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My dog keeps stealing food from the table, how can I stop him?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 10 years and 1 month old

He did it again, my dog got food off the table. How do I discipline him? Let him know that doing that is WRONG?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

Published on February 9th, 2018

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! More than focusing on the negative of when he does that behavior, ideally, you would focus on positive reinforcement. This means that when he does something negative like that you let him know that it is wrong. However, it is more important to focus on the positive. When he gets close to the table and is not trying to get food off the table, praise him and give him a treat. This will help him associate not getting food off the table with something positive and can help with this undesirable behavior. Good luck and have a good night!
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