how do you tell someone to quit feeding your dog "human" food, without being rude?

[yorkielover]

okay so here is the situation! (sorry about the grammar and punctuation)

My fiance and i have lived together for 4 years now, and for almost three years we have owned two yorkies. which are our lives! but considering the breed and the size we never gave them "human" treats. i mean we would give them doggie treats but occasionally we would give them like a little very little, piece of pizza crust or something like that. but it was very very very seldom that we did that.

for the last 4 monts we have been living with his parents, and his dad likes little dogs but has never had little dogs, especially inside dogs. but oddly enough he really likes them, A LOT!!!! he and my fiances mom have only ever had hound dogs or coon dogs, nothing like a yorkie. so his dad thinks that he can feed them everything he eats, and that is not and understatement, he literally gives them everything he eats. Ie: eggs, bread, bologna, turkey, pb&j, everything a human would eat! and he even has my fiances brother and girlfriend putting their plates in the floor for them to lick clean! i cannot stand them doing this and have asked them over and over again to not do it, but they just wont listen to me.

so, does anyone have any advice on how to ask them to quit where they will listen to me, because they are my dogs, and i have the right to say what they eat and when they eat it, you know? i am worried for their health!

[Jessika]

To be honest, you have to be blunt and rude. These are YOUR dogs. Explain that feeding them table scraps, especially from your plate, is showing these dogs are equal to or above you, not to mention teaching them bad habits such as begging. Explain to your FIL that if he wants to continue feeding them table scraps, that's fine, but he will also be responsible for re-training out any bad behaviors that result from it as well.

Also explain that it can be bad for their systems - give them diarrhea. Their systems are much more sensitive than ours. Their food should already be nutritionally complete so feeding "extras" like that can throw off their entire nutrition. It can also lead to obesity, so you should also explain to him that for every table scrap he feeds, he needs to take them for one walk around the block, rain or shine

If you have to come to a happy medium, at least explain to him that table scraps are fine AS LONG as they are moderate, saves them until AFTER he is finished eating, and places them in their bowls before giving them to them.

I had a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge problem with my parents doing that with my dogs when they would dog sit, they thought begging was just so cute, when I would get them back I'd have to re-train their bad habits back out of them... got to the point where I yelled at my mother and said "you know what? FINE! If you don't want to listen to me, do things your way, YOU deal with them from now on, I quit!!" and that these were MY dogs and she may not agree with my methods but she had at least respect me and my methods. And if she treats my dogs like this I'm scared to think of how she'll be when I have kids.... I just really had to explain to my mother that the reason my dogs were so well-behaved was because of consistancy and constant training and if she did not help reinforce that she was untraining them and then SHE would have to deal with the consequences (if they were at her house, etc). She quickly learned not to leave food on the ground, to cover the trashcan, to not feed from her plate, etc.

So just explain to them WHY you don't want them to do it.

If nothing else works, demand they stop, be firm, and put your foot down.

[lizbud]

They obviously have little respect for your opinions. If you could afford
it, take them to a doggie day care while you are at work. Maybe then
they could understand you mean what you say about your dogs.

[yorkielover]

To be honest, you have to be blunt and rude. These are YOUR dogs. Explain that feeding them table scraps, especially from your plate, is showing these dogs are equal to or above you, not to mention teaching them bad habits such as begging. Explain to your FIL that if he wants to continue feeding them table scraps, that's fine, but he will also be responsible for re-training out any bad behaviors that result from it as well.

Also explain that it can be bad for their systems - give them diarrhea. Their systems are much more sensitive than ours. Their food should already be nutritionally complete so feeding "extras" like that can throw off their entire nutrition. It can also lead to obesity, so you should also explain to him that for every table scrap he feeds, he needs to take them for one walk around the block, rain or shine

If you have to come to a happy medium, at least explain to him that table scraps are fine AS LONG as they are moderate, saves them until AFTER he is finished eating, and places them in their bowls before giving them to them.

