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Dachshund/Chihuahua mix constant beggar and will not leave the kitchen if you are preparing food.

I rescued and adopted a little dog, a Dachshund/Chihuahua mix, from the pound. Her name is Dinky and she is approximately 1 1/2 years old. We have two other dogs, both Labrador Retrievers, and all three get along great. However, I was warned that Dinky would get into any garbage can if she could. Sure enough, if I leave her in the house and don't put the garbage can away, she will tip it over and ransack the contents.

We have had this little dog since the end of June. We free-feed the dogs, and there is always dry food available for them. Dinky has gained about 10 pounds since I have had her. She is a constant beggar and will not leave the kitchen if you are preparing food. My daughter and I have enabled her to become a worse beggar than she was when we first got her, because we give her tidbits.

We need to correct this behavior. She will jump onto the counter if she gets a chance and steal any food that is there. We do not believe in hitting our dogs. We scold, but it doesn't affect her in any way. What course of treatment or training can we do that will eliminate this gluttonous feeding frenzy that she exhibits? She is very lovable in all other ways, but if food is in sight she is fixated on what is happening to it and who is eating it until the food is gone.

Wow, 10 pounds is a lot of weight for Dinky to have put on, especially if she is a little Dachshund/Chihuahua mix! Her health is at risk, and you need to get guidance from your vet on how to safely put her on a reducing diet. Also, be sure to ask your vet to do a thorough examination to rule out any underlying medical conditions that might be contributing to her feeding frenzy and resulting weight gain. Rather than free-feeding, you will need to begin scheduling meals in order to adhere to the diet your vet recommends. In between meals, it may help to provide her with a knucklebone or large natural shank bone to give her something to gnaw on to outlet diet stress.

Meanwhile, from a behavioral standpoint, save your breath on the scolding. You will only make Dinky feel defensive in your presence, and it won’t reduce her food drive. The first behavior that needs correcting is your daughter’s and your own! You already know this, as you’ve admitted in your letter. I’m sure neither of you want to hurt your dog by overindulging her; it’s time for a little doggie "tough love" when it comes to food. Try to develop new, healthier ways of showing Dinky that you love her. Start grooming her or walking her instead of giving snacks. Reward good behavior with petting, rather than tidbits, and plan to be firm no matter how desperate she seems when it comes to begging. Putting away the trash can and not leaving food on the counter seem more fair than expecting her to show self-control in the presence of what she perceives as edible, at least until her weight is regulated.

Confinement when you are not home, and even keeping her restrained on a leash when you are, may be necessary to keep her from resorting to desperate measures, such as eating soap or other inedible materials. Shrinking fat cells can cause an individual to feel like they are starving even when they aren’t, and she needs to be protected from herself until she gets a better grip on her appetite.

There is a possibility that some of Dinky’s excessive food interest stems from a dominant-possessive personality. Speed and scrappiness are small-dog virtues, especially when other larger dogs are present; they learn to seek and wolf food in a hurry before a bigger dog can get to it. The competition created by the two other dogs, along with her human family’s willingness to surrender food to her, may have resulted in a bolstered sense of entitlement and exaggerated food drive. Enrolling in a positive reinforcement (touch, not food!) dog obedience class will help you learn how to reduce any dominance issues Dinky may have. It also will allow both you and your dog to learn some new training tricks, and help her feel good about your relationship, rather than just food!


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