# Do you crate your puppy while you eat?



## jaimebpa1 (Nov 8, 2011)

Ugh. Olive just nabbed a piece of pizza from my daughter. I'm letting my kids eat their dinner in front of the tv on a small child sized table and apparently Olive can reach it because she stole my daughter's pizza right off the table! I haven't been crating her when we eat because she just goes to sleep near my feet when we eat at the bigger table. I'm not sure she is even sure what we are doing when we sit there because she never cries for food.

Olive is now crying in her crate because she is watching the kids eat pizza from behind a closed door! This is the first time she's ever really cried in her crate and it actually isn't bothering me at all. I don't want to have to lock her up every time we eat, but should i do it while she is a puppy? If i do it while she is a puppy will she learn to just go lay down when she is an adult? Or do i leave her out of the crate and teach her to leave us alone? My goal is to not ever have to lock her in her crate as an adult dog. I want her to learn to just go lay in there when we are eating or other times we don't want her bothering us. 

BTW Olive is already sleeping so the crying didn't last long!


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## NellyBean (Nov 23, 2011)

I am not sure if we have done it 'right' so to say, but I don't mind sharing what we are doing with Hope who is now 13 weeks.. About ten mins before meals I settle her in the crate with a chew or something.. We eat (sometimes she wines a bit, but that has only ever lasted at the most five mins, she has quickly learnt the routine) then 10-15 mins after we finish I feed Hope in the crate..

I believe by doing this she wont associate us eating with her own meal times, so isnt interested if we have food (is working so far, but sure will change as she grows  ) we are the same as you and sometimes our two youngest kids eat at their little table, which Hope can reach easily.. By crating her around meal timesit has taken the worry that she may pinch the kids food and she totally accepts this routine to the point she just sleeps whilst we eat now and I have to wake her to feed her! . Also we didnt want her at our feet whilst we ate as suspect as she grows their is the danger of her begging or pestering at the table when she is fully grown (hasnt been easy doing this as want her near me all the time with her being so cuddly ), fingers crossed it will make things easier in the long run!?!

Hope this helps xx


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## Soo (Dec 16, 2011)

My boys were terrible for slipping the girls food when they are eating so I crate the dogs to prevent it. They are quite happy in their crate so it isnt a problem. Easier dealing with the dogs than my sons.......


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## jaimebpa1 (Nov 8, 2011)

dogs are much easier than kids! Sometimes i wish the answer to my issues with the kids was to just put them in a crate! 

Thanks for the replies. I think i'll start crating her during our meals. She also loves her crate so i'm sure she'll accept it quickly.


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## NellyBean (Nov 23, 2011)

jaimebpa1 said:


> dogs are much easier than kids! Sometimes i wish the answer to my issues with the kids was to just put them in a crate!
> 
> Thanks for the replies. I think i'll start crating her during our meals. She also loves her crate so i'm sure she'll accept it quickly.


Lol cant stop chuckling at the option to crate train the kids  wish the kids would be as enthusiastic about food as Hope is


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## Sara (Aug 15, 2011)

Hi Jaime & Olive,

It sounds like you've already had some great advice already and unfortunately I don't have children so am not sure my words of wisdom will be much use. However myself and my partner live pretty hectic lives and we tend to eat at all different time and therefore it's not always possible for us to stick to a routine. So subsequently we do tend to eat in front of the TV most nights and we therefore had to work out a way to prevent the pups to get into the habit of begging.

Sooooo what we do is when we sit down to eat the dogs are told to get into their beds,, (these are in the front room with us but away from our personal area). They then stay in there until we have finished and taken our plates out to the kitchen, at which point they are released and given a treat.

How did we get to this point??? Well basically you have to accept you will have to be persistent for 1 or 2 meal times,,, put Olive in her bed and each time she goes to leave the bed, walk over to her and put her back.Try not to pick her up and put her back in, try and guide her with your feet,, just a gentle nudge in the right direction,,, a little like herding sheep. You don't want to pick her up as this can been thought of as affection. 

Anyway after doing this a couple of times she will begin to realise that staying in her bed while you eat will result in a treat at the end of your meal time. Bingo a happy meal time.

Hope this helps.

Sara


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I am very fussy in my house no one is allowed to eat in front of the tv. All meals are eaten on the kitchen table and the dogs are told off very firmly if they jump up! Occasionally hubby will eat crisps on the sofa and the dogs are a nightmare because he often gives them one!


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## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

The problem for us is that the crate is too far away from where we eat. We used to try and put him in a playpen while we ate but he used to cry non-stop and the boys hated it. Now I feed him just before our meal and he wanders under the table for a minute or so and then either settles by one of our feet or lies by the side of the table. He doesn't try and beg as he knows he won't get! The funny thing though is we thought he was just lying very patiently while we ate but we've realised he's watching the door of the dishwasher - for when we open it and tries to jump in - cheeky monkey!


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## holicon (Mar 8, 2011)

I always crated Coco when we eat now when its meal times I just say on your bed and off he goes. He doesn't come near the table until I move away. Now I have Millie she is crated at least I know where she is. When she is older hopefully she will just lay on her bed like Coco.


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

So long as we eat at the table Buddy dosnt bother us but im sure if the kids were eatting somewhere where he could get to the food then yes i would pop him in the crate.
The problem for me now is when the kids have finished if they leave anything on the plate and have left the table he will jump up there and finish it off!


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## karen pearce (Nov 1, 2011)

Eden has never begged for food at mealtimes,as she has always had a kong full of soft cheese and treats,we now do this for willow,and have no begging at all,as it takes them as long to eat theirs as it does for us to eat our meal.


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## designsbyisis (Dec 27, 2011)

Dexter has only been with us a week but I've been crating him too - with 3 under 11, I seem to be up & down at mealtimes for water, wipes etc & think Dexter would just follow me around otherwise. I think it's safer for us


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## jaimebpa1 (Nov 8, 2011)

I'm up and down a lot during meal times too and have stepped On Olive a few times!. I crated her today and it was much easier. Although it was nice having her under the table during meals because i wasn't having to sweep after!


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## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

Ha ha! I was going to say that too - no more peas, rice, etc which is what the children usually drop. We call him the 'noo noo'!!


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