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  • Welcome back!

    We decided to spruce things up and fix some things under the hood. If you notice any issues, feel free to contact us as we're sure there are a few things here or there that we might have missed in our upgrade.

A quesadilla, a dollop of ketchup and a piece of toast (one gulp!)..

stekijessica

stekijessica

Member
These are all things that our six month old can now reach at the table. This mastiff newbie would love to hear what your dinner table policy is - do you train your dog? crate your dog? just never ever leave food out? Please share!!
 
Max's mom

Max's mom

Well-Known Member
I have no issues with Max and the table. He walks by, looks, rarely stops. He saunters away to go in the other room and lay down or chew toys. He has never been fed table scraps or lick plates. I'm not sure he even realizes it's dinner! Now, pull the cutting board out and chop anything...he's right there. He has to sit before he is allowed anything in the kitchen. Most of the time I hand him raw veggies, so he's not interested after that! I did no specific training. It's just the way it is. The chocolate lab on the other hand...we just won't go there.
 
TricAP

TricAP

Well-Known Member
Our policy has always been lay down and wait when we sit down to eat. Occasionally there are scraps but only if he follows the rules. Only time Angus really begs is if we eat in front of the TV - then all training is forgotten or some reason.
 
EverythingEnglishMastiff

EverythingEnglishMastiff

Got Mastiff?
Our dog's aren't allowed in the kitchen when we are cooking. They aren't allowed to beg. When we are eating they must lay down and not be imposing otherwise they get no leftovers/scraps/plate licks nothing. IF they follow the rules we usually purposely leave them at least one bite if we were going to eat it all. They then have to sit and wait, once they've maintained eye contact for a short period they "break" and get to lick their individual plates. If at any point they don't follow the rules or slobber on us while we're trying to eat, they get nothing. Seems to work but takes 100% consistency. By they I mean it's a group effort. One messes up, no one gets anything.
 
DennasMom

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
Denna's not allowed in the kitchen. period. (she follows that rule 99% of the time) //We can leave anything out on the kitchen counter and not worry about it. The dining table is mostly safe... but it needs to be back away from the edge, or she will take a taste. :) Denna does get occasional leftovers from our dinner plates (salmon skin is a favorite), but if we let her know she won't be getting anything, she gives up really easy. I agree with EverythingEM - the dog must partake of "Doggie Zen: You must first give up the treat, to get the treat" If Denna begs for it... she won't get it. Once she gives up and lays down, the tidbit normally appears in front of her nose. :) I enjoy sharing with her, too.
 
Smokeycat

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
No heads on the table. That said Kryten isn't the problem, Jiggers is. The only way I've managed to control his counter surfing is to not leave anything unattended or unwatched or he will take it.

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T

tmricciuto

Well-Known Member
My girls are either outside or in their crate during dinner. No begging allowed.


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EverythingEnglishMastiff

EverythingEnglishMastiff

Got Mastiff?
Use an aversieve. I hate that word and I hate using them. That's about the only way you are going to stop it. Try tying like 5-10 soda cans on a string and tie the string to a juicy piece of meat. It's not THAT they counter surf, it that one time you will forget something near the edge that could kill them. Dirty, rotten, disrespectful, DANGEROUS habit that should be stopped at all costs. I can leave my dinner plate at elbow height on the coffee table and go take a 10 min regimental and come back and my juicy pork chop will still be there unmolested. It's a goal to set for the future. It's dinner security worth having.
 
karennj

karennj

Well-Known Member
Bear is so bad with food. I have a locking garbage can but he still tries to pop the lid probably 20 times a day to see if it will open. He can reach anything on the counter so nothing gets left out. On one hand my counters and table are always clean but it is a big change from my other dog who would never try and steal food. He will not bed at the table because he knows he will get nothing, but he will try to steal it if you turn your back. Yesterday he was eyeing something frying in a pan on the stove and I told him leave it and turned around and when I turned back he was just feeling the hot pan on his jowls and pulled his head away. Lesson learned, today he did not try to touch the pan (his skin looks fine). I know I need to work on this with Bear but honestly other things needed my attention when he got here. Now I just manage it which is working fine but eventually I will do the training I have been putting off.
 
Smokeycat

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
EverythingEnglishMastiff said:
Use an aversieve. I hate that word and I hate using them. That's about the only way you are going to stop it. Try tying like 5-10 soda cans on a string and tie the string to a juicy piece of meat. It's not THAT they counter surf, it that one time you will forget something near the edge that could kill them. Dirty, rotten, disrespectful, DANGEROUS habit that should be stopped at all costs. I can leave my dinner plate at elbow height on the coffee table and go take a 10 min regimental and come back and my juicy pork chop will still be there unmolested. It's a goal to set for the future. It's dinner security worth having.
Click to expand...
I agree it's something that should be stopped but some dogs defy all attempts at breaking the behavior. Everything I have tried with Jiggers, including the cans you mentioned, just rewarded the behavior. If you can't train the dog, you train the human to make it safer for the dog.

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Wilsy

Wilsy

Well-Known Member
Wilson can reach the table and kitchen worktops but has never taken anything from either. He didn't even touch the cooked chicken I left out to cool on the worktop after I left the room. He can sit near us when we are eating at the table but he is never fed from the table. I can leave my food on a tray on the sofa and he won't take it. We do give him scraps but these are either fed in his own bowl or used as a reward for doing a sit, paw, touch etc. When I'm in the kitchen cooking Wilson is there with me and behaves himself......apart from when I am grating some cheese and then he starts to fidget and nudge my thigh with his snout to remind me that he is there and wants some cheese NOW!!!
 
EverythingEnglishMastiff

EverythingEnglishMastiff

Got Mastiff?
Smokeycat said:
I agree it's something that should be stopped but some dogs defy all attempts at breaking the behavior. Everything I have tried with Jiggers, including the cans you mentioned, just rewarded the behavior. If you can't train the dog, you train the human to make it safer for the dog.
Click to expand...
Everything you've tried so far. BUT have you tried everything? I doubt. Just saying. :haveagreatday:
 
JamieHalverson

JamieHalverson

Well-Known Member
I have to manage anything edible in our house. Yogi is impossible when it comes to food. While we are eating, nobody gets anything unless they stay in their place until released and then they get to lick my boyfriend's plate. Not mine, I just don't like the habit, but I don't see much harm if they are expected to behave prior. NOW, food left out unattended, the garbage, whatever else is fair game as far as Yogi's concerned. We have to manage it, he's definitely NOT trained to leave anything when he's home alone. It is dangerous, he's proven that a couple times. But I have zero trust in him and never will, no matter how much training we put into place. I had a Rottweiler years ago who was the same way. To her credit, she had been dumped in the country and weighed 63 pounds when I adopted her. Her healthy weight was 98 pounds. She was skin and bones, he skin literally hung on her frame. I think she just never got over that. One day I came home from work and there was an empty can of refried beans on the floor, we hadn't eaten refried beans. I picked up the can and she had chewed the top all the way around and the top of the can was shoved down inside all the way to the bottom, she had forced it down while squeezing the beans out...
 
E

Esand

Well-Known Member
Leia doesn't beg, I never feed.

Simba used beg a lot, and I'd happily share a roasted jalapeño. He doesn't beg that much anymore.
 
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