# Do you share food with your dog?



## Clancy_Wiggum (Mar 21, 2014)

I have a female GSD who was adopted at 1 y/o but never had people food from me.

My question is about a 2 y/o female Siberian Husky I just adopted. This dog is very alpha over my GSD. She was previously owned by a young and inexperienced owner who probably did everything wrong. I have noticed that she is very bad about begging whenever I walk into the kitchen. Obviously people have fed her while they ate, something I absolutely abhor. I knew even as a child that was not a smart idea.

The Husky loves car rides. I got some fast food while she was in the passenger seat. I made her sit and behave while I ate, making it very clear that it was my food and not hers.

But then it occurred to me as I was finishing that I have read Huskies are very much about pack dynamics. That's how twenty dogs could get along well enough to pull a sled together; they all had to know their place. 

Obviously the pack leader eats first. But am I a better leader if I give the dog a tiny bit when I am done? And yes, people food is not for dogs, I understand, but I'm talking about a tiny amount. I am just wondering if it helps or hurts in establishing the owner's alpha role.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

that husky knows you are not a dog so bury the alpha pack leader theory.

I do not give my food to my dogs. I used to when it was just Jax but Seger is way to pushy. My food is mine. Your food is yours. Period. I don't let any of them beg while I'm eating. I don't even let them stare at me while I'm eating. It drives me nuts.


----------



## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

....hmmm.....yeah i do. Everyone gets a little piece of something, sure. They dont beg though. They wait at the bottom of the stairs and i eventually flip them something


----------



## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

I have to make fruit/vegie smoothies with a Nutri-Bullet for my sister--strawberries, frozen blueberries, bananas, carrots, spinach, etc. so she can get super-digestible nutrients. The minute my two hear me get the Nutri-Bullet out, they dash into the kitchen and sit, happy expectant looks on their faces, because they know I'm going to toss a few goodies their way--they love it all!

Susan


----------



## Pax8 (Apr 8, 2014)

Kaiju knows that he loses the chance to get anything if he begs while I'm eating. But if he minds his own business and hangs out on his bed or chews a toy while I eat, I may chuck him some appropriate scraps. And he's well-mannered in the car, so it's not unheard of for me to grab him a little pupacinno at Starbucks or a kids froyo at a drive through. He just will never get it if he practices any bad behavior. So if I get him an ice cream at the drive through and he tries to nose into my face before I've offered it to him, you better believe it's getting trashed at the end of the lane (or I might eat it). I think the most important thing is to make sure that when you offer scraps, you aren't reinforcing behavior that you don't want.


----------



## EmilyB (Mar 29, 2009)

Exactly, begging gets nothing, ever. At the end of my plate if my dogs are relaxed they may get a nibble if it is appropriate food for them.


----------



## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

I chose yes, but I don't allow them to beg. If we're eating dinner we tell them to lay down. 

I have shared a cheez it or two while I was snaking in the living room.


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

They must lie down and leave me be while I eat. Then I share with them. If they are rude, they get nothing. The begging doesn't bother me as much as the drooling.


----------



## tottie86 (Aug 23, 2013)

If I'm cutting up raw chicken or beef I give them a slice but my dogs are always outside while we eat


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I do but rarely. My dad is guilty of this and he gets busted every time. Misty my oldest tells on him every time. I can be in the other room and I know because he is the only one she barks at. I scream from the other room for him not to as I'm peeking around the corner and he is telling her to shush and telling her they are in trouble. Most of all I love his face as he tries to play it off. I don't really care that he does, but I enjoy his reaction


----------



## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

Depends. Sometimes if she has not been begging and ignored me, then I will occasionally reward her for doing the right thing.


----------



## AngelaA6 (Jan 20, 2013)

Very rarely do I give Gunther human food. I don't want to encourage begging as my MIL's dog drives me nuts when she does it. She doesn't care what you have and she will push against you. I'm the meanie and I never give her food.


