I haven't had any issues with Kananga around meal time. He usually just sits and waits. If he tries to jump up I will push him back and tell him to "sit". He rarely challenges that request.
Every dog will have a different personality when it comes to food I suppose.
With Ruby & Brando (both 5yo), I can sit on the couch and eat dinner and they both sit beside me and neither begs - doesn't matter what dinner is they leave me alone and don't even look at me or my food. They've never been successful with me. Lately though I've been having my dinner when they have their dinner (they are crated when they eat their dinner).
The dogs with my brother…whole different story. He sets his plate down and they've managed to grab food so when he eats they are on him like white on rice.
Liyah, well - she is a work in progress - she is still young - 15 months, but I have no doubts she'll get there eventually.
I'll put a different slant on things here. I'm currently the owner of 3 senior aged (15, 15 and 16) cats who are always around our dinner table when we eat. But I've trained them to stay back. So hopefully when I get my basenji I will be able to do the same 
Just wondering, had you ever fed your b's from the kitchen table before?
Zelda is… a dork still. Last night, my adult kids came over for our usual tuesday night dinner/visit. We got a kong all set up with deliciousness and that gave us time to get our plates filled 
If she manages to keep her feet on the floor, she can stay in the room, but that's definitely a beginning skill for her. And when we have pizza, she CANNOT handle the excitement yet. So she waits unhappily in her crate 
She'll get there. It sounds like Paco shares Zelda's love of sausage pizza. I really think Zelda believes that we order it for her.
Lol @ Zelda. She and Paco sound like they could have a pizza party.
And Kipawa, no. We have a strict rule that Paco only gets fed in his food bowl in the kitchen…even if I decide to give him a bit of what we're eating, it's not out of my hand, but put in his bowl to eat. The only exception, of course, is while training with treats.
He really had gotten really good at not begging. We even had guests last night and he didn't bother to test them with his cuteness. He'd sit and watch, but not beg. I think it was the pizza that set him off, that and he hadn't gotten real exercise for a couple of days and was antsy to begin with (fixed that today with a mile hike! :D) I think there will be some learning on my end on what foods set him off.
Our boys are allowed to be where they want to be, they only not allowed on the couch or close to us…
So they just search a place to lie down and reat a bit.
Sometimes they lie down in their own crate.
Ours are loose, wherever they want to be. Sometimes if dinner smells really enticing, they'll hover around the table, but there's no table begging allowed and they know it.
I have occasionally sneaked a bite or two to Jazz, but she knows not to expect it and not to ask for it. I never sneak a bit to Keoki from the table b/c, well, he's not Jazz and is a little less able to control his impulsive behavior, LOL
Ours are also loose at all time except when we leave the house. The basenjis lay down together on a little oriental run next to our breakfast bar and nap while we are eating at the bar. Scotty the whippet is another story. She is a nortorious counter surfer and will not stay off the counter unless crated. Fortunately she has gotten to where she jumps on the counter and sits patiently waiting for us to finish and giver her a bit of a treat.
We keep a squirt bottle on the table full of water. We had to use it often at first, now, when the dogs get too close to the table, we just show it to them..its funny, they shake, like they have been squirted, and move to the "approved" sitting area.
It works and won't hurt them.
I agree squirt bottle works great, and they learn to respect it. We feed Tupper when we eat. That way he is engaged for the first five minutes of our meal.
All four of my dogs are loose while we eat, the three adults stay in another room unless they're called in for something…Zuni, well, she's all over us. We just calmly push her down, say OFF, and go back to eating...we're hoping she eventually gets it like the others did.
Lisa, I have seen photos of your whippet on the counter tops!
My 3 are loose, they sit or lie under the table, sleeping or staring at my husband. Guess who slips food to them from the table? When we are done, I give them a bit of whatever we had, on plates or bowls, in the kitchen. They rarely actually beg unless we dawdle too long at the end of a meal. We do not, however, eat on the couch. They seem to think that food anyplace other than the table is fair game for them!
My B, Sahara will try to beg but she doesn't get fed from the table and she will try anyways, but then she gives up and lays down on her blanket on the couch. She is always good and goes away once we tell her to go lay down, or just "No" does the trick.
Sonny's has a thing for ice cream. he doesn't beg while I eat it but he rest his head on my knees and stares at me while I eat every bite. it can feel a little like being stalked! :p he knows when I'm done he can lick the bowl!
lol, aww, sonny is adorable!
We've been able to let Paco watch us eat a few times now. He'll still jump up and try to stick his nose in our food, but he hasn't bitten again when we move him away. I'm thinking maybe he knew he did something wrong that day when he bit me - or maybe nothing we've eaten since has smelled as good as sausage pizza. Eventually, he does give up and watch, but he's always hoping for a nibble off our plate. If we can't finish, we sometimes put some in his food bowl.
Since Sonny joined the family three years ago its seems everyone has invested in a pub style table! my house, my parents & my brother. he can't reach so he doesn't even try. sometimes its just easier to out smart them!
The two things that just overwhelm sonny are cheese and steak…he'll do anything to try and get it and I swear he blocks me out and is lost in a trance! 
