How to get puppy to not jump on me while eating?

10824 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Esand, Sep 21, 2015

Coco Bisou

Discussion Starter · Sep 18, 2015

Coco is very smart and quick at learning commands and very treat motivated. However, I cannot figure out how to get her to get off me and stay away when I'm eating at my preferred eating spot - the couch. She's either at my legs jumping up and scratching at me, or next to me climbing up on me trying to get at my food.

I want her to sit or lay down and not touch me while I'm eating. She can stare and smack her lips all she wants (she's not at all vocal), but I want her to stay away. I cannot figure out how to train her to do this. Down, sit, stay, off, no... nothing works.

Help? Commands? Tricks?

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Redwood

· #2 · Sep 19, 2015

'Get a crate' is the easiest way to handle it! And in fact I recommend it. Or put her in a different room while you have food for yourself.

If you want a much, much longer method, your best bet is teaching her to be on her bed when you're on the couch and STAYING there for the amount of time it takes you to eat. And then gradually bringing out your food, but only rewarding her with pieces of it when her butt is parked on her bed. Never give her even a lick or sniff of your food when she's jumping and trying to get at you, cuz even once means it succeeded an she'll keep trying.

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cos

· #3 · Sep 19, 2015

I agree with the above! If you have a crate maybe you can move it into the living room and tell her to go to her crate when you're eating. If you don't then you could try using her bed as well. The idea is not that she has to be caged, but that she stays there when you ask her to. I wouldn't train her while you eat your actual meals because you'll probably end up eating cold spaghetti. Just eat a snack at your couch and when she gets all over you tell her to go lay down and either place her in her bed or point for her to lay down. Then go sit back down on the couch. If she follows you repeat. If she comes to you on the couch repeat. Repeat 234 more times and eventually she'll get the point!

I always toss Cosmo small pieces of treat when he's laying in his bed at his beI'm d, so I can praise him without him coming to eat from me while I'm on the couch eating. Now he will gladly sit across the room in his bed patiently waiting for the end of my meal where I set something aside to treat him with in his bed. Sometimes I don't treat him and sometimes I do. I'm trying to get him to the point where he will reliably lay there with no treats and we're almost there!

During your actual meals where you don't want to eat cold I would suggest crating her in another room so that she doesn't think she can do it sometimes or get mixed signals

takes a lot of patience so good luck!

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Pax

· #4 · Sep 20, 2015

Positively reinforce the behavior you want. One thing I did with Pax since he was a pup was that the ONLY way that he was going to get ANY food was to be lying down and not begging. I would put him in a lie down and reward him heavily for that. Now he know that sniffing at my legs with the puppy eyes is not gonna get him anything, but if he is lying on the floor, he will get some of what I have. As soon as the food comes out, bam....he is on that floor fast!

Works great at dog friendly restaurants. I will usually order a plain grilled chicken breast or something that he can have, dice it up and he will be lying by my side getting a few chunks every once in a while and not up begging or bothering others.

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Coco Bisou

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 21, 2015

Pax said:
Positively reinforce the behavior you want. One thing I did with Pax since he was a pup was that the ONLY way that he was going to get ANY food was to be lying down and not begging. I would put him in a lie down and reward him heavily for that. Now he know that sniffing at my legs with the puppy eyes is not gonna get him anything, but if he is lying on the floor, he will get some of what I have. As soon as the food comes out, bam....he is on that floor fast!

Works great at dog friendly restaurants. I will usually order a plain grilled chicken breast or something that he can have, dice it up and he will be lying by my side getting a few chunks every once in a while and not up begging or bothering others.

Thank you, this is helpful! I don't want to involve a crate, as there won't be a crate in public (like a restaurant patio) or other people's houses, and isn't really training her, just removing her from the temptation, which isn't really training her.

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Esand

· #6 · Sep 21, 2015

Put a rag or blanket down in the room where you eat. Train her to lay on the blanket by rewarding for laying down and then staying. Gradually increase time between treats and distractions.

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