----------



## JoeyG (Nov 17, 2013)

He's not allowed in the dining room while we're eating. He just lays in the living room and pretends we don't exist. I only give some scraps or treat afterwards but rarely. I put real meat in his food so he has no need to beg for scraps lol


----------



## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

i rarely give them anything. sometimes a little when i'm done if they don't beg.

it's fun to leave a piece of pizza crust in the pizza box and put the box on the floor for them to open the box to get to the crust. they know to bite at the top and pull up but they are so dumb the also are standing on the top so they end up just tearing the box apart to get to the crust.


----------



## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

julie getting the last little piece of crust after wife and i spent the night listening to music, drinking beer and eating pizza.


----------



## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

I feed raw, so my dog's always gettintg "human" food LOL ... I don't EVER feed her while I'm eating, begging / drooling dogs are way up on my list of pet peeves. 

I do give her my left overs in her bowl ... half the time I don't even know if she realizes it's "my food" or not since she's never had kibble LOL


----------



## lauren43 (Jun 14, 2014)

My dogs can have anything I'm eating as long as he's laying somewhere away from me not looking at me. 

The chi doesn't get this concept.

The puppy is getting it.

My pit mix I lost in May was a pro, he'd run to his bed anytime I started eating.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I'm the person. If I feel like giving my dogs a little sumptin' sumptin' while I'm eating, I will. If I don't, I won't. No body begs. While I'm eating, they don't lay any closer to me than they do when I'm not eating. I think that's fair to allow them to do that. I won't punish them because I'm eating. 

If I have non-doggy guests, I'll put my dogs up while we eat. Some folks feel uneasy with dogs close by while they are eating. 

I have a ritual with my Mini Dachshund. Every morning while I'm making my lunch for work, she'll come into the kitchen and watch me. I'll give her a piece of cheese or some sandwich meat. Normally, I'll carry on a conversation with her. I know she's begging, but I'm not eating so it doesn't bother me. I pretend she's listening to me talk to her. Maybe she is.


----------



## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

We've always shared with our dogs until Ziva. It kind of breaks our hearts just a little that we can't share much with her. She has to many food sensitivities to share often. 

We never allow begging. But our dogs have always gotten table scraps; shared popcorn time; cheese and crackers etc. (always in moderation). Sharing snacks has been a bonding time with our pets. A little for us, a little for the pooch because we love them and they are being good.


----------



## MimiG (Nov 12, 2014)

Never ever, unless you want to spoil your dog.
He's not even supposed to be around while you're eating (don't let him guilt trip you and become mean at the assumption that you're not willing to share your food with him). He should know his food is the only food he's supposed to eat. If he knows he can get access to any human food, he'll start refusing to eat his own food. Enzo had picked up this habit quite young and could go on for days without even tasting his own food. We had a hard time re-disciplining him: we stopped giving him all food from our kitchen, kept him away from us while we were eating and once we served him with his own food, won't allow more than 10 minutes for him to at least start eating.


----------



## N Smith (Aug 25, 2011)

I share all the time - however if they "ask" and I say "NO, go lay down", they need to listen to that. There is a consequence for not listening, usually a leash pop and then moved to their bed for the duration of the meal. If they listen when I tell them to go lay down, then I will give them a release and reward once I am finished.

If they "Ask" nicely - so approach and show interest, but give me space and don't lunge for my food and take the food nicely once given, I have no problem sharing.

I have left 6 dogs in the truck with a sub sandwich and a bag of cut hot dogs on the centre console. Came back 20 minutes later, not realizing I had just put them to the ultimate test - not ONE of them touched the food. 

I teach "leave it" when they are young, which I use for when I drop tidbits in the kitchen. The premise of the game is, if you run and jump on the food I have dropped you will absolutely NOT get it. If you back away, sit nicely and wait I will definitely give you something (the piece of food if it is safe, is picked up and given to the dog, or if it isn't safe for the dog, I pick it up and give them a treat that is safe).

