She is doing it because she is being rewarded. Dogs minds work very simply. If I do this, this happens. If she begs, your parents give her food. Loki is trained NOT to beg because we never rewarded it. He begs at my parents' house because MY DAD FEEDS HIM. He's not stupid!
What we did was teach them that if they lie quietly and don't bug us, they get a treat or taste of our food when we are done. I get UP from the table and go give it to them in the other room or I put it in their bowls. If I can time it right, we all eat at the same time. That keeps them occupied. Otherwise, puzzle toys and bully sticks are great for keeping them busy while you eat. I don't think there is anything wrong with distracting them. Some people teach their dogs just to lie on a rug or go to their crate, but if she is that excited it might be best just to distract her.
I carry a bunch of puzzle toys and some treats that take longer to eat, like the veggie rawhide. PM me or email me if you want more info. |