Golden retriever puppy obsession with food

[James Laidler]

Just wondering if anyone has had any problems and solutions to the above title. We have a 4 month old puppy who gets in a bit of a frenzy about food especially when we are eating. This is our first puppy and we have made some mistakes in her the early days. She was also us to sit under the table and our baby dropped food on the floor which she was getting.
But now she jumps up and steals food from the babies kids hands and table/kitchen work top if she can.

We have done some research on online and the general consensus is to to keep them out of kitchen and away from The table when you prepare and eat a

 

[JudyN]

Yes, this is very much about management. Every single 'stolen' bit of food he gets will reinforce the behaviour, and food is SO rewarding for a dog. I would keep him out of the kitchen whenever there's any food around, particularly at mealtimes or when cooking, and try to give him something else to do to keep him occupied - maybe a bone to chew, treat ball or stuffed Kong. Also, encourage him to learn a good 'settle' (see

). Expect him to take a while to learn that pester power doesn't work - you might need one of you to wolf your meal quickly to start with so he doesn't have to be 'good' for longer than he can manage at this age.

Keep worktops clear of nickable food at all times. Easier said than done, I know - consider sturdy bread bins, large boxes to put dirty plates etc. in, or whatever works for you. Tell yourself that any food on the worktop might just as well be on the floor as far as nickability is concerned.