We have a 6 month old golden retriever who we have had for a month, he was very skinny when we got him and also very snatchy with food, we have taught him to wait for food but now he brings food out of the kitchen where his food bowl is and eats it in the lounge. The kitchen is where he sleeps and also where we put him when we go out. Does anyone have any experience of this as i am fed up of hoovering, could it be a good idea to shut baby gate while he is eating in the kitchen?

Do you leave him alone in the kitchen to eat?  He may feel vulnerable out there and prefer to be with the rest of the pack.  If you really prefer that he stays in the kitchen, then either stay out there with him, or yes, shut the stair gate - but this may lead to him refusing to eat at all........

one of my bitches wont eat unless im in the kitchen with her, another wont eat unless shes alone, dogs are funny things, i would stay with her.

I like to be around my puppies when they eat. It helps to teach them that I (And in fact, humans) are no threat to their food. Helps to prevent food guarding from starting.

Regards, John

Sometimes we are in the kitchen when he eats, but sometimes we feed him and leave him to it.

The thing is even when we are in the kitchen he will run of with food or treats and take it into the lounge, we have tried shutting gate so we are all in the kitchen and also tried shutting the gate with no food and all in the lounge. It's not a major problem just something i don't like.

Does he bring the food to eat it in the lounge when you are in the lounge or does he take it into the lounge to be away from you? Does he keep going back to his dish to get more to bring it through.- just interested in his behaviour.

My dogs eat their dinner in the kitchen but any treats, biscuits etc are taken through to the lounge to eat ,regardless of whether we are in the lounge or not, except bedtime biscuit is eaten in their bed.

I always feed my dogs in the porch while i am washing the dishes in the kitchen, they can see me, i have eaten and it is their turn to eat. They tend to start getting hungry while we eat, sitting at the other end of the room looking away lol They are happy with this arrangement as they know im there. Maby you should try finding something to do in the kitchen while he eats without you paying too much attention to him eating. If any of that makes any sense?!
GM

That does make sense gm we normally are in there washing up or putting shopping away.

It's wether we are in the lounge or not, he does it mostly with treats but i have noticed bits of his dry food in the lounge as well.

You have not mentioned other dogs in the house, so I assume there are none, which sort of makes nonsense of my theory. Megan, who was my Alpha for many years, would never eat with the others, it was beneath her.  As soon as she was able she lifted her food bowl and placed it in the living room beside the TV. I kept returning it to the kitchen. She just would not have it. I place her bowl in the living room, but beside another unit, she lifted the bowl and took it to the TV. I realised after a while, although her back was to the door of the kitchen she could watch the other dogs in the glass reflection of the tv stand, I noticed she paused and looked in it occasionally. She was a highly intelligent dog and it took me ages to figure out what she was doing. I just started placing her food in front of the TV and for 8.5 years this is where she ate. My kitchen is 22ft long and when I lift the food bowls down to my dogs, they are all waiting in position, same place same dog everytime, regardless of whose bowl I place down 1st, They made all these arrangements between them, I just complied. Not much help sorry, but just a sort of understanding that dogs seem to prefer a certain place to eat and will stick with it, similar to us having the same place at the table at every meal, I think :)
Kay

Several of ours have done this over the years.  I always thought it was a comfort thing.  It's a heck of a lot more comfortable to stand or lie and eat on carpet than on the cold kitchen floor.

Wendy