Is it natural for dogs to beg for food? The Ultimate Guide

What if my dog begs for food when there’re already fed

Your pup just finished the dinner, then calmly walks to your plate and asks for some more? It’s common to ask yourself a question of why is my dog always hungry? You should understand that such actions have far-reaching roots. Now, your pup may be content in his nice home with plenty of balanced meals to consume. But that wasn’t always the case.

Canines haven’t always been around, living in comfortable conditions and enjoying delicious treats. For dogs, it was feast or famine. When food was available, they would consume it in large amounts to keep their bodies warm and fight off cold weather ravages. If access to nutrition was scarce, they would become scavengers, living off anything they could reach.

Now when you see a pup stealing table scraps or begging for an additional snack or two, you can recognize the origins of such behavior. The link might be unobvious, but it is no wonder that a hungry dog reaches food whenever it’s possible. A clear evolutionary response is that pups tend to eat even after they’re full to get fed before potential scarcity occurs. What happens next, especially among domestic dogs? You got it right, overeating and obesity.

How to get a dog to stop begging

Get ready, it might be unpleasant to hear. We bear the responsibility for incentivizing dogs begging in the first place. Ouch! It’s no surprise that our dogs keep on begging precisely because of knowing that we will fall into such a trap. We all know how hard it might be to resist those cute puppy eyes.

It could be uncomfortable to say “no” at first, and you might even feel guilty. But it would be foolish to expect perfect behavior if you are not taking any actions. If you have a begging dog, don’t waste any more time and prevent it with a few simple rules.

This rule is simple but should be restated once again: don’t fall into the begging thing trap. It only seems that being indifferent is somewhat rude, but it’s the best way to discourage this behavior. You must be consistent and follow through with the rules that you set if you want your dog to stop begging.

Your pooch is indeed fed and not starving, so those sad eyes shouldn’t mislead or confuse you. And don’t forget that all those table scraps lead to increased food intake, which negatively affects your pup’s physical well-being. Don’t make any eye contact, and never call your dog if you are just about to have dinner.

Problems with Feeding a Begging Dog

There are many reasons to do what you can to get your dog to stop begging, not the least of which is to calm your nerves. In fact, some reasons are very serious.

How to Stop your Dog From Begging for Food?

When your dog starts hovering around you or your family members whenever you touch food, they may have a begging problem. Begging is natural for dogs, but it can be annoying when they get in your or your guests face the instant you sit down to eat. Dogs can also be hard to say no to when they give you their begging look.

If youve given your dog table food in the past, theyll likely become more persistent in asking for it. Dogs will always want your food, but you can teach them to leave you alone while you eat. Table scraps are not healthy for your dog, and you should limit how much human food you give them. Training them to stop begging will be better for their health and your peace of mind. Stopping this behavior quickly will help you and your family eat without being bothered.Â

The best way to get your dog to stop begging is to prevent them from being near you while you eat. You can confine your dog to another room or put them in their crate while you eat. If you want them to stay in the same room, you’ll want to train them to find something else to do and to ignore you.Â

Redirecting their attention from you and your food will be the most helpful. Try getting them to focus on different activities or let them play in another room. If youre OK with penning them, you can create a fenced-in area for them to go to when food is out.Â

Counter-conditioning your dog can also help solve the problem of begging. When your dog starts to beg, tell them to “lie down” or “fetch.” Having them play with a toy can take their desire off your food and help prevent them from begging. If your dog doesnt give up asking for food after youve tried to get them to do something else, youll want to start training.Â