CRITTER CORNER: Cleo is a 2-year-old female pit bull mix. At the shelter she seems shy, but she lights up once outside! She loves hiking and exploring and she does great in home environments. She needs an experienced large-breed owner willing to continue her training. Ask for Cleo, ID# A800351. Adoptable pets are available at Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA’s Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion, 1450 Rollins Road, Burlingame. For information, call 650-340-7022 or visit www.phs-spca.org. (Jen Mason / Peninsula Humane Society)
Dear Miss Behavin’: Our English bulldog, Elvis, is a professional beggar — not just at dinner time, but any time we’re eating. We can’t even have popcorn while we watch a movie without him whimpering and drooling everywhere. My husband always gives in and shares what he’s eating. How can I make it stop?
Reply: Believe it or not, begging comes naturally for most dogs. An easy habit to start, begging is only as bad as we let it be. How can you blame Elvis for liking the buttery piece of steak he was handed at dinner last night or the last bite of your husband’s BLT? While there is nothing wrong with sharing some small, bite-size human treats with your beloved, it’s important to pick the right time to do it. Many times a begging dog isn’t an issue until friends are family or over for dinner and the begging becomes a nuisance.
Let’s start by getting the humans on board with the rules — no human food when Elvis begs for it. He won’t starve — you are, after all, feeding him his regular meals once or twice a day. This means no scraps under the table at dinner, no licking the cereal bowl after breakfast, and definitely no crunchy, salty popcorn on movie night.
Elvis expects you to share with him during these times, which is why it’s important to stop. If he gives you the puppy eyes, ignore him. If your husband just can’t stand seeing him in this miserable state, put him (the dog!) in another room, behind a baby gate, or try tethering him to a table or wall nearby with his dog bed and yummy chew stick or stuffed Kong toy.
After a couple weeks of dedication, you can pick appropriate times to share human yummies with Elvis. Perhaps you can share some green beans with him after dinner while you’re doing the dishes or put some turkey lunch meat in his bowl after making the kids’ sandwiches. Let Elvis indulge when he least expects it. If you’re committed to this, the begging should dissolve.
For those of you with children or frequent visitors, things can be a bit more challenging. Try removing the dog from the kitchen or teaching a “go to your bed” cue when you’re eating. Because most of us like to share, let everyone know when, where and how much they can give to the dog to help keep up the good behavior.