# Begging?



## Claire (May 21, 2012)

Just wondering, since I'm trying to do everything right from the very beginning - does anyone know any tricks for discouraging begging? Liesel's not big enough to get onto the bed yet, where I tend to sit when I'm eating my dinner (me and her are still spending most of our time in my room) but she'll sit and cry and almost bark, begging. I'm not giving her any, and I'm trying to encourage her to sit in her crate, where I bring her some of her own treats when she's quiet... but any other suggestions would be appreciated!


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

I think you're doing the right thing. The other thing is to reward good behavior in general even when you're not eating. If she's lying there being great then reward her. With my dog, when he was a puppy, he would stand by the table and I would tell him to go lie down (which takes time and you have to teach them "lie down" first of course or to go to his bed). We got to that point by me hiding a treat in his bed when he wasn't looking and I'd teach him "go to your bed" and then he starting loving getting in his bed. With time he had learned that standing by the table got him nothing and he quietly goes to lie down and gives me the prettiest eyes, ha!


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## Claire (May 21, 2012)

Thanks, sounds good! Today towards the end of my meal she actually gave up and went to chew something in her crate (she's learned that she gets good things in her crate so a lot of her begging was just sitting in there... but of course that's a lot better than sitting right at my feet!) 
I'll definitely try hiding a treat in there somewhere - she's still very young and she seems to forget to use her nose sometimes but I'll do it one step at a time with her and see if she catches on!


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Sounds like you are doing fine. Never ever give her any of your food off your plate. If you have scraps they must go in her bowl.

Try and not look at her when you are eating, if you can turn your back on her, even better. I love the word NO - it is short and you can say it with inflection and it means no you many not do that, no you may not jump up -whatever. 

Some will disagree, but it is one of the first words I teach my pups.

In the winter we often eat in our living room in front of the fire. Boris will sit besides me while I eat and now he just goes to sleep as he knows that food is mine!! That was a very hard thing for my very greedy Vizsla to learn, but he learnt NO very quickly!!!


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## BaxtersMum (Oct 6, 2012)

We have also discourage interaction at the dinner table. Had always either given Baxter a chew to eat while we eat or just told him no and off etc. He is learning and is a lot better now and just wanders around without disturbing us. Also we usually have a take away in front of tv on a Friday night and have always made him sit in his blanket on the floor. He had learnt to ignore us now and this week he got up on the sofa next to me to sleep and didn't take any notice of the dinner on my lap


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## Flint14 (Nov 1, 2012)

I'm having a rough time myself with the begging. Flint, now 14 weeks, likes to beg from my 18 month old son. Unfortunately, this usually results in some sort of crumb or noodle being thrown on the ground, so that he'll leave my son alone. - If the boy throws it far enough away from his high chair, the pup will run away to get it. I've tried getting Flint to lay down on the other side of the room, and give him his own food and toys, but he seems to know that my little man is the weak one of the family. He will even climb up on the high chair to take his food!! 

They are usually wonderful together, but this is the becoming a larger problem every day.


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## Claire (May 21, 2012)

That must be stressful - Liesel still hasn't quite got the hang of the idea that when I'm eating, she won't get any of my food... she paces around whining and tries to climb up to me. Eventually I'm hoping she'll give it up, but I think all it would take is someone giving her a scrap off their plate for her to persist for another few months... going to have to try to be very strict with everyone and forbid feeding scraps. 
I have a young nephew who she'll be spending a lot of time with at Christmas, who will find this rule difficult I suspect.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

If you give in and give your dog food from your plate you'll be making a rod for your own back, Ruby knows that there's no chance of anything from the plate while we're eating, but once the table has been cleared I'll put the leftovers into her bowl...she was very grateful of some leftover rabbit/pheasant casserole on monday night


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Flint14, why not put your puppy in it's crate or a different room when your son is eating. If you don't sort this problem soon, as you say, you are going to have a real problem. He is not far from jumping up and snatching food from your son's plate or hand


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