I know we should keep the pup in a different room while we eat.... How many cakes, roasts etc have been nicked by a cheeky dog ?

Anyway, little Edie has decided to try it on in this department, with the odour of venison stew too much for her limited self restraint...... I struggled not to giggle as I I grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and ejected her form the kitchen table with a firm "No". By the fourth or fifth time it was less amusing...think she's got the message now..Anyway, she'll be out of the kitchen at meal times from now on.

Mmmmmm...Donuts.....

To be fair, it was damned good stew...

All of mine sit at my heels when im eating, unless I have people in. Otter rests his head on my knee waiting for any crumb to drop. I have 2 thieves in this house, Drake my lab who will steal off the work tops and my JRT who jumps up onto the worktops when im not here to steal whatever she likes. It doesnt bother me having the dogs around me when i eat but it annoys my mother intensly LOL

Thank whatever entity that this forum is populated by real dog owners... I was anticipating to be chastised heavily for posting this little anecdote... I remember as a boy about 8 yrs old, our rough collie pup stealing a whole birthday cake off the kitchen table..

Molly is a food thief. You have to have our wits about you when her and food are in the same place.

Think you must have been visiting the wrong dog forums if folks give you a hard time!

Yes, we all have to train our dogs, but nice to smile and joke over them too

Spy steals from the work top, so we have a dog gate up. He's dreadful for it. My old boy Laddie begged round food, bootlaces hanging from his chops and everything! When I got Storm I was determined he wouldn't beg, so at first he went in his cage when we ate, and is never, ever fed titbits, so now he looks up with normal interest but then goes off to play, so it's wonderful. My mum did make a comment about him not being able to reach the worktops but I don't think she's seen a cocker jump yet lol. Storm does, however, help with the rinse cycle of the dishwasher given the chance hahaaa.

Ollie,  will pinch any food at his level, so we use a child gate to keep him out of the kitchen when cooking as things are hot and he could burn himself.  We usually eat on a tray on our knee.  Ollie started to sit along side me on the sofa, but a head on your arm going up and down with each fork full was a bit annoying, he then started to get a bit bolder and try to pinch food off the plate.  I moved to a different chair and he now barks for about 30 seconds and then he gets fed up or we distract him with a toy.  Believe it is better to remove the temptation than continually say no.  One thing with a pup it certainly makes you think as you have to be one step ahead.  Marc

All my dogs are really greedy. My GSP as big as he is will jump on the worktops if he thinks I'm not looking. The only one who gets away with it is our Foxhound Roxy who was almost starved to death as a puppy (see photo in gallery), Her biggest love is butter, don't know why bit she's stolen a few slabs of it in the last few years along with pastys and the paper bags

Ours have always been allowed to sit with us when we eat at the dining table as I feel it is better for them to learn that they mustn't steal food but wait until any titbit is given.  They accept this and just settle down at our feet until we are finished then look hopefully up to see if anything is going spare! Even Calla, our 11 week old pup knows to lie down while we eat. They learn quickly if you are firm enough - unfortunately ny OH is a very soft touch so the firmness is down to me:D   Amber once jumped on the kitchen worktop but learned after that experience that it just wasn't allowed and has never tried since.  A very firm NO! was all it took.  Bracken is another matter. She is a very determined young lady or is it totally disobedient?  She hasn't tried the worktops but thinks it's OK to land right in the middle of the dining table - fortunately never when we have been eating though!:D They all love it if they get a small titbit from our meals.  It tastes soooo much better than theirs!

Love this thread! 

My best/worst food thief is my Border terrier X Digger.  He has had a couple of birthday cakes by sneaking into rooms he isn't allowed in and numerous other stealings from the children, but his best act was on a trip to my parents.  I was in the garden and turned round to look through the kitchen window only to see Dig on the worktop eating a bowl of yorkshire pudding mixture! 

Rio will try and steal anything left in reach on the table so nothing is left in reach, however, she hasn't got quite the cheek of Dig so hasn't attempted the worktops and I don't think she will.

In my defence the other two wouldn't dream of stealing food, so I obviously did something right along the way.

Sharon

Ours sit with us when we eat dinner whether in the front room or dining room but we have always encouraged Reah into her crate when we eat and now the crate is gone she still takes herself off to her bed and waits for us to finish eating - normally she uses it as a quick recharge to the duracells and naps.

Our old GSD was a terrible thief though and we ended up invoking a clear side policy so that NOTHING was ever left on the worktops.  He had alsorts and we tried all manner of methods to break it recommended by various people - tin foil on the counters, stacks of empty pop tins on the edge.  I think he used to think it was his mini assualt course! 

My girls sit watching us eat and 'usually' their patience is rewarded by licking the plates clean. They ALWAYS follow me to the dishwasher as they think it is their absolute duty to pre-wash the crockery and cutlery.  

Ollie sits with us when we eat, actually he often squeezes on the chair behind Sue.  He looks hopeful all the time, but has never pinched anything.

He can be a bit of a nuisance if we are entertaining or being entertained, going up to whoever is still eating and looking at them with big spaniel eyes.