Behaviour when I'm eating

[PuppyMcPupFace]

I've just taken on this beautiful girl. She's five months old and I'm completely in love. She's my first puppy, my last dog was already eighteen months old when I got her and I failed miserably to correct some behaviours.

This one is very bright, house trained and will sit on command. I'm clueless how to stop her pestering me when I'm eating. She's very calm most of the time but as soon as I start eating she's there....

Any suggestions ?

Just ignore her. She'll get used to the fact that she won't get anything*. She's gorgeous by the way, lucky you!

• I say this because I always give in and DH never does. Consequently he always gets to eat in peace and I never ever do!

Also she's at least part lab, right? So you are fighting nature here

She's a Berger cross from the Reunion.... I picked her up from Paris on Thursday and her three travelling companions were identical. I wanted to keep them all!

Keep her on a house lead and lead her to her crate or bed whenever you’re eating. If she gets up, lead her back. It’s boring but she’ll soon get the hang of staying there. And do NOT feed her from the table and make sure your house are all on board with it. It will save a lifetime of begging.

Put her in another room or behind a baby gate with something to do (Kong, snuffle mat, chew) so that she's distracted and happy to settle alone.

It is disruptive for your eating, but you need to reinforce space all the time and every time. She isn't allowed near you, the table, a plate - anything with food - ever. Her food is what is in her bowl, or things that are handed to her when you choose to give them - not when she asks for them. If she gives you space until you are finished, the reward that - but never with something from your plate. Firm eye contact until she backs down and away, reinforced with a word like "away", and if you must take her away and put her at a distance - a training lead tied down to a heavy object might help if she's very resistant. But don't put her in another room. She must get used to the fact that your eating space is your eating space - all dogs can learn to respect that, because food is either theirs or someone else's, and they know that instinctively. Watch dogs sort out who controls food - they will either guard their food (which is a behaviour that you obviously don't want) or they accept that they get food when allowed it. You want the latter.

This 👆

Thanks everyone. Actually ate with friends tonight and she was perfectly behaved ! I'll be trying out your suggestions tomorrow and certainly won't be giving her anything off my plate 😬

Aw she is soooo cute! What a gorgeous girl! My Lab was the worst pesterer as a puppy and I tried everything, but nothing except totally ignoring her stuck. I once forgot and sat on the sofa with a cup of soup, she literally leaped onto me, and all of us went flying covered in soup. I always stayed at the table after that where she couldn't reach! Within a few months she'd got it though. Now I can eat anywhere and she'll give the longing eyes but stays lying down nearby. Helpfully after we've done she'll have a hopeful snuffle around the floor looking for crumbs which I don't mind as it saves hoovering stick to ignoring and she'll get there in the end.