The sun is finally starting to make an appearance, and that means one thing: beer gardens. And patio cafes, and even outdoor seating at Greggs. This means that you should give your dog a refresher on table etiquette. Too many dogs are roaming about, begging for scraps, disturbing other patrons, and if it gets bad enough, you might even find yourself booted from the establishment. We’re looking at how you can train your dog to have good table manners so that you can enjoy the outdoor dining experience without disturbing others.
Basic Training Commands
When it comes to dog training for dining, you might want to start by mastering basic obedience commands like sit, stay, and heel. We at Pawsitive Solutions can help your dog how to recognise and react to commands with regular training.
The ultimate goal, however, is to make sure your dog doesn’t disturb you or others while you are eating, so practice having your dog hold a stay while you eat and drink. You might consider stopping sharing your food when your dog begs too, to ensure that they don’t go around the patio begging from other patrons.
On that note, at the establishment, it’s important that your dogs should remain on a leash and by your side, not wandering around. The number one command you’re going to want to master is, stay.
Socializing Your Pup
As we pointed out in our last blog post, socialising your dog is very important for the development of your dog, and it’s especially important for dog training in a dog friendly cafe. You should aim to get your puppy comfortable being around other people, dogs, loud noises, and all the staff who are often carrying trays of drinks. The patio environment can be overstimulating at first, so prepare your dog by exposing them to more people and dogs in the run-up to summer. You can find more ideas on how to socialise your dog on our blog.
Managing Begging
When it comes to dog training for outside dining you’re ultimately going to come across the problem of begging. Not only will your untrained dog beg by your side, but if you’re in a public dining area, like a picnic table, café, beer garden, etc. they’re going to beg at other tables too. This is why you need to nail keeping your dog by your side with training and a leash.
As painful as it might seem, don’t reward begging by giving your dog food from your plate, and don’t allow them to take food from other people’s plates, should they offer. This will only encourage this behaviour to continue. Use the “leave it” command when it comes to dog training for dining if they nudge you or anyone else for scraps.
However, you can pack dog treats to reward good behaviour, such as keeping still and lying down or going long enough without begging. You might want to bring a treat that will last and they can chew on while you eat.
General Tips
And a few extra tips:
- You might want to pack a portable water bowl and dog toys to keep them occupied.
- You can bring a mat or blanket to define your dog’s space and help them settle.
- Be extra vigilant with puppies still learning self-control.
- Be prepared to leave if your dog won’t settle down.
Conclusion
The important part is that you are consistent and strict. With a little training and clear boundaries set, you can use dog training for dining to ensure good doggy table manners.