My dog scratches me for food. How can I stop this painful behavior?

Hi there. If this is a recent change for Harley, I would be concerned that he may have some type of medical problem causing him to feel more hungry than normal. In that case, I would recommend a vet visit to discuss this issue and see what may be going on. If he's always done this, then he may simply be interested in human food - which is normal behavior for many dogs. :) It can usually be addressed fairly easily by giving the dog something else to do while you're cooking or eating, such as a rawhide or bully stick to chew on, or teaching him to wait quietly on a mat or dog bed during these times. If you need guidance on how to teach this, I would recommend getting in touch with a qualified trainer in your area who can work with you in person. You can search for one here: www.ccpdt.org

It sounds like Fufu Muffin is trying to get your attention, and she has learned that if she keeps scratching at you long enough, you will give her what she wants. If you want this behavior to stop, you will have to stop picking her up when she digs at your legs. When she digs at your legs, tell her no firmly, and ignore her. If she continues to dig, get up, move, and turn your back on her. Ignore her until she stops the behavior, then pay attention to her. Praise her when she stops the behavior so she learns she gets love and attention when she doesn't dig at you. Make her sit, and when she sits, praise her and then pick her up to be put on your lap. She needs to learn that if she wants to sit on your lap, she has to be calm and quiet, and cannot scratch.

It sounds like your puppy is begging for food - this is a normal behavior but it certainly should be discouraged. The most important thing to do to eliminate this behavior is to never give him any scraps or treats while you’re eating - this will reinforce the behavior. You may want to confine him somewhere away from the room where you’re eating during meals and give him his own treat or chew for a little while.

Hello, silly Chloe! She now knows that there is food on the table. When eating, I would distract her with an extra activity and maybe remove her from the dining room to keep her from getting into food or developing a begging behavior. Its really hard to resist delicious pizza, but begging behavior in dogs takes time and patience to control. You may feed her at the same time in a separate room as well. Ive found, that removing them from the environment that elicits unwanted behavior works best. Hope this helps.

It is unusual for a food allergy to only affect one area and there may be an underlying trigger or painful focus in the area which should be excluded by your vet, compulsive behaviors can also develop but would improve with an e collar and changes in routine such as additional walks, activities and chew toys to distract him. Food sensitivities are best ruled out by a 6week food trial on a hydrolyzed diet such as royal canin hypoallergenic, symptoms would then recur if you rechallenge with the original foods

This is a very common problem for many dogs owners! :) The first, and most important thing is to make sure that you **never**, ever, give her anything at all from your plate while you're eating. If this behavior is rewarded with a tasty tidbit, even if it's only once in a while, it's guaranteed to continue - so this is the most critical part of stopping any kind of begging behavior. I have three dogs, and eat on the couch all the time. The dogs don't show any particular interest at all, because they know from experience that begging in this situation will not get them anything. You can do this too - you just have to be 100% consistent. If she has been rewarded in the past for begging like this, it may take a long time for her to learn that this behavior no longer works. In that case, I would recommend giving her something else to distract her while you're eating for now, such as a special chew bone or a Kong stuffed with peanut butter. You could also put her in her crate while you're eating to prevent her from bothering you, and let her out again once you're finished. Eventually, she will lose interest in begging as long as it never works. So be patient and consistent in the meantime, and make sure that everyone in the family is on board.

The best way to prevent begging behavior is to absolutely never give any foods when begging is happening! With time your puppy will realize that begging doesn't work for her. If she is very persistent and annoying you during meal times you may need to restrict her access by tethering her to a spot in the house (a bed or other space that is just hers would be best) or putting her in her crate - during these times you could give her a chew or treat puzzle to keep her occupied.