Dinner Table Pet Etiquette: When It's Not Just You And Fido At Home

When you host a dinner party, there are many etiquette rules that you are expected to follow, but one major part of hosting that isn't often discussed is what to do with your beloved pets when you have guests over. We all love our pets greatly, but, sadly, this doesn't mean your friends will, too. In fact, your guests may even be scared of or allergic to fluffy Fido — as incomprehensible as that may be to you — so you need to make sure your pet behaves, and that you are sufficiently strict and don't treat your pet like a human being.

You may have given up on training your dog to stop begging when you're eating (you may think it's harmless), but your guests aren't going to enjoy having your dog's sorrowful eyes gazing up at them when they're trying to eat their meal. If your dog is a beggar, make sure you keep it away from the table so that your guests aren't bothered by a whining dog for the whole night.

You may think Fido is the best thing to ever have been born into the world, but your guests don't want to talk solely about your pet for the entire evening. Make sure that, as the host, you don't spend the evening ooh-ing and aah-ing over how adorable Fido is, and try to actually engage your guests in interesting conversation.

While you're home on your own, you may occasionally give Fido a mouthful of something tasty from your spoon. You may think this is acceptable, and when you're eating home alone we really don't mind how you and Fido eat. But when you have guests, keep your flatware to yourself and away from your pet.

You should know that not everyone thinks Fido is adorable as you do. So, feeding your dog from your plate may seem repulsive to many of your guests, though it seems totally loveable and normal to you.                    

Before your guests arrive, make sure you give your home a good clean so that your furniture is as hair-free and fur-free as possible. Guests will definitely be annoyed if they have to take a seat on a fur-covered chair, and they'll spend the rest of the evening trying to remove the white hairs from their black pants.

You may be used to eating dinner with Fido's paws resting on your thighs, but it's really not the politest behavior. Keep Fido down, and definitely make sure he or she doesn't jump up onto your guests while they're eating: It's possible you're the only one who thinks that Fido's slobbering mouth hovering near your dinner is something to be encouraged.

Some people are scared of pets, some people don't really like them, and some people would just really like to be able to walk through your front door without your pet jumping up all over them, scratching them, and leaving hairs all over their clothes. Make sure their welcome into your home is calmer, friendlier, and less aggressive.

Jumping up onto the table to try to get a piece of whatever the humans are eating is one of the worst ways Fido can behave. Either train your pet to stay down from the dinner table, or shut Fido in a separate room while you eat to avoid this worst pet etiquette mistake.

If your dog is thirsty, give it a dog bowl filled with water; don't pour water into its mouth from your own glass. That behavior is one way to make sure your guests get ready to start leaving ASAP.

If there's one thing that will convince your friends that you have the most revolting dining and pet etiquette, it's when they get licked by your dog either before, during, or after dinner — or just in general. You are probably the only human in the world who enjoys being covered in your dog's saliva.

It's always best to feed your pet before your guests arrive or long after they have left. Don't pretend to be surreptitious about saving food on your plate for your pet by setting it to one side and giving it to Fido as soon as you have cleared the table, while your guests are still watching.

You may want to have your pet near you at all times, but if you're hosting a dinner party, you need to put some space between you and Fido while you're entertaining guests. Don't let Fido spend the evening lying on your guests' feet underneath the table. Keep your four-legged friend away from the dinner table, and let your guests eat without your pet lying all over them.