Alright. So with all of the dogs that we've ever had together, I always tell my boyfriend not to start giving them scraps. I told him this with Chimi, and he didnt listen, so then I started to do it too.
Chimi is a little MONSTER while you are eating! I love dogs to bits, and dont mind giving up scraps, but a 3lb fuzzy jumping all over my head while I'm trying to eat something is just a bit too much for me. I dont like dogs that will take me out for my own food. I've tried telling him no, and repeatedly taking him off of the couch (our dining room is under construction, so no kitchen table), and even scruffing him (I hate this because he screeches bloody murder) and he STILL wont stop trying to steal your food right from your hands. I think that this is another one of his little dominance issues that we have going here.
He also believes that he should be the only one allowed to beg for food. He goes after the other dogs when they try to come and sit near me while I'm eating!
Anyone have any suggestions that I hav'nt tried? He's driving me nuts with this! And I dont want to have to crate him everytime I'm eating...
Sounds like Chimi needs to spend some time in a kennel/crate. That is what I would do if my boys went acting a fool during dinner time. I would put them in a kennel cab right before I start to eat and then only let them out when I am finished. Feeding dogs from your plate can really instill some not so desirable triats in our doggies. However I do it on occasion. We sit at a bar to eat, so the kids can't reach us there. That might be another thought to, try to sit somewhere where they can't reach you. I am not sure of any other way other than that.
You should get some more feedback on the matter. Sorry Mia!
Thanks for the advice... I think I may try the kennel option a little bit more. On a better note, our dining room table that we are going to get is a really pretty pub table, so it's about as high as a bar would be. I specifically demanded that my boyfriend get one, because our dogs are such turds for food. They shouldnt be able to reach us from the pub table... but it's not going to arrive for another two weeks! LOL.
Chimi is now in his crate while I am eating a cheese steak and typing this. He is not very happy with your advice, but I like it! He is in that crate screeching and plotting against me at this very moment... I can hear him! But I'll always love him anyways, and whenever he shouts out his revenge from the crate, I think it's hysterical!
Sounds like Chimi is a tad upset with ya. That is the only thing I would know to do. If he can't behave himself while you eat, then off to the crate you go. He should get the idea. Binks gets a tad pushy at times, specially when I am sitting on the floor to eat or at the coffee table, he will crawl up in my lap and stick his nose on my plate. So that is my fault for letting him to do that. But when I say "NO", he knows to back off. Don't be puttin your paws on my plate, cuz you be drawin back a nub!!!! LOL!
LOL! Poor Chimi, not! Well Mia I think you're doing the right thing in crating him while you eat. Hopefully when he's a bit older and learned that he isn't to pester you when you et you can put teh crate away. Chimi is at that age when he'll try and challenge you to alpha position, but it sounds like you have it down. Keep going girl, you're doing a great job!
I dont like to talk badly of James, but he did the same thing with Ellie! He even picks her up when he's finished eating and I haven't! But worse, he allowed her to bite him as a pup so now I'm finding it a hard job to get her to stop! I completely adore James, but this makes me sooo angry! Why is it men undo all our good work?! It has been a source of argument a few times and really upsets me, but he continues to do it! Grrr....
Oh Sattie... he's not happy with your advice at all! LOL!
And Jess... I dont know WHY they have to do this... My Tony is waaaaay too giving with the scraps, and this is what I believe is making our Chinese Crested dog fat!! That's another thing... I definitely dont want Chimi to get fat! My nanny has a chi that has back problems and heart and breathing issues because she's obese from eating her own dish of ice cream everytime they have ice cream!! Chimi gets special treats and all, but he gets limitted amounts of things, and he eats only about 1/8 of a cup of food three times a day. (He's very hypoglycemic (sp?))
Like you said, I love Tony to death, but we get into horrible arguments over the scraps thing, and how he just seems to throw all of Chimi's hard work and training down the drain.
lol..im with deb on that one....lol I guess we were lucky with Chuwee because we already had Zip trained to leave the livingroom while we eat. We eat in the livingroom most nights on the coffee table. It raises up so its just like eating at a regular table. I have never had a dog that was allowed in the same area that we ate in. They just had to learn that wasn't going to happen. Chuwee took awhile to figure this out as well, but he soon figured it out. Zip is so good at leaving as soon as she sees the food come out, POOF she is gone to her bed in our bedroom. Chuwee just naturally follows her now. Once we finish eating, they can come in and we usually have left overs that I will give them in their bowls.
OMG Deb!! That's the best suggestion I've heard yet!!
Oh Newf... I ENVY you!! LOL. That is the desired effect that I would love to have here... but unfortunately my boyfriend's dog has been getting table food for about 3 years now, and in order to get Chimi to fully listen up, I think that I will have to work with Gringo first as well.
Chimi started his first evening of intermediate classes this last Thursday, and I brough this topic up with the trainer. She said that if I truly dont mind giving people food, then I should put a bit in each of our dog's bowls so that they will get the point about where they are supposed to have food. The trainer said that hopefully they will eventually just wait by their bowls. I sure hope so... LOL.
Mia, I'm a little late getting in this discussion, but the crate/play pen solution works well with Rufus. And since he doesn't get to eat until after I do (I'm alpha dog!!!), then I can give him a few tidbits if it's something he can have to eat.
He fussed about this at first, but now he's used to it and just settles down for a nap while we eat.
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He is in that crate screeching and plotting against me at this very moment... I can hear him! But I'll always love him anyways, and whenever he shouts out his revenge from the crate, I think it's hysterical! 
I completely adore James, but this makes me sooo angry! Why is it men undo all our good work?! It has been a source of argument a few times and really upsets me, but he continues to do it! Grrr....
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