Mary Allen
Not that “once is never”: once the dog gets something from the dining table, it will continue to beg. The more you ignore your four-legged friend, the more he begs you. The way out of this misery is rocky, but not impossible.
It’s like the proverbial backfire. “An established begging behavior is consolidated when you suddenly decide not to react to it anymore,” says Sibylle Aschwanden from Focus Canis. The behavioral biologist and dog trainer from Rohr SO explains this as follows: “The dog cannot understand that its previously successful begging should now remain fruitless and it tries even harder.” In the end, people usually give in and feed on the table again, for example.
The problem itself is self-made: “The dog only adopts begging at the table in its behavioral repertoire after its first attempt has been worthwhile,” says Aschwanden. By subconsciously rewarding the dog for begging with a treat from the table, the owner trains the dog to beg.
If he then allows himself to be wrapped around his finger by the two all too cute looking eyes according to the motto “once is never”, the behavior is strengthened. This is not a deliberately manipulative action on the part of the four-legged friend. “The dog is simply repeating behaviors that have been successful before.” If this happened in combination with a certain, randomly shown look, the dog also saves this. The dog learns a successful strategy, so to speak.
Stand Firm
It takes perseverance and consistency to break the habit. Scolding doesn’t help. According to Aschwanden, it is better to teach him an alternative behavior that he cannot do at the same time as begging at the table. “For example, the dog can learn to go to its berth at a certain signal and stay there until the table is cleared.”
The timing of setting the table is favorable for this. Of course, it takes a while for such a signal to “settle”. “You build it up step by step and initially reward the dog in small intervals in a very high-quality way on its berth until it waits for its reward throughout the meal.” If the dog does not stay in its berth, it may be necessary to tie it up or move it to another room.
Even the decision not to feed anything from the table from now on ultimately leads to the goal. However, the road is long and stony, as the so-called «deletion defiance» has to be overcome. “Only if people stick strictly to their decisions will begging ultimately be eradicated.” Sometimes even toddlers or visitors undermine the best dog training. By wanting to do good to the four-legged friend out of false piety, they destroy the domestic anti-begging training plan.
If you don’t want to ban your dog from the table in the long run, Aschwanden recommends training similar to anti-poison bait training. “You teach the dog that if he resists the treats offered or falls from the table, he will be extra super rewarded.” The canine strategy then is: I don’t take it and stay well in my berth, so I end up with something much greater as a reward for resisting.