Is it wrong to allow a dog to be at your feet in the kitchen when you are preparing their food bowl?
Some trainers would say, “yes” … based upon… what exactly?
Does a dog that is close to you when preparing their food not respect you? And further, should you drive your dog away from you when preparing their food?
One of the reasons scientists study wild animals is to see the function of a behavior in that species. We do this when we compare wolves (wild) with dogs (domesticated wolves). If distance = respect, then is that reflected with mammals in the wild, especially with wolves?
First, wolves come back to the den, stomachs full of a kill, and then they vomit that food up as others are very excited and beg them. The adults don’t wait until the group is calm and hanging back before they vomit. The same behavior happens with African Wild Dogs. So, are the adults driving away the rest of the pack, or the young, when they regurgitate food?
No.
Ok. So, what about the proximity of other wolves to the “alpha” male (the breeding male wolf at the top of the male hierarchy)? All the wolves, especially the other superior adults, but also all the way down to the cubs, are in close proximity. In wintertime, they are even closer together. In fact, they are all making frequent contact with the “alpha” male throughout the day. The general rule is that the higher the rank of the wolf, regardless of the sex (because there is also a female hierarchy, with the top female being the “alpha” breeding female), the more likely wolves are in close proximity. When wolves are separated, except when going off on their own to hunt, but especially when forced apart, they howl and cry and are highly motivated to be near one another again. The only exception are wolves that have been driven away from the pack, either to the perimeter of the territory, or completely driven away, or have disbursed to find a mate and form a new pack.
So, does more space = respect? No. Just the opposite.
Watch dogs at a dog park sometime. Do they all gravitate towards the fence, or do they gravitate towards one another? The concentration is always in small groups. Yes, there will be those who stay at the perimeter, but those are dogs that aren’t drawn to be social with the group. They aren’t driven to the perimeter by the other dogs as a rule and pattern. Dogs are instinctively interested in social interactions, especially if they are related to the goals of those dogs. As such, dogs and wolves seek to be part of the group and focus on the higher ranked members of the group. Not the opposite.
Don’t believe everything you see in the media. A lot of it is garbage, and as a result, a lot of innocent dogs are bullied and shunned for no valid reason whatsoever.
Fix your dog’s dinner. It is OK for your dog to wait there as you get things ready.
Plan accordingly.