How do I stop my dog from eating our food and knocking trays?

Question

How Can I stop Diesel from trying to eat our food and knocking down our trays? Pet's info: Dog | BullBoxer | Female | spayed | 3 years and 8 months old | 65 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

It's very normal for dogs to be interested in what you're eating, and most dogs will happily try to snatch food from tables or trays if they have never been taught what you want them to do during mealtime. In the short term, I would recommend using a baby gate or other barrier to keep Diesel out of the room while you're eating. You could also put her in her crate, if she's crate-trained. This will prevent her from being able to practice the unwanted behavior of trying to take your food, and allow you to eat in peace. Another option would be to give her something to chew on, such as a bully stick or a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter, to keep her busy during mealtimes. As a longer-term solution, you can work on teaching her to stay on a special mat or dog bed while you eat - this gives her something specific to focus on, and a more polite way of earning a treat. You can start by encouraging her to lay on her bed, and rewarding her immediately with a treat when she lays down on it. Reward her frequently at first for staying put, then gradually work up to longer and longer periods without a reward as she gets better at this. Eventually, you can ask her to lay on her bed during the entire meal, in exchange for a single treat at the end.

How do I stop my dog from eating our food and knocking trays?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

What's the best way to feed my hamster when I'm going on a trip?

Can chickens eat bell peppers daily and what about veggie salads?

Is Purina Layer Pellets good for chickens? What other feeds exist?

My newly adopted pet won't eat hay. What can I do to encourage it?

My mice eat all their food together from one bowl. Is this normal?

Share