When we eat at the coffee table, Hanzo is always trying to steal our food. Puts his head right there and sniffs while we are trying to eat. And when he does steal our food, it's like he inhales it. Even if it's bad for dogs. I don't want to put him in the kennel because I feel it's not fair for him if Rambo is out too, and I also don't want to have to lock him up every time I eat. Any advice? Thank you.

let me ask you this, do you give him the people food or does he some how get it off of the table?

This is very easy to fix.

You simply do not allow him near your food, you don't allow him to sniff or look at your food. Practice Down Stay and have him give you space. If he so much as looks or smells or lunges you correct him and push him back non-physically . If he comes anywhere near your food do not touch him or talk to him or laugh or scream ...anything. 100% of your energy is directed at correcting him and insisting on giving you space.

Set boundaries and don't budge.

Yes, excellent question Rachel. If it's Yes, then we know they're good at dog training

He steals it. We don't give him any unless we have left overs when we are done and away from the table.

And I've been doing this, but telling him no, and he still tries to get our food. He is so hard headed

He keeps trying because he once succeeded.  And, looking at your avatar, he is still a puppy, no?

Jeff has given you excellent advice.

To add my  :  Have you taught him to wait for his own food bowl?  Does he eat his own food slowly or inhale it? We have, with no intention to do so, taught both Ami and Archer to wait their turn for treats, their dinner etc. simply by making them sit and alternating their "turns" while the other waited.  (I really don't know how it happended, it just evolved...)  If you want to never feed the dogs people food, then just follow Jeff's prescription (which I would do first, for a couple of months, anyway - its easier to loosen things up then try to put the cat back in the bag, so to speak).  If you ultimately want to treat the dogs as you eat, then make them sit, then offer a tidbit, "one for you (Hanzo), one for you (Rambo), one for me"  Do NOT give tidbit until they sit and don't lunge.  If you want to give bits of leftovers after you eat and nothing while you eat, develop a ritual - they sit or lie down while you eat, then after you are finished, call them to a place where they get their bit.

I'm guessing he is still a young pup and inhaling his food so I would start there, with hand feeding until he slows down.  Also with waiting.  Until he successfully waits his turn, I would rigorously follow Jeff's advice.  You need to be clear in your own mind about what you want - no people food or sharing.  And, if it's no people food, never, ever let them succeed at stealing it.

For what it's worth, Jess has taught Archer, no begging at the table, ever and he respects that at their house even though at our house, the dogs are given little tidbits (by cocktail fork, none the less, husband doesn't like slimey dog mouth ) while we eat.  But they only get a taste and only if they are sitting or lying down and each waits their turn.

Also there are foods the dogs should never have like grapes, raisins, chocolate, onions or garlic etc. ASPCA has a list on their website.

Don't tell him No with language. An excited, escalated No gives you an excited, escalated dog and then it becomes a game.

Words mean nothing. Use your body .

Stand between him and the food, stand tall and firm, and redirect him away from it with your hand like hitting a tennis ball backhand. He can not look at or sniff the food at all. If he does, make a noise with your mouth and repeat the hand gesture.

Your goal is for him to give up and relax. That's it, 100%. Don't stop correcting him until he does.

You need to be more hard headed than he and until you learn to, he wins.

The really good news for this is that it is so easy to stage and then train. Set it up when you are not actually and then proceed with boundary training.

Boundaries are very, very different than yelling No. Yelling No at an excited dog is pouring fuel on a fire. To teach boundaries you are teaching calmness, which requires you to be absolutely 100% calm. If you get mad or frustrated or angry or panic or yell No, you lose.

seattlesibe wrote:

You need to be more hard headed than he and until you learn to, he wins.

So THAT'S how my husband taught them to take turns   My husband is the most hard-headed individual I've ever met...and he does it all while maintaining absolute, resolute calmness.  Except when the computer riles him up

As for the "no" being an exciter...I will heartily endorse that statement from first hand experience!

Just remembered as I hit the send...hubby also whispers the "sit" command. I usually roll my eyes at it, but seems to be very effective.

Amy, Jeff - I hope you'll both excuse me as I chuckle.
If you remember I have a problem with Sasha being food possessive, once I verbally release her to eat the food is hers - we're getting better but I'm still real careful about reaching for her bowl when there's food in it.
On the other hand, when I have my morning toast she'll come over and set beside me; she's not begging, just setting there ... sometimes she gets the last bite, sometimes not. The really funny part about it is that I have to watch her when she takes it - not because I'm going to lose a finger but because she's so gentle taking it that I have to make sure she's gotten it.

When either of mine get human food it's definitely a treat (and earned); while the toast has pretty much become a morning ritual, they both know that the best way to make sure they don't get something is to make a nuisance of themselves. I've never said anything, it's just been learned. If you behave, you might get a leftover; if you don't you definitely won't.

In Sydney's case, I'd make sure that the dogs never get any human food until they've learned to work for it and then it's special. And I'll agree with something Jeff suggested, if the dog is close enough to be sniffing my food - it's way too close

A lot of the problem is building respect. I encounter 3 different scenarios in any given day. So here's my    

Scenario #1 - I like having my breakfast at the computer, me sitting on the couch. Miya will automatically lay and stay, no problems, same with my lunch, although at this point thug #2 is involved, my 14 year old Siamese cat, so now there's a problem, because they both think one will get something and the other won't. I get the same respect, lay and stay from both of them and they will get a treat.

Scenario #2 - husband comes home for a quick lunch, likes to surf while eating. He has both thugs on either side of him waiting for a morsel to drop from his lips. Why such a difference? Lack of respect for him, he gives in to them and slides them food. I will not tolerate it, he will to a point. He doesn't understand why? It's because he has given in to them and he is not firm.

Scenario #3 - same as #2 but I'm there, simple nudge(body block, if you will) for either one and a uh-uh, is often all that is needed, a quick Miya lay down and stay if it's extra yummy (chicken lol). They both know they will get a treat if they mind their manners, if not no treat. So like the others it's not giving in, be consistent, be firm.

Things to help you: feed them at the same time you eat, I make 3 dinners every night, and both dog and cat know to wait for their food, they will hover over their bowls until I release them to eat(yes even the cat), they get done before us, and I will say lay down and wait, typically this works, if not it's my husband they bug, still he has no clue why, lol, that is now his issue, I can eat in peace.

Also remember that it takes more muscles and time for a dog to go from a laying position than it does with sit, and with sit more than a stand. So keeping a lay and stay takes longer for the thief to come and get your food, hence when you see him start to get up a simple uh-uh lay down and stay should be enough.

As he matures, and you are repetitive and never give in, he will have respect for you and your space. You have to be consistent in how you handle things, never give in. They don't like you being in their face when they eat, they need to give you the same respect.

Btw, they wouldn't bother my husband if he followed my rules and not give in to them, he doesn't get the notion that he has to be consistent. When he has had enough of them bothering him, he will tell Miya to go lay down and stay, and then she leaves him alone.

I have the same problem as Al has had with the food agression i cant even get close to her without her wanting to bite my hand off. Im not sure why she thinks im going to take her food away i never have before...

and like mentioned above if its close to where he can smell it and jump and get it, then its too close!

We only give him people food if he sits for us, he says there for a minute then gets back up. He doesn't inhale his own food, just human food because he knows that I will take it out of his mouth. I need to work on teaching him to stay as well as to wait for his food. I think it will be easier to teach him that if he is being taught how to stay. There is food in his bowl when we eat, he just chooses to try and take ours. Thank you guys for all the advice, I will definitely be trying all that out.