[elle]

Hi all, why do dog foods not appeal to my two dogs fluffy and charlie.

They will eat dog nuts fine if nothing else to eat, but boy do they love the food from the kitchen table!

I suspose there dog nuts are bland,

Does anyone give in and give dogs leftovers from the table, or is it bad for them!

Also my two children are always feeding them from the table

[cigwyllt]

Why would they bother with dog food if they are going to be fed from the table? I think you need to work on a bit of obedience training with the children :-D My dogs get leftovers but not from the table - we prefer them to be out of the room when we eat. Sure they will eat food that is dropped for them and given to them. It is up to you to decide whether or not this is something you want to continue. Seriously, as with most dog training, it takes consistency from everyone involved with their care. It is pointless you trying to teach them not to beg if your children are going to carry on feeding them. Giving them food from the table (as long as it is appropriate food, not sugary puddings and the like) is not necessarily bad for them physically but it is a pain for guests when they start demanding scraps from them. It is bad doggy behaviour in my house.

My dogs get leftovers/scraps but not from the table. The food is put into a bowl and mixed with their dry food. That way the food doesn't go in the bin but the dogs don't expect us to feed them while we are eating either.

There are some human foods - grapes and chocolate are the first that spring to mind - that can be fatal to dogs so you need to look into that.

[elle]

It,ll easier to keep them out of kitchen, while we eat, than try to stop children aged 20 months and 3year old, which in fairness they do drop the food even when the dogs arent there! Thats what toddlers do!


As far as visitors to the house,
My relatives dont really understand my love for dogs, or why they are in the house with small children.

They dont say anything, but you just know they prefer if the dog was put out.


But i do agree the better behaved the dogs are the easier guess will accept them being around.

I know now isnt the best time for me to own dogs with young children, but I just couldnt be without one,

its just about getting the balance right!

[CorkyMax]

(quote)
Also my two children are always feeding them from the table

You might want to check out this thread:
Foods that are hazardous to a dog
This is a long thread but very important to know.

I don't feed my dogs 'leftovers' but they do get human food as I raw feed and home-cook and never use commercial dog food.

[elle]

Thanks corky/max

[Todd]

Don't feed directly from the table. This will teach bad begging habits. If anything, but the table scraps in their dog bowl and give it to them that way. table scraps are not bad if fed with common sense. Feed things they can utilize. Obviously don't give them a piece of bread or a donut which will do nothing for them.

If they don't like dog food have you ever tried a raw or home cooked diet. Just table scraps isn't going to result in a balanced diet in most cases. Have you tried topping some kibble with table scraps?

[elle]

Think i,ll stick to dog nuts, but if there are leftovers that are not hazardous to dog and are nutritionally sound, then i,ll put it on top of nuts..


Didnt realise that so much food was hazardous to dogs, like pasta sauce and onions which are in a lot of recipes.

I don,t feed dogs from the table, what I meant by feeding from the table, was dogs eating leftovers from family meals. Sorry should of explained it better.

But the children do have a tendency to drop food to the floor, which dogs do end up eating.

But Ive sorted that now by putting dogs out, while we eat.

Thanks again for the advice.

[Lara's mom]

My little pack always gets to share my leftovers, providing I haven't made something very spicy.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

My little pack always gets to share my leftovers, providing I haven't made something very spicy.

or something with to much sugar. bet a jack russell on a sugar rush isn't a pretty picture, is it???

[LabMan2]

My wife and I never give our boys food from the table, but our corgi is like a little vacuum cleaner and always manages to scarf anything up that drops from the table before you have a chance to pick it up!

I figure, because there are so many different foods that are bad for dogs, why risk it? So we just stick to their dry dog food.

I've noticed that giving our dogs treats or foods other than their regular dry food causes their regular digestive process to change (loose stools, irregularity, etc.), which I can definitely tell does not make my lab happy.

[Lara's mom]

A Jack Russell on a sugar high is something I don't even want to contemplate. It's the stuff that nightmares are made of!!!

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

My little pack always gets to share my leftovers, providing I haven't made something very spicy.

