How to Train Your Dog to Not Eat From the Table

Regardless of whether you have 2 legs or 4, sometimes it's very hard to resist temptation. So when your dog sees a plate of food just sitting there on your dining table, their first instinct might be to help themselves to a tasty snack.

But there are a couple of reasons why you don't want this to occur. Not only is it frustrating for you to miss out on part of your meal, it can also be highly dangerous if your pup sinks their teeth into any human foods that are unsafe for dogs to eat.

That's why it's important to train your dog not to steal food from the table. But because stealing food is quite a natural behavior for dogs, and also deliciously rewarding for a hungry pup, you'll need a patient and committed approach to teach them not to devour your dinner.

Keep reading to find out how to train your dog not to eat food from the table.

If your dog is a keen counter surfer, there are several factors to consider when training them out of their cheeky food-stealing ways. Not only do you need to focus on teaching your dog what not to eat, you also need to help them understand which food is OK for them to consume.

Teaching your dog to eat their food at a designated location from the beginning, and not feeding scraps or human food, will diminish their interest in your diet. This can also help them distinguish which food is theirs, and which is yours.

Keeping your pup away from the table at meal times can also help prevent any opportunistic food thieving. You can use doors and gates to keep your dog away from areas where human food is present, removing the source of temptation, or maybe put them in their crate while you're preparing any meals.

From a more general point of view, providing regular physical exercise and plenty of mental stimulation for your pet can prevent your dog stealing food due to boredom or excess energy. Ensuring that you never give in to their begging behavior will also help you combat the problem of a counter surfing canine.

Perhaps the most important thing you need to train your dog not to eat from the table is patience. When a behavior is self-rewarding, as stealing food most definitely is, it may take a while for your dog to understand the right way to behave.

The other equipment you need may vary depending on the training method you decide to adopt. For example, a steady supply of training treats is essential if you're teaching the "leave it" method, while chew toys and puzzle toys can come in handy if you're looking for suitable distractions for your dog at mealtime. And if you're planning on limiting your dog's access to the dining table or food preparation areas, baby gates might be just what you need to fence off certain areas.

It's also important that you never punish your dog for table or counter surfing. Punishment is ineffective and will likely only encourage your pup to steal food when you're not around or when you're looking the other way, so stick to training methods that rely on positive reinforcement to teach a desired behavior.