Useful tips for dogs that bark at the door

 A familiar problem is dogs barking when a visitor comes to the door, be it the postman, a friend or a relative. This situation can be embarrassing as we may look like we have not taught our dog self control.  However, it is our dog's job to warn us when a potential threat is coming into our territory and barking is his way of alerting us to the potential problem.  It should then be our job to deal with it. If your dog barks hysterically at the door and doesn't seem to calm down when you go to answer it, this is because he believes that he is the decision maker and it is his job to deal with the problem.  We need to show him that it is not his job to deal with the problem but to just alert us of it.

The good news is, to do this, or any other training method of dog behaviour you do not need the latest gadget or an intimidating voice. The most effective tool you can have