I hope this helps...
I adopted Fifi a few months ago, she's 2 years old, she came from a family that had a 5 year old daughter. I found out right away (first meal I ate when she was with me) that Fifi was used to getting scraps at the table - she yapped and whined and kicked up a HUGE stink expecting to get what I was eating! She wouldn't eat dog food either when I first got her. So - even though it was hard at first, I had to put up with a lot of noise at mealtimes, and Fifi had to starve for a few days, and I had to leave her bowl of kibble out untouched, before she learned that "dog food is all you will get, so take what you're given because it's all you will get!" You can try mixing a bit of gravy, or chicken, vegetable or beef stock, in with the kibble, or feed canned dog food at first, to get your dog to accept the dog food more readily. I found this worked for Fifi! Don't worry, they WILL NOT starve themselves and will eventually eat what is available, once they learn that you will not give in, and feed them your food! Another trick that works is to warm the food before serving, this increases the scent and makes it more appealing!
I don't believe in feeding pets at the table, as I grew up watching my parents literally kill their dogs with kindness, making them fat with table scraps and having to put them to sleep at young ages because of cancers and other diseases caused by feeding them unhealthy diets. So - please take this as a caution and an inspiration - sometimes it takes a bit of "cruelty" in the short term, to be kind to your beloved pets in the long run!!
I also have a retired racing Greyhound who has lived with me for 7 years. He is in wonderful health for his age (11). He does occasionally get some table scraps mixed in with his dog food - vegetables and roasted, low-fat meats or fish. My vet compliments me on his excellent health, and he donates blood for other dogs in exchange for reduced vet bills (Greyhounds have a universal blood type). Fifi also gets some scraps, again, vegetables and low-fat meats/fish in her dog food, and, since she LOVES cheese, she gets a small amount of that, but only as a reward for training!
None of my pets are allowed near the table at mealtimes. But - Fifi does bug my boyfriend at meals, because he does sneak her the occasional treat, and she knows this. Dogs are smart enough to know who the "soft touch" is! My cats bug him as well - when he complains about the animals circling him at meals, I tell him it's his own fault. You'd think he'd be as smart as the animals, and learn not to feed them if he doesn't want to be bugged while eating! Men - duh!:coolwink: (No offense meant to any male readers of this board!)
But please, please - make sure ALL of your family are aware that they are actually doing your sweet dog a favour by NOT feeding her at the table!! I've had to be very nasty and strict with my bf and his family about this, for my pets' sake, to the point of not bringing my Fifi to any gatherings where his sister attends - because she refuses to listen to multiple requests of "please don't feed my dog at the table" even after she killed her own Golden Retriever at age 8; he had to be put down last year because of spinal cancer caused by severe obesity, after numerous warnings from her vet! She still moans about her loss - but is still in denial about the cause!
