Begging Dogs

If you have ever owned or even known a dog you are probably familiar with the "sad puppy eyes." These are deviously effective at making any human in possession of food feel guilty and sometimes they are so effective they cause said human to relinquish their food to the dog. This form of begging is seen often in pubs, where a human's delicious burger is placed right at nose level for many dogs.

This behavior might be cute, but it can lead to whining which upsets other customers and may get you and your dog kicked out. At the very least it may put you off your food which defeats the whole point of going to the pub or restaurant in the first place!

The best way to deal with this is to completely ignore your dog while they are begging. It's much easier said than done! I have been known to slip a french fry or 12 to my dog under the table, but ONLY when she is minding her own business, and this is still not advisable for dogs that beg badly (it's probably not advisable for my dog either, but she has me well trained)
. Definitely don't give your dog any food if they make any noise.

You can also try practicing at home, have your dog at your feet while you eat your dinner and completely ignore any noise make while you are eating. For some dogs bringing a bone with you to the pub might help, that way they have something tasty to munch on while you have your food.

I would love to hear any suggestions, please comment if you have any tips or tricks for stopping dogs from begging!