Instructions
Provide separate eating areas for dogs, especially if they keep stealing food from each other. This is a natural behavior, specifically if there is an alpha dog in the house. Look for quiet, secluded places in different sides of the house for feedings.
Teach the command "no." When you see the dog attempt to go for a person's or another dog's food, immediately say a firm, loud "no." Keep a watchful eye on the dog when food is out and tell the dog "no" every time it tries to take food. Consistency is key.
Teach the command "leave it" for a more specific approach. Start by holding food in your hand, and saying "leave it" while lowering the food to the floor. If the dog immediately goes for the food, then take the food away and try again when the dog has stopped trying to gain access to it. Eventually, your dog will look at the food without attempting to eat it. When this happens, reward the dog with a dog-friendly treat.
Keep all food out of the dog's reach. If the dog is smaller, simply keep food up and away from it. However, if your dog is a larger, taller breed, you may need to remove the dog from the kitchen and dining areas while the family is eating dinner. The simplest way to avoid temptation is to remove it entirely.
Condition the dog to think that people food tastes bad. Add dog-safe bitter, available at most pet stores, to some food, and let your dog steal it from a family member when he or she is pretending not to notice. The dog will spit the food out. Repeat this with different foods every few days and eventually the dog will stop trying to steal food from others.
Keep the dog well fed and on a predictable eating schedule. Dogs often steal food from others because they are not sure when they will be fed again, or are simply hungry. If once-a-day feeding doesn't seem to be satisfying your dog, split the food into half portions and feed it twice a day. Remain on the same schedule and your dog will learn when to expect its food.
Prevent your dog from stealing food from others by keeping it otherwise stimulated with play or exercise. Long walks and playing with dog toys will help the dog focus on other more dog-friendly activities rather than the food.
Separate young children from dogs when the children eat. Children sometimes think that feeding dogs is a game or cannot otherwise protect their food from animals. It's better to avoid the potentially messy situation altogether.
How to Train Your Dog Not to Take Food From Others
Dogs take food from others for a variety of reasons. Stealing food is a natural behavior for a dog because before domestication, canines were scavengers. It is important to stop your dog from stealing food from people or other animals because it is a potentially dangerous habit. The dog could eat something poisonous or may nip at someone by accident. If dogs are stealing from other dogs, a negative and aggressive relationship could form between them. With good training and a lot of supervision, food-stealing behaviors can be eradicated.