Is it normal that i get annoyed and shoo my man's dog away when i am eating?

My man kinda tried to give me a trip of guilt not too long ago when I shooed his chihuahua away because it got too close for my liking when I was eating. I am on the couch where the dog cannot reach, so it has planted its arse right at my feet, under the tray table or close to me -- too close, IMO. Piddles the Pooch has gotten better but will still try to be sneaky if it can.

My boyfriend basically said (my wording may be a bit off), "This is her house too. She has a natural instinct towards food." I do not give a rat's red rump if it has a natural inclination to be vulture-like around food -- like Hell I will put up with that obnoxious behavior!

Okay, this may be true, but a behavior being natural does not mean you have to put up with it. This is a training issue as far as I am concerned. The dog has never been trained to respect boundaries, after all, otherwise it would not get too close to anyone in the first place when food is present.

It will also claw your skin for attention, though that has gotten better because it cannot reach the couch.

I don't want a dog bugging me while I eat, partly because I don't want it to view me as a food source if I drop a morsel, which will reinforce the begging behavior. The other big reason why is because I feel my boundaries are being violated in some way.

I have never, ever, under any circumstances fed this dog, save for the ONE time thus far where I accidentally dropped a tater tot and did not pick it up in time.

Please note that Piddles is fed plenty, so the issue isn't likely due to being starved or anything like that.