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Should dogs be in the dining room while the family eats?

  • Yes, and I share some of my crumbs with him/her

    Votes: 12 18.2%
  • Yes, my dog lays down quietly while we eat

    Votes: 48 72.7%
  • No! The dog is in another room our outside when we eat

    Votes: 6 9.1%

Should your dog be allowed in the dining room during dinner

14K views 80 replies 69 participants last post by  gypsymama 
#1 ·
My housekeeper friend and I got into an argument over whether our dog should be allowed to lay on the floor of the dining room while we are eating dinner. She was saying in the old days that people would not have their dogs in the dining room while the family eats.:p:

What about you? Do you allow your dog(s) in the dining room with you when you eat?
 
#2 ·
I don't. I don't think it's a "should" across the board, but it's a personal preference of mine. It just irritates me to have dogs around the table begging, and also because I have young kids, I don't want to worry about the dog stealing from them or getting scraps they shouldn't. So back when we had our two dogs, we had them trained to stay out of the living room during dinner. Though Suzie always lay at the door and stuck her paws over the threshold in protest :D When we get our new dog, we will train him or her the same.
 
#10 ·
I allow my dogs in the room with us when we eat. they've never been given table scraps by me so they naturally know not to beg at all. they're normally off by the door playing with a toy or ball when were eating
Hunter has never been given table scraps either. Weather in the dining room or kitchen, he is usually just laying down making sure I'm not out of his sight. He's my Velcro puppy.



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#6 ·
Ah, yes, the "Old days". I believe she is referring to the 1950's, not the true old days like the 1500 and 1600's, where there were dogs in the dining hall of every castle. At least many of the European ones.:p:

It seems many people believe no behavior existed before the 1950's. Ignore her.

And, yes, Maddie is in the dining room with us. She doesn't beg. We don't feed her at the table.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Ah, yes, the "Old days". I believe she is referring to the 1950's, not the true old days like the 1500 and 1600's, where there were dogs in the dining hall of every castle. At least many of the European ones.:p:

It seems many people believe no behavior existed before the 1950's. Ignore her.

And, yes, Maddie is in the dining room with us. She doesn't beg. We don't feed her at the table.
Wow! Your dog looks just like my Mercy!
 
#8 ·
I must confess that sometimes Mercy is outside or in her crate (which is in our dining room), while we eat. Tonight though, when my friend was feeding our son his sandwich, Mercy and I had just come back from our walk and Mercy just wanted to lay down next to the table and she told me not to let Mercy stay in the dining room with us. I want Mercy to be a member of our family.
 
#29 ·
I might remember whose house it is and who is paying whom. That's sweet that she is taking such an active interest in your household. But I think she should bugger off (bless her heart). ;)
 
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#11 ·
As soon as we start putting plates on the table, Cookie runs to her "place" next to the table. She doesn't beg, and I occasionally pick a few green beans from the serving bowl and give them to her. :)

I do think laying quietly next to people who are eating in an important skill to teach your dog, even if you don't have them in the dining room. You never know when you'll be at a cookout or party with your dog.
 
#14 ·
I'm totally fine with having dogs in the dining room as we eat! Oscar doesn't really be that annoying, he'll just look for a few minutes but if you tell him to go lie down he will, but he'll look over every now and then hoping for some scraps lol :)
 
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#15 ·
My boys lay down near the table when we eat dinner and do not beg at all - HOWEVER we have a nightly ritual that takes place once the table is cleared. DH goes to the cookie jar where the biscuits are kept and gets one for Hunter and one for Mako. He breaks it in half and both boys sit nicely (and drool a steady stream) while DH says "Who's my best boy???" and they each have their biscuit and then circle the kitchen with their tail wagging. So cute and the same ritual goes on night after night and warms my heart every time!
 
#17 ·
Ranger knows he's not getting food and that he's not allowed to beg. If he even starts sniffing or staring, let alone drooling, he's told to leave. So when we eat, he just sleeps nearby.
 
#18 ·
I do, otherwise any meals when my gfs not here would be very lonely. Tuco knows begging wont make a difference so I just let him stare. I usually feed him when I eat so depending on the meal most of the time he will be too busy on a turkey drum or pork ribs to worry about my food.


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#19 ·
My three dogs lie quietly on the floor without begging during dinner, and wait to be told it's "okay" to get up. I've just done that my whole life (which began in the 1950's), and learned it from my parents (who grew up in the 1930's), who learned it from their parents (1910's). So, dogs were in the dining room in the "old days," too. I guess my family was just "lowly," or so I've been told. We've always loved dogs, and treated them like members of the family. It's a family flaw. :)
 
#22 ·
My house is small and open concept....Sage is allowed to lay by my feet while I'm eating. Sometimes I get the sad puppy eyes but mostly she just plops down and waits for me to finish. Now my old kitty is a terrible beggar and will paw me while I eat...she gets put in the bedroom often as she will jump up on my lap if I ignore her and I'm eating chicken!!!!

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#23 ·
For the past couple years, the dogs have been with us because we've been eating in the living room, in front of the TV set. Ick. That's stopping now that we are getting the new couch and the rugs have been cleaned. I'd like to return to having the dogs in another room during meals. I like that partly because when people come over, many aren't used to having an animal by their feet. It just seems nicer to the guests to have them elsewhere. My sister's dog was always in the room during our holiday dinners, and I never cared for it.
 
#25 ·
Our dogs are allowed in the dining room when we are eating and if we are visiting somewhere else they are on lead under the table. They are not allowed in the kitchen when food is being prepared as they get underfoot. They have never stolen food and we don't feed them from the table or in the kitchen.

Guybrush doesn't beg. Kaylee does we think she got feed at the table by her previous owner. She has stopped doing it so much now but if we are in the living room with food she will put her head on our laps and look up at us with horribly sad puppy eyes.

On the other hand the cats will beg and meow for food in the kitchen, living room, bedroom and at the table.
 
#27 ·
Absolutely if she wants to Honey takes no notice whatsoever when we are eating whether its at the Dining room table or on a tray on our laps in front of the TV the only time she shows any interest is if she hears me grating cheese:doh: then she will come and lay by the back door in the kitchen in the hope a few tasty morsels will come her way:D
 
#31 ·
I agree with Megora. The goldens are welcome to be close by here, just not to beg.
 
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