How to get my puppy to eat dog food and stop begging for human food?

Question

My puppy won't eat his food unless he has humane food mixed in with it and I want to get away from giving him any humane food at all how do I do this? And if I don't give him humane food with his food will he eventually eat his food when he is hungry enough or what should I do and how do I stop him from begging for food when I have food he barks at me non stop until I give him some what should I do? Pet's info: Dog | American Staffordshire Terrier | Male | neutered | 11 months and 5 days old | 79 lbs

Jessica Desrosiers · Accepted Answer

Yes, most dogs once hungry enough will eat their own food as long as you aren't giving in and giving them people food and treats in between meals. You can use a little low sodium chicken broth with dog kibble to help entice eating and then gradually reduce it over time as Hercules gets used to his food again. As for barking and begging, looking up some YouTube videos on begging behavior can help you. In most cases, begging is something that is worked with via "extinction" which means you basically have to ignore it until he gives up when he realizes he's not getting a reward. This can be hard because with any extinction behavior, a dog will ramp up (IE barking more, begging harder) for a time in an attempt to get you to give in, before they gradually decrease the behavior. The key to getting past this is patience, and knowing it gets worse before it gets better! Distracting Hercules with a favorite chew toy or even something such as a Kong stuffed with his kibble may redirect the behavior as well while you work on it.

How to get my puppy to eat dog food and stop begging for human food?

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