I had a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge problem with my parents doing that with my dogs when they would dog sit, they thought begging was just so cute, when I would get them back I'd have to re-train their bad habits back out of them... got to the point where I yelled at my mother and said "you know what? FINE! If you don't want to listen to me, do things your way, YOU deal with them from now on, I quit!!" and that these were MY dogs and she may not agree with my methods but she had at least respect me and my methods. And if she treats my dogs like this I'm scared to think of how she'll be when I have kids.... I just really had to explain to my mother that the reason my dogs were so well-behaved was because of consistancy and constant training and if she did not help reinforce that she was untraining them and then SHE would have to deal with the consequences (if they were at her house, etc). She quickly learned not to leave food on the ground, to cover the trashcan, to not feed from her plate, etc.

So just explain to them WHY you don't want them to do it.

If nothing else works, demand they stop, be firm, and put your foot down.

well this is the thing, i have pretty much been as straight forward with them as i can. but i am worried if i get anymore rude or straight forward they will kick us out, they are understanding people, but they dont have very long fuses if you know what i mean. i have told them that i would appreciate it VERY much if they would not feed them human food, but they just wont listen, and i have even called them today and told them that it can kill them or give them pancritatis (however you spell it)! i just dont know what else to do, i wish that i had the money for a doggie day care, but where i live the population is around 900 if that, so there are no doggie day cares around here. and i dont take them places with me unless they can get out, Ie: i dont take them with me if i have to go to wal mart, because i will not leave them outside in the car alone. well every year my fiance and his parents and i go x-mas shopping, and this past year his parents decided to bring them with us! i was so flustered, because i didn't know they were bringing them until we were already on our way, and it was to late to take them back. and they dont understand why i am protective like that, but those are my kids and they were very expensive! you know! i just dont know...

[Catlady711]

Maybe if you explain to them that if they love the little dogs so much why are they doing something that can KILL them? Eating people food, particularly large amounts or greasy/fatty foods can cause severe pancreatitis which can kill a dog. I've seen dogs at work die, despite treatement, from one piece of pizza, ham with gravy on it, and burgers. It's not something they should take lightly if they care for the dog. Just because they've fed those things to other dogs, and even yours, and the dog did not get sick, doesn't mean that they won't.

If they don't listen to that then there's no hope for them ever listening and I'd be making arrangements to have the dogs at day care when you aren't there and getting an apartment of your own ASAP.

Good luck.

[Seravieve]

How does your fiance feel about this? Maybe since it's his parents that are doing this, they'd listen to him more so than you. Or maybe you both could sit them down and talk to them. Very direct and straightforward. "We don't want you feeding our dogs excess human food. We had dog treats for that...." etc..

They need to realize that the dogs are you and your fiance's responsibility and they need to listen to you two about their care. Or maybe they could join you at your next vet visit and you could have your Vet explain the problems with feeding dogs (Esp Toy breeds) excess human food. Maybe they'd listen to someone with a degree?

Good luck.

[catnapper]

Here's what I tell my classes: there are house rules and EVERYONE has to be consistent. You need to know what the rules of the house are in order to tell the dog the rules.

Problem here is your future father in law isn't going to change his way of thinking. So no consistency. Also, you are in HIS house, so basically its HIS rules.

Just be happy your future father in law has taken to your pup so beautifully. He's probably thinking he's treating the pups to a great treat. Perhaps a little POLITE information on toxicity and such will change his mind. Perhaps a trip to the pet supply store for him to pick out doggy treats is in order.

The way I look at it? Don't make a big issue of this. Its a little food for a temporary living situation. As long as he's not feeding anything that is toxic to dogs, then let it go. Begging is more about the attention they get from the dinner table than the food. Supplement the human food with good doggy food (less of it though so they don't gain weight).

Is this the best solution? Not for the dog, but it is for the interest of keeping your fiance's parents happy. If someone moved into our house and started dictating how my husband or I should behave in our own house, that guest would be very unwelcome very quickly.