How to Make a Dog Stop Stealing Food

Do you have a pooch that has little to no self-control when it comes to food? If you're having trouble conveying the message of "Paws off, pal, that's my taco," you might want to try out these methods to get your dog to stop stealing food.

Things You'll Need

• Leash (about 6 feet)
• Correction collar (prong collar)
• Citronella collar and remote control
• Training dog biscuits

Instructions

Leash Training

1. Take the training food out and place it on the floor. Have your dog sit as you slip the correction collar with leash attached over his head. To get better results, be sure to remove his regular collar during this training session.

2. Hold the loop of the leash in your left hand and place your right hand a bit further down for control and correction. Show the dog the food. It is best to start with food on the ground, then you can work your way up to table and counter areas as the dog improves his listening abilities. If you are left-handed, reverse your hand positions.

3. Note when your dog lurches forward to get the food. Snap your wrist, pull back on the correction collar and sternly tell him "no." Put your dog into a sitting position and tell him to stay. If he keeps trying to get up and go for the food, repeat this process: correcting him on the leash, saying no and having him sit and stay.

4. Once you are satisfied with your dog's sit and stay, you may release him with an "Okay" so he may eat the food. Praise him for listening. While the ultimate goal is to get your dog to not steal any food, this is a good first step to get him to lend you his ear.

5. Repeat this process a few times, issuing your commands without the leash in your hand. The dog will usually learn that he has to listen to your "Okay" command before eating his treat. If he tries to devour the food before you release him, go back to step three and work your way forward until the dog should be sitting and staying on his own until you give him the proper command to eat the food. Always remember to praise him when he does something right.

6. Place the training food onto a tabletop, counter or coffee table, where the end result will be no food at all for your dog. Place food on the edge of the table and show it to your dog. At this point, he might already know the routine and not even try to jump at it. If he does, correct him by pulling on the leash and saying "no." Follow the directions in Step 3 until your dog understands to not jump on the table under any circumstances.

7. Try training without your hand on the leash and see if the dog responds to your vocal commands. Once you feel he is obeying properly praise him and release. Be sure that he doesn't try to climb on the table upon release. If you want, you can have a treat in your pocket handy for this occasion. The key is to make sure that he knows not to jump up and take food from the table.

8. Practicing for 10 to 15 minutes everyday until your dog listens, even without the leash attached to his collar. Be patient as sometimes this takes weeks. Don't be afraid to entice him with food that is within his reach, so long as you are there to always correct him. Eventually your pooch will not need any more correction from you.

The Citronella Collar

1. Attach the citronella collar with spray box around your dog's neck (remove his regular collar) and hold the remote control in your hand. There are three levels to the citronella collar: a beep, a small spray and a larger spray. The dog should not like the sound of the beep or smell of the citronella and should respond to them. The citronella can be used as a follow up to the leash training and on dogs that just don't seem to "get it."

2. Put the training food out on the floor or on the table where your dog can see and smell it. If he tries to go for the food, press the beep button and say "no." If the beep button is not effective try the small spray then the large spray. Each time he does something you don't want him to, say "no."

3. Put the food on all surfaces that you can think of and use your remote to remind your dog that he is doing something that he shouldn't. You can have him sit and stay with the citronella collar, but keep in mind this is more supplemental training that encourages your pooch to be a good dog in his normal day environment where he won't always be wearing a leash.

4. Use the citronella collar for a few hours every day to keep an eye on your dog as you go about your daily routine. This is a great way to also correct any other nasty habits he may have, like jumping on guests or chewing on things he shouldn't.

Tips & Warnings

• It's always best to consult with a trusted dog trainer in your area before you begin a rigorous training session with your dog.

• Don't grab food out of your dog's mouth. Don't overdo it in a day, as both dog and owner will be burnt out. Always use training food that is safe for your dog to eat should he gobble it down.