There are dogs that always seem to be hungry. If the owner gives in to the begging that comes with it, he will soon have a problem. It is better to give these dogs clear rules and routines. Dog training consultant Holger Schüler explains exactly how this works.
Labrador, Beagle, Golden Retriever: these and many other dog breeds have the reputation of being very greedy. They are constantly rummaging around for food and look pleadingly at their owners as soon as they even come near the fridge. It sounds harmless, but it isn't necessarily that: some of these dogs bother their owners and strangers a lot with their begging or even show food aggression. To prevent such negative side effects from occurring in the first place, dog owners should take countermeasures early on and set clear rules. You can't train dogs out of their constant feeling of hunger, but you can definitely stop them from constantly demanding and searching for food.
Basically, food should not be available to any dog at all times, and certainly not in a bowl full of food for self-service. This means you are giving up control over a very important tool. If food is constantly available, it is no longer useful as a means of motivation. The owner also misses the opportunity to use feeding to build a bond. Apart from that, he also loses track of the amount his dog eats. This can quickly lead to severe obesity and the corresponding negative consequences for the dog's health, especially in very greedy animals.
Water must be accessible to the dog at all times, but food should not be. Instead, introduce certain rituals: feeding should only take place at certain times of the day, for example in the morning and evening, and only at the selected feeding place. This should be chosen so that it is in a quiet corner of the house or apartment. If there is a lot of "through traffic" at the feeding place, it could happen that the animal, especially if it is very fixated on food, wants to guard its bowl.
If a dog is already showing signs of this, train him to behave differently. First, feed him from your hand so that he no longer focuses on the food bowl as a source of food. If that works, the food goes back into the bowl. But leave your hand on the edge while the dog eats. If that works, you can practice taking the bowl away from him. But don't just rip it out from under his nose; instead, make the dog sit first or call him away from the food. Ideally, you should start this training when the dog is still a puppy.
Clear rules and rituals are particularly important for dogs that are very obsessed with food. The dog should internalize that its food is only available at certain times. Under no circumstances, not even in exceptional cases, should the animal beg at the table and be rewarded with small morsels. It is better to declare the table and the kitchen a forbidden zone that the dog is not allowed to enter at all.
Your dog should learn that food is not always there and that he cannot simply demand it, but that it comes from you. It is also important that he only gets his food when he is waiting quietly for it. This can also be trained. Go into the kitchen more often, shake the food packet and then simply go back out again. If the dog becomes pushy during feeding, push him aside with a clear "No!" and put the bowl away again. Send the dog to his place and ignore him. Only when he is really calm will he get the bowl.
Even if it takes longer at the beginning, stick to it consistently. The dog will internalize the rules, become calmer from feeding to feeding, and will no longer constantly beg for food outside of feeding times.
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