Polite Dinner Manners
In attaining the polite puppy dinner behavior, you first have to define it. For example, I consider it polite in my household if my four dogs remain quietly at our feet while we eat. If they don’t make any impolite dog behavior like whining or barking or otherwise nudge us for treats, they get an occasional treat from our dinner.
Alternatively, you may rather teach Sparky when during mealtime to lie on a dog bed. A tether’s your ideal management tool for this. Help your puppy to get used of being on the tether outside of mealtime so you won’t have to constantly interrupt your meals to train. This shouldn’t take more than one or two practice sessions. Meanwhile, use a crate or baby gate to confine your pup so you can have relaxed, puppy-free meals.
When Sparky has learned to accept tethering, set up his tether in the dining room away from the table, a separate place which is easy for you and at least far enough so the dog won’t be tripped over as the family moves around the table. Make ready your treat-dispensing toy or other interactive toy to maintain his happiness while you eat.
When your pup is seldom relaxed and quiet, calmly praise him, and go to him to feed a treat. In short order you can gradually lessen on giving him treats and Sparky will be pleased to share meals with you at a respectable distance. Sooner or later, the polite dinner habit will be so well-ingrained, you won’t either need the tether.
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For puppies, it is just normal for them to pick up everything with their mouths – that is they’re way of exploring the world. You can make life easier for you and your pup if you do a good job of management – basically, keep non-chew objects out of your pup’s reach. Though, you pup will certainly find a forbidden object, such as a book or a shoe; something of value to you; or something that might harm him.
Once Sparky does find a forbidden object, your first instinct will be to run after him and grab it away, and saying “bad puppy” – but stop – that’s the worst thing you can do. Plus, it’s a great way to teach him a delightful game of canine keep-away (from his puppy perspective). Instead, be proactive. Teach Sparky to give objects to you on cue. Then, when he grabs something inappropriate, just slip into training mode and ask him to “give.”
The first thing to do in teaching “give” is offering your pup a toy that he likes to play with. Offer him a treat when he happily plays the toy. As he drops the toy to take the treat, say “give” and feed him the treat. Pitch him the toy for him to play with again. It is a fun game for him – you puppy gets the yummy treat and he gets to chase the toy again!
After a few repetitions, start saying “give” first, then offer the treat in trade for the toy. With practice, he’ll learn to drop the toy on the give cue, and you can treat randomly – but sometimes, not always, eventually stopping the treats altogether with just using praise.
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