So my dogs know - if they take it, there is a consequence. But if they leave it alone and wait for me to give it, they will get something. And when I say "Go lay down" while I eat, it is no different than a stay or heel. Ignoring the command or blatant disregard for it, will be corrected like any other obedience command. So there is no reason to beg and no reason to steal.


----------



## N Smith (Aug 25, 2011)

MimiG said:


> Never ever, unless you want to spoil your dog.
> He's not even supposed to be around while you're eating (don't let him guilt trip you and become mean at the assumption that you're not willing to share your food with him). He should know his food is the only food he's supposed to eat. If he knows he can get access to any human food, he'll start refusing to eat his own food. Enzo had picked up this habit quite young and could go on for days without even tasting his own food. We had a hard time re-disciplining him: we stopped giving him all food from our kitchen, kept him away from us while we were eating and once we served him with his own food, won't allow more than 10 minutes for him to at least start eating.


9 dogs in my house - all get regular access to "people food" (not even sure what that means?? Yes they get whole, fresh foods!! with the odd pizza crust) and I would think there was something SERIOUSLY wrong with them if they skipped a meal (kibble or raw)!! It would just never happen LOL

Feeding whole fresh foods, or little tidbits here and there doesn't cause a dog to miss a meal. Illness, low food drive, overfeeding and a lot of times obsession from the handler is what causes dogs to "under eat".


----------



## Curtis (Jun 9, 2013)

I feed my dogs my food. Sometimes after I'm finished and sometimes we all take turns having a bite during the meal. They are not pushy.


----------



## KayDub (May 4, 2014)

The poll didn't fit the answer I wanted to give. My dogs can eat what I eat to a certain extent and within reasoning. I don't mind to throw them a bit while I'm still eating my food. I do mind the begging, it's a politeness thing to me. My aussie plays it great she may sit a couple feet away but if I turn my head to her while eating she slowly turns her head away from me. She thinks if she doesn't stare then that's having good manners. I can work with that one. My GSD has an awful habit that I am working on big time to redirect. If I don't notice her come in the room for some reason then I can turn around and she'll be mouth to mouth literally with me. This is a big no no, I'm not sure if it comes from her being a bottle baby. It is one of our main issues we are working on though.


----------



## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

I sometimes share, but only appropriate stuff (meat without sauce, a small piece of cheese, or carrots, for example), only after I'm totally done eating, and it is delivered in one of two ways.

I might put it in her bowl and do just like I do at meal time: Call her over, ask her to sit, place the bowl in front of her, and make her wait until I give a release.

Or I might call her over and make her work for it (e.g., sit, down, stand, end with "touch" to receive).


----------



## Augustine (Nov 22, 2014)

Yes, but only after I'm done eating, and only if it's something that is safe for her to eat. (i.e. fairly plain food, nothing intricate, drizzled in sauces, etc.)

She's young so we're still working on establishing the pack order, but she's pretty good about being sent away when we eat and knows not to expect treats once we're finished with our meal.


----------



## DixieGSD (Aug 22, 2012)

Not while I am eating. Dixie know's when we eat she has to lay down with her head down. I don't like the staring, nor the drooling. She doesn't enter the kitchen, unless she "accidentally" rolls her ball in there. And I do give her some raw meat, eggs, or yogurt she can't have alot of people stuff due to sensitive stomach. My MIL thought I was the meanest dog owner ever because I did not give her my leftovers; and was surprised when we gave her raw meat lol. 

Popcorn is the only thing I share with her while I eat. And she get's so excited when she smells me make popcorn, It's our thing lol. But same rules (sort of) apply. She is to not be pushy, get in my face and lay down and wait patiently for me to give her some..


----------



## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

There should be a selection...Yes because my dog doesn't beg.


SuperG


----------



## My2shepherds (Jun 10, 2014)

Exactly like SuperG said..

I share with my girls when they show good manners by not begging...