I actually eat at my computer desk to be able to try and eat in peace. The little beggars can just of eaten their own big supper and still want mine--and they eat a human-grade meal as it is--actually a lot healthier than what I eat! They still get one bite of something I'm having, just to 'get them off my back' and to stop that begging look I get from them.
I've been trying to not give them anything hardly at all as neither are suppose to have salt and Max has got to lose weight.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Corky/Max

I actually eat at my computer desk to be able to try and eat in peace. The little beggars can just of eaten their own big supper and still want mine--and they eat a human-grade meal as it is--actually a lot healthier than what I eat! They still get one bite of something I'm having, just to 'get them off my back' and to stop that begging look I get from them.
I've been trying to not give them anything hardly at all as neither are suppose to have salt and Max has got to lose weight.

I probably makes it worse if you give them some of your food. They figure if they come and bother you you'll eventually give in. Try having them sit and stay from a distance while you eat. May take a little training. If you give them some of your scraps make sure no to hand feed it to them from your plate. Just put it in their bowl. I used to have the same problem with Lucky. I decided one day that I was tired of it so I never handed her any food from my plate while I ate. After a few weeks she must have realized that she wasn't going to get anything while I was eating so the problem is now solved.

[Lara's mom]

I'm a world class wuss. I can't resist those 3 sets of beautiful brown eyes...

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Todd

I probably makes it worse if you give them some of your food. They figure if they come and bother you you'll eventually give in.They definitely know that and so do I--like Lara said--Can't resist the little buggers! Try having them sit and stay from a distance while you eat.Lol, You don't know my Corky! I have to keep pushing him down from the computer desk--right there in my face with those eyes--Aw, come on ma-just a little, please, pretty please! And wagging his tail! Now, Max (Paxer) will let Corky do all the 'in face' stuff--Paxer just lays there at a slight distance, biding his time and lets Corky get the desired results. He knows that if Corky gets any-that mama won't not give him some too. Lol, sometimes he is so slow to get it that Corky gets to it first-- sometimes. But, here again--Paxer knows that if Corky gets his, (Max/Paxer's) mama will still see that Max gets some too. This paxer knows his mama! May take a little training. If you give them some of your scraps make sure no to hand feed it to them from your plate. Just put it in their bowl. I used to have the same problem with Lucky. I decided one day that I was tired of it so I never handed her any food from my plate while I ate. After a few weeks she must have realized that she wasn't going to get anything while I was eating so the problem is now solved.

I have been trying lately because of their problems. (Just got the news (x-ray) that Max is started on same road as Corky with the heart problem) When Corky sees me eat the last bite--after I tell him 'loudly'--NO, It's all gone and put the plate out in the kitchen on the counter--far enough so he can't reach it--He goes back to 'the coffee table' and lies down finally. Lol, now Max hasn't moved from his spot because he is still 'comfortable' where he was.

Seriously, I know the 'correct' way to do this--It's just being able to make myself ignore them and do it! Got to do it though if I want to try and keep them around as long as I can!

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Corky/Max

I have been trying lately because of their problems. (Just got the news (x-ray) that Max is started on same road as Corky with the heart problem) When Corky sees me eat the last bite--after I tell him 'loudly'--NO, It's all gone and put the plate out in the kitchen on the counter--far enough so he can't reach it--He goes back to 'the coffee table' and lies down finally. Lol, now Max hasn't moved from his spot because he is still 'comfortable' where he was.

Seriously, I know the 'correct' way to do this--It's just being able to make myself ignore them and do it! Got to do it though if I want to try and keep them around as long as I can!

Besides ignoring them. Have them sit and stay at a distance. Work on training them to do this and if they move toward you get up, give them a firm verbal correction, and back them up using your body. This is called body blocking or using your body to get the dog to move in the direction you wish. Then have them sit again and stay. they'll eventually catch on. I they leave you alone while you eat praise them and give them a treat of their own. This is the positive reinforcement which makes their patients worth while.

[Ozzy29]

Is there any way that you can keep them in another room while you eat? That way you won't be tempted by their pleading eyes? Perhaps a baby gate?