Feeding routines
Should I feed my dog at the same time I eat my own meals
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
You can, and many owners find it a convenient way to remember, but it can also encourage begging at the table if your dog's bowl and your own plate arrive at the same moment in the same room. Feeding your dog just before you sit down to eat, rather than during your meal, avoids this.
The convenience of shared timing
Linking your dog's meal to your own is an easy way to remember a consistent schedule, since your own eating times tend to be fairly regular already and act as a built in reminder.
The begging risk
If your dog's bowl goes down at the exact same time you sit at the table, some dogs start to associate the sound and sight of your meal with their own, which can encourage lingering near the table hoping for scraps even after their own bowl is empty.
A simple adjustment
Feeding your dog 10 to 15 minutes before you sit down, so their meal is finished and the bowl is put away before your own food appears, keeps the convenience of a shared routine without training in table begging.
Key takeaways
- Linking feeding times to your own meals is a convenient reminder system.
- Feeding at the exact same moment can encourage begging at the table.
- Feeding your dog 10 to 15 minutes earlier avoids this overlap.
- The convenience of shared timing can be kept without the begging downside.