----------



## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

KayDub said:


> If I don't notice her come in the room for some reason then I can turn around and she'll be mouth to mouth literally with me.


Even though I know you don't care for this behavior...the mental imagery is too funny....those shepherds....smart and stealthy!

SuperG


----------



## Gabby117 (Jan 13, 2014)

NO WAY do I feed her people food, If I do she ends up peeing out her rear. If I give her anything her bowls are upset for a few days and she needs plain yogurt to get it all strait.:crazy:


----------



## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

I don't give my GSD any tidbits, because she is already too nosy and interested in my plate when I am eating. My husband, however, is always giving the other dogs bits of his food, and I have asked him not to give our GSD any handouts. She probably doesn't think that is very fair.


----------



## stmcfred (Aug 13, 2013)

Neither of my dogs beg for food. While I'm cooking Lola is usually at my feet (as always even if I'm not cooking) and I'll give her a piece of meat (She's raw fed anyhow) 

Then while we are eating Lola (1 year old GSD) is in her place command and occasionally, I'll toss her a piece of food for being good. As long as it's appropriate for her to eat. 

Connor (9 year old mixed breed) has always laid under the table while we eat, if the kids drop food we tell him to come get it. He doesn't get it unless we tell him to.


----------



## CountryGirl01 (Dec 10, 2014)

I share food with my little chihuahua.

But as for my GSD he has never had any human food till this Christmas, which he got some turkey AFTER everyone else had eaten. I plan on having him rarely partake in human food, and only after I'm done eating.


----------



## crickets (Dec 19, 2014)

I share appropriate things with my older dog. He doesn't beg so I don't mind. He sits no closer to me when I have food or when I don't. When we go through the drive-thru he always gets something and knows it, but he isn't pushy and waits politely for his treat.


----------



## Irishspice (Jan 1, 2015)

My dogs don't bed, but they are open to sharing. I've never felt right eating in front of my dog and not sharing, that just seems rude. I've never had a problem with manners or them being annoying. Since I've shared with many dogs over my rather long life, I'd say it works for me.


----------



## Waffle Iron (Apr 3, 2012)

My dogs like to sit and watch us eat from a distance or will lay and keep an eye on the plate. They don't beg but they certainly like to watch. Once in awhile I might toss them a slice of potato or carrot and they eat that just fine. But other foods like chips, fried foods, etc, not good ideas if you like clean carpets..


----------



## Buds Kids (Jan 6, 2015)

Absolutely!!! My boy (Akbash) loves homemade bread!!!

We go to all kinds of restuarants together Patio of course (lots of dog friendly places in Dallas). He gets chicken and sweet potato. Me and the girl (Akbash) get steak. 

Little Quin (new GSD) has only had dog food so far


----------



## Juliem24 (Jan 4, 2014)

I never got in the habit because our huskies were so food sensitive that I just never started, and I cannot stand a beggar. Rudy may get leftovers from my plate, but it's later and it's mixed in his bowl. He is not allowed in the kitchen when the grandkid is here, for obvious reasons. They are already partners in crime.


----------



## Ruger Monster (Jan 29, 2015)

I do. Ruger doesn't really get anything yet, still young. When we eat, I put him in his pen in the kitchen nook since I cant keep my eye on him. Our Rottie Jasmine will get something tossed to her when we're finished, but only if she keeps her distance while we're eating. If she gets up against us and starts drooling and breathing "in our face" (we don't have any tables in our new house yet, so we eat on the couch), she doesn't get anything & is told to go lay down on the other side of the living room.

I do flip some carrots to the Boston, as I learned recently that she loves them, but only if she's being good. She hasn't shown much interest in our food lately. If there's cheese involved though, she's underfoot the whole time!

When Ruger is a little older / house trained and I don't need him contained when I'm not watching him constantly, I don't mind giving him a treat of our food if he behaves himself.


