Begging... please help

Sally is 10 months old and for the first few weeks was fantastic, she seemed to know that she couldn't come to us when we were eating. We even remarked how good she was then all of a sudden in the last week or two she will sit drooling and try to climb up while you are eating. In the last couple of days she is now even jumping up and trying to steal food from the kitchen work surfaces.

Simply saying no/go to bed/away doesn't work. This evening I am having to physically remove her from the kitchen while we are cooking!!

Please help.....

instead of telling her off how about teaching her an alternative behaviour
if she`s begging as you eat maybe teach a down stay or go to your blanket then reward. Start for a short while then build up.
for counter-surfing, i find it easiest to not leave food about.
or you can teach Leave.
i find it easier to teach good behaviour than continually tell the dog off.
apologies for odd text - one-handed typist

Not such a bad thing to keep her out of the kitchen while you are cooking anyway. Mine get sent out as I worry about tripping over them or dropping boiling fat or water on them. They get fed after me and know there is no chance of any scraps from my plate, they go in the bowl with their dinner.

Have you succumbed to those begging eyes and given her scraps?

If she is a rescue then she might just be feeling really settled and is just chancing her paw If you never give her any scraps and send her out while you are cooking and eating then she will get the message and give up - eventually!

One point, is she more hungry because it is colder? My dogs get a bit more food when it is cold as our house isn't the warmest.

We do try not to leave food around but this is anytime, even while cooking!! We just moved her bed into the hallway so she could see us while we ate and that was fine, she didn't cry or beg at all. She is very clingy and needs to be wherever we are which can be awkward at times. I dont mind her being nearby but as you say it becomes dangerous when she is under my feet.
She never has scraps, from our plate or otherwise and the kids all know not to feed her scraps too. She actually isn't eating very well at all of late. We've had food problems since the begining but she seemed to settle on our current brand up until this last week. She is eating half of her usual amount and we are trying different mealtime regimes. We are considering changing brand again but its proving very costly and she will eat it when she wants to.

Sounds like she has decided human food is nicer.

I think its not so good to change food too often, something to do with digestion, but I know its hard when they are not eating.

I see she is a staffie cross, staffies are very clingy, mine is. I got a gate for the kitchen door when she was younger but now she just stays in the sitting room. Mum is a hard nut and doesn't fall for the moon eyes.

I haven't had a fussy eater, my pointer wouldn't eat much at one time but fortunately he likes dry food and I could leave it down. The staffie is not so keen so doesn't steal it.

Maybe someone on here has had a picky eater and can help?

Thanks Dalaimama!
We decided to let her graze at her food (dry food), which isn't what we really wanted to do but today it seems to have worked. She has munched through most of the day and is just finishing it off now which is her full days quota AND she did not even flinch when we have had lunch, in fact she stayed in the lounge!!! It is only one day though lol!!
Further suggestions would still be appreciated though xx

You are very welcome! Hope she continues to eat up. Some dogs just don't eat a lot at one sitting. Some people say take the food away after 15 minutes and they learn to gobble it up quick. Always so many theories, just a case of finding something that works for you.

Another tip is to save a tiny bit of what you are eating, if it is dog-safe and put it on top of the biscuit, sometimes their appetite switches on when they have eaten a bit and they carry on and eat more.

If she looks fit and well and not underweight then I wouldn't worry. If it has come on suddenly then maybe consider having her checked out, it might be a sore tooth or gums.

Has she been spayed? Some bitches get odd appetite things going on before they come into season. My friends dog, for instance, goes off her food just before coming in and then eats like mad as the season is finishing - suppose its natures way of getting her ready for growing pups if she has got pregnant.

So, don't worry, if it doesn't improve then get the vet to check her mouth.

Hope she is ok x