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Canine Behavior/jumping on the table to get food
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Question
Hi, I have a 14 week old rhodesian ridgeback, (they are very food driven) and
every chance he gets he put his paws on the table to scavange.
How can i stop this behaviour, without having to put a gate (because i dont
think this is a solution, just a deterrent) He is also getting very big and soon
he will be able to get things from the table without even jumping
Is there a way, for me and for him to stop this behaviour, without yelling, the
constant attention, scolding or gates?
pardon my english i am from Brazil
Thank you
Cristina
Hi, Cristina,
Thanks for the question.
The best solution is probably to have him on a leash while you eat, and either tie him to something that would prevent him from getting to the table, or else keep one foot on the leash to do the same thing. Then, once you've finished eating, you could take some of the leftovers and put them in his bowl. That way he'll get the idea that if he waits (even though you're enforcing the behavior physically) he'll soon be able to get what he wants. In other words instead of telling "No, bad dog!" which doesn't teach him anything, you're basically telling him to "Wait!" which is an actual behavior he can learn. ("No" is not a behavior!)
It would also be helpful to teach him what "Wait..." mean in other situations. For instance, when you put his food down tell him "Wait..." and then release him to eat by saying, "Okay!" When it's time to go for a walk, open the door slightly then say, "Wait..." and when he holds still for a moment reward him by saying, "Okay!" and letting him go through the door.
Once he learns "Wait..." and "Okay!" he'll be much better behaved in general.
I hope this helps!
LCK
http://www.LeeCharlesKelley.com
“Changing the World, One Dog at a Time”
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Answers by Expert:
Lee Charles Kelley
Expertise
I've been training dogs in New York City for nearly 20 years. My training approach and philosophy are based on the way police dogs, search-and-rescue dogs, and detection dogs are trained--through the prey drive, inherited from the wolf. It's true that there's been a shift away from using the "wolf model" in dog training recently, and to some extent, there's a good reason. That's because trainers have been using the wrong model, the one that says you have to be the "alpha" or the pack leader in order to control your dog's behavior. This simply isn't true. In wild wolves there is no dominance hierarchy, no "alpha" wolf, and no pack leader (not in the traditional sense). The pack instinct only exists to enable wolves to hunt large prey by working in harmony. (Wolves who live near garbage dumps, for example, and who don't hunt together, don't form packs.) So if wolves don't have an instinct to "follow the pack leader" or "obey the alpha wolf," how could dogs have inherited it from them?
Years ago, before I became a dog trainer, I noticed that the happiest, most obedient, and best-behaved dogs I met weren't the ones who'd been to a dog trainer or behaviorist; they were the dogs whose owners always had Frisbees and tennis balls on hand. And while it might seem that my approach would only be relevant to high-drive dogs who love fetch and tug-of-war, it isn't. Even something as seemingly unrelated as a housebreaking issue or greeting behavior are often the direct result of a dog's predatory energy not having an acceptable outlet.
All behavior is an expression of energy. So when a dog's energy isn't utilized in a way that feels satisfying to his or her instincts and emotions, that's when behavioral problems develop. Giving the dog an acceptable outlet for its energy will almost always bring the dog's behavior back into alignment with its instincts
Feel free to ask me questions about any training/behavioral issue.
LCK
Experience
20 years as a dog trainer. I'm also a bestselling author, writing a series of dog-related mystery novels for Avon.
Organizations
Dog Writers Association of America
Education/Credentials
Just a natural gift I have for understanding and training dogs
Past/Present Clients
Too numerous to mention.
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