----------



## astrovan2487 (May 29, 2014)

I feed Shasta what I'm eating all the time, after I'm done of course and just a little bit. I can't stand begging either. Shasta has extremely good manners, she really doesn't beg often and if she does beg it's only for a second then goes away. My husband's dog on the other hand begs relentlessly and I can't stand it, have to put her outside whenever I'm in the kitchen. It's his fault though, always feeds her from the table and doesn't correct her when she begs. And that's why we have separate dogs lol.


----------



## dogdad (Nov 24, 2013)

I had to vote "never" because there wasn't a choice asking if I ate their food. Most of it isn't tasty to me, but at least I tried it.


----------



## Jackal (Sep 13, 2015)

I tend to resource gaurd my food. Comes from being hungry as 1 of 9 kids growing up, where you learnt sharing is for anorexics. 

I hate begging, so wont allow dogs in the same room as me when im eating. Try to steal off my plate? id wonder how the heck the dog broke my rule of dont come near me when im eating? lol


----------



## 115pounds (Aug 27, 2015)

My dog does not beg. Being single and a little older, when I cook I always make him a little bit without any seasoning on his portion and he gets that treat after I am done eating. GSD's are just so easy to train not to beg.


----------



## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

I never allow my dogs to be around me when I'm eating, I think that behavior is rude. You wouldn't let a human stare at you while you're eating so I'm not sure why people think it's ok, lol. I do on rare occasions hand them some of my food when I've been done for a while because I don't want them to associate me feeding them from my meal while eating. They just go anywhere that's not around us while we're eating.


----------



## AaronG (Jul 2, 2015)

Normally I will cook my dogs their own meals but if it's on my plate, it stays on my plate. But that's just me and I only cook what I can eat. Doesn't bother me if they eat some human foods but never at or around the table.


----------



## Rolisaac (Apr 16, 2015)

I voted not while eating, but some after. Which isn't true. What is true is that the dog and cats get raw tidbits when I'm getting ready to cook. The stuff we don't want like fat or skin. 

Nala did steal a roll off my husband's leg last night. He was oblivious to having put his rolls on his knee and forgot about them when the dog was putting her head on the recliner chair arm. The rest of us eat at the table, so this isn't a problem.


----------



## Malachi (Dec 4, 2015)

I avoid sharing my food with my dogs in their prime because I don't want them begging for human food...when my dogs grow older, though, often they earn that privilege and will get some "treats" here and there.


----------



## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Yes when im cooking or eating they do know they will get something. If they are rude and obnoxious they nothing.


----------



## JaimeZX (Jun 12, 2012)

Yes. Ever since we saw videos of coyote & wolf moms puking up food for their puppies. LOL We give our dogs apple slices mouth to mouth. (Well... we kind of spit the apple slice into their mouth to avoid lip touching.)


----------



## MagicHorse (Feb 3, 2016)

There isn't really an option for what I do. Right now, we have 2 dogs. 1 very food motivated & 1 not food motivated at all. The 1 that is not food motivated, will get a super small tidbit. I usually eat while sitting on the couch with a pillow on my lap & my dog laying half on me & my plate on my pillow. I can leave the plate of food on the pillow while I go get something from the kitchen, literally an inch from my dog's nose & he will leave it alone. His reward for being respectful, is a bite of my food. But, he is a rescue & when we 1st got him, he wouldn't even look at his food if there was a human in the room. We wonder if someone punished him for eating. Now my husband's dog, I don't give her human food because she will start to expect it/beg, then I have to correct her. So for me, it depends on the dog's personality & habits.


----------



## Wags (Dec 17, 2015)

I don't give them anything right off my plate. After we take everything to the kitchen to clean up, I may slice off a little bit of meat and will give it to him later. Or since we feed raw anyway, when we are portioning out our pork chops or chicken or whatever to refreeze for us, we may cut off a little and give it to him.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

My initial response - I seldom eat kibble. But on one road trip I was very glad to have bought some human grade dog cookies - long road, no restaurants handy.


