention ruin your dinner?
Tip: From an early age I try to keep puppies out of eyesight during situations they should not be a part of. This can be dinner of course, gatherings and events in a certain room of the house, sometimes even the kitchen if I’m preparing a meal.
The tips provided above will lay a good foundation with a new puppy that they’ll carry into adult hood. Some may feel it’s extreme yet we must at times remember, dogs are dogs and there are certain times when we may not want a dog around. Designating a spot in your home that’s just for your dog is always a great idea. This can be an area with a blanket, a dog bed, crate, an old sofa, or whatever you choose. You can read more about puppy barking issues here.
Before I ramble on to another article let’s deal with this begging problem already!
Tips and techniques to stop dog begging barking..
- Don’t commit the cardinal sin and cave to your dog’s wishes!
- Don’t EVER give food to your begging dog or you’re reinforcing the bad habit.
- Ignore the begging, even eye contact.
- If ignoring doesn’t work after 5-minutes get up and walk your dog to its spot, if it returns.. repeat the two bullet points above.
- Don’t portray human emotion on your dog or feel sorry for it, it’s not starving I promise.
- Consistency is key, stay the course and repeat actions but avoid acknowledgement with voice commands.
Dog Begging Barking Summary
In summary, our goal is to stop dog begging barking and annoyances. Should your dog finally settle, lay in the doorway and just watch, this may be OK for you. For others, you may desire the dog rests in his spot during supper time. You can take the tips on this page and use them to your advantage as they apply to your situation and expectations. Remember, dogs are creatures of habit that learn by action and response. That being, their actions and your response. Failure to achieve a response from you for the action of begging is our goal and through this, your dog will learn what is expected.
Let’s look at those training tips again quickly..
1. Ignore it.
2. Avoid eye contact.
3. Don’t use vocal commands.
4. Never cave or give in.
5. No food, not even a crumb.
6. Designate a dog’s spot and bring it there.
7. Never feel sorry for your dog.
8. Repeat these steps and be stubborn!
Need more info to stop annoying behavior and other bad habits? Don’t miss links to additional articles that are available on our dog behavior and training page.