They call them “puppy eyes” for a good reason. It’s hard to resist them when your dog gives you that look that seems to say, “I’m starving to death,” so of course you give in and share whatever is on your plate. Our desire to give our dogs bits of people food comes from a place of love, and while that generosity is kind, the reality is you’re setting yourself up for a lifetime of splitting your food with your dog.

Instead of sharing, give your dog his own delicious treat while you eat. Find a treat-stuffable activity toy or bone that will keep your dog happily occupied during meal time. If your dog finishes before you do and resorts to begging again, ignore him. (Again, if you have a persistent dog it’s not easy to do!) This behavior, like many of these problem behaviors, will likely go through what’s called an “extinction burst,” which is a temporary increase in the begging behavior before it goes away. It’s a challenging but predictable part of the re-training process, and usually an indicator that you’re almost at the finish line, so don’t give up.