----------



## Birbeck (Oct 6, 2015)

very much dislike begging/being watched. She usually leaves me alone while I eat and make it very obvious it's not making me happy. She's also prone to stomach upset if given the tiniest bit of high starch/sugar/spice so her cute stare isn't worth the gargantuan piles of semisolid poo I'd have to clean up otherwise


----------



## Rendezvous_At_Midnight (Mar 3, 2016)

I don't accept begging in any form, whether it be literal on your butt sitting and begging, laying down and whining begging, or just sitting staring at me. 

Thankfully none of mine have ever really done that. They may get interested to see what I have when I sit down, but immediately lay down and often fall asleep while I'm eating. If it's something appropriate for them to have, once in a while I'll give it to them, though we have a "no human food" rule for any dog under 1 year


----------



## Ivanlotter (Jan 23, 2016)

I only give kibble. I found that once you give them leftovers they start begging for food when you're eating. When I train I give homemade liver treats.


----------



## whitneyk1719 (Dec 2, 2015)

I have a six year old male Siberian Husky and an eleven week old GSD. When my husky, Skyler, was a puppy my fiancé's Mom gave him human food. Human food has always been a no-no for me especially fast food. It really aggravated me and still does because now he "talks" and barks and howls while we eat. She still gives him human food to this day. My GSD, Baron, has never had people food and never will. I've made that perfectly clear with her too. Baron doesn't even acknowledge us when we eat. He may smell the air but will then go and find a toy to play with or lay down. I also never have to worry about him getting in the trash. Skyler has his head in it every chance he gets.

To each their own, but honestly you would be doing more harm than good in my opinion.


----------



## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

I couldn't cast a vote. You need another option " Yes, because she doesn't beg nor bother.

SuperG


----------



## ruger123 (Feb 24, 2016)

Not during meals.... but sometimes if I am eating popcorn in bed at night, he gets a few pieces. 

Ruger (and all my other dogs) have a well-trained place command, so there is no begging while I eat or cook.


----------



## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Sometimes as long as he is not in my face and is laying down showing me how well behaved he is. When he was a puppy no way we had to work on his table manners. At dinner time many times I would crate him or put him in the garage during dinner. He learned how to behave when we ate our meals but it was work. He is a counter surfer but he is coming along.


----------



## DogSupport (Mar 21, 2016)

I usually share the same foods which I eat to dogs. I rare feed the dog food package to dogs.


----------



## woofmendez (Jun 7, 2016)

DogSupport said:


> I usually share the same foods which I eat to dogs. I rare feed the dog food package to dogs.


We're actually doing the same


----------



## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

I never share food with my dogs while I am eating. Never. Ever. I hate dogs begging around the dinner table, or jumping up on you under the table. My dogs walk up to me if I have a snack or plate of food at the TV or at the table, then they walk away. My husband, on the other hand, gives the dogs tidbits, which I hate. I have asked him repeatedly to refrain from doing it, but he doesn't listen. Then he has the nerve to complain that the crested has scratched up his legs under the table. I hate dogs being pesky at the dinner table.


----------



## MissChloe (Oct 31, 2016)

Susan_GSD_mom said:


> I have to make fruit/vegie smoothies with a Nutri-Bullet for my sister--strawberries, frozen blueberries, bananas, carrots, spinach, etc. so she can get super-digestible nutrients. The minute my two hear me get the Nutri-Bullet out, they dash into the kitchen and sit, happy expectant looks on their faces, because they know I'm going to toss a few goodies their way--they love it all!
> 
> Susan


This. :smile2:

I learned never to do this with my beagle though. Made the mistake early on of giving him a bit of bread after I opened the bag. More than a decade after banning bread as a treat, he'd still come running at the sound of that particular bag being opened. We tried opening the bread bag by stealth, on the opposite side of the house, when he was on the other floor, behind closed doors. No use. His ears were too good to be fooled.


----------

