We have a puppy (16 weeks) and also children (ages 4-13). The puppy has gotten better about not trying to jump on us or the table during dinner, but she still seems a little agitated and on edge, walking around/under the table while we eat. It doesn't help that the kids will sometimes talk to her etc (working on that with the kids... But they are so much harder to train than a dog!). Anyway I'm looking for ideas on training so that the dog can learn to relax and chill out while we eat.
lizard
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If my grands or other company are here, I just send both dogs to their crates while eating. My grands are small and eat at a children's height table. If it's just us, my dogs don't beg and I have Logan lay on the floor beside me while I eat at the dining table. Abby is six and long been trained not to bother us while we are eating. She plops down wherever she likes.
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It's up to you really. Mine don't bother me/misbehave in the kitchen or jump up or anything. I teach that early on. I usually just crate before we sit down to eat, if I'm crating. If she's crate trained, she should be fine with it and feel secure in her crate. I let mine watch cartoons. 😆
If she misbehaves when you're cooking, you could crate sooner.
You will also benefit greatly from teaching the place command and extending duration. Patience is key and your pup is young. I taught Logan (my Golden) the concept of place early on and he also understood the down command. We added duration over time. It's a great skill for your dog to have to avoid overexcited greetings, transfers well to eating out with your dog, is helpful for breaks if you ever get involved in agility, obedience, etc.
Place Command
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