Pets Locked Out While Eating a Meal

[mydrivingisterrible]

Just interested really. When I was a child we had a dog and he was allowed everywhere except while we were eating. My mother had a very negative image of having an animal in the room (usually kitchen) while we were sitting down to dinner as the dog would clearly be interested in the human nosh (people feeding a dog scraps from the table would be enough to turn her stomach). So, for the duration of the meal he was locked out.

All these years later and I have to admit I'm every bit the same as my mother. I've got a cat and she's a real charmer, but moment dinner is ready she's on the other side of a locked door so we can eat in peace.

YABU - don't look animals out
YANBU - lock animals out

We have one cat that simply could not be trained to leave us alone while we cook or eat. She would try to take bites of food from our fork as it entered our mouth. It was crazy how food focused she was.

so we crate trained her. Any time someone is going to eat something, she goes into her crate. She walks in on command and is perfectly happy hanging out.

our other cats are normal and just need a simple reminder that cats don’t belong at the table.

Adult, trained animals - either on their own beds or out of the room.

Puppies (I don't tend to train cats for other people!) - are taught to stay on their bed via food thrown there, then the food is slowed down, switched for longer lasting chews and when they can stay put for the duration of the meal the bed is gradually moved out of the room (if that fits the owners home layout, for some it wouldn't).

This is because it is an innate part of puppy behaviour to want to be around adults eating and to mooch food and even to be pretty pushy about it. Shutting them out straight away can cause huge frustration at a time when they're still in the bitey phase and the 'I don't wanna nap' phase. Adding more frustration to their lives at this point is not beneficial to anyone! Most puppies at this point are also not yet able to cope with being separated from everyone for that length of time and will experience real distress, so avoiding that is important.

But once they can settle and wait, then yep.

Oh interesting! Thank you!

It's personal preference I think 🤷🏼‍♀️

When we have guests for a meal we shut the dining room door on the cats.

They don't tend to jump up, but we prefer not to worry about it and also we realise not everyone is a cat person.

I don't think there's really a right or wrong when there's just you home... Although I do despise being at someone's house and their dog pushing against me/begging whilst I'm eating and I think owners should be mindful.

I love animals but tend to agree. Dogs are happier when they know their place and have clear boundaries. It’s not cruel to put them away from temptation to beg, whine and make a nuisance of themself so you can enjoy a meal.

My 2 labs will just sit and watch us eat. If I have guests the dogs stay in the front room out the way.

I don't see anything wrong in locking animals out during mealtimes, we don't, but understand other people do things differently. During meals our dog has to stay out the way on her bed (but not shut out) and our cat doesn't bother us. If the cat is in, he'll most likely be on his own bed. I don't think the cat equates us eating with us feeding him. I wouldn't like to have a dog wandering around especially under the table and/or begging.

Why do you have to lock the door?

We don't. 3 large dogs. Never had any problems except the SHepherd rests his head on the table occasionally though, and is told not to. Not sure if the problem is them stealing food?

Why locked? Are they there trying the handle, trying to come in?

I assume OP means shut out

Our dog usually stays on her bed while we eat but if on the odd occasion she does get off and wander over near dd age 6 (who has been known to feed her under the table!) she is sent back to bed. If she gets off her bed again she is put the utility room with her bed and the gate closed so she can still see/hear us but can't beg!

If we have something irresistible to her eg steak, sausages or roast chicken she is automatically put in utility room so she can't be tempted to beg! If we have guests we put her in the utility room with gate shut as not everyone likes dogs near them especially when eating! And even though she is generally very good - some visitors encourage her as well!!

Trained dog. We would either tell her to go and lie down or go to bed if she showed any interest. Tbh she rarely bother’s because she knows she is not allowed near the table when we are eating. The cat never bothers.
I’ve been to peoples houses where the dog has its chin on your knee, slobbering on you, whilst you eat. It’s vile.

Our dog doesn’t bother us when we are eating, so she’s in the kitchen with us.

@YoureWinningAtLife agree, we have friends who have a dog that’s allowed to sit practically on them when they’re eating and they share their food with the dog. As a result whenever we go there the dog is irritating, hovering at your feet or just with its nose smushed up on the table waiting for scraps. I don’t especially love dogs anyway and this is just horrible, wish they’d put her in another room as least while we eat! Other than that though she’s a well behaved dog but this palaver at meal times is off putting.

I have never locked my dog out when eating

If I had an animal that bothered me for food during meals I would absolutely shut them out. None of my cats have ever been remotely interested in human food so they can stay.

Our dog is very food motivated so we do shut him out when eating or we’d struggle to eat in peace. To be fair to him he has gotten better than he was at leaving us alone when we eat, we’ve eaten in front of him when out without major issues. But we do shut him out when at home because it’s just easier. He’s used to it now and doesn’t really attempt to get back in anymore until we’re done.

We've had to do this at times in the past with other cats. Our dog was more well behaved than the cat to be honest although he is no longer with us

Current cat will try and jump all over you if you're eating on the sofa and its chicken, trying to put her nose in the bowl etc etc, amazing how strong she is to push you out the way.

Shutting them out is ok when its like this

I have always had cats and none have ever bothered with human food, other than the 9 month old kitten I have now, who does a bit.

I also have two dogs, I have never shut them in any room and I really don’t think I could now as they would be distressed, if they knew we were on the other side of a door. They do watch intently whilst we eat and maybe whimper for leftovers. I wish I had been firmer when they were younger.

It depends how much they pester you. I have one dog you don't even notice and one who is very food orientated and lays waiting for you to finish to see if you will offer scraps (my teens fault). I don't lock them out day to day but do if I have guests.

My dog is trained to lay on his bed while we eat or cook so is in the same room but not on top of us trying to scavenge. I'm in the middle of trying to teach my kitten to give us space while eating cooking, it I'm in a patient mood and not in a rush then he'll stay in the room and I keep moving him away if he invades the space. If I'm in a rush or just not feeling it I'll shut him out for that meal. At least one meal a day is a 'training' meal rather than just shutting him out.

Any dog we had were taught from the beginning if they waited away from the table they might get some scraps after in the kitchen.

our lab would wait patiently on the sofa apparantly ignoring anyone eating until they got up (from dining table or sofa) and he would thenrun straight to the kitchen.

I've trained my dog so don't need to lock him out, he takes himself away, usually to his bed whilst we eat and then I call him at the end once any scraps are in his bowl. In the summer he will just lie on the lawn if it's not raining. He's never been a beggar. If for any reason he doesn't do it automatically you simply say go and lay down and he does.

If you never, ever feed your pet from the table, they learn it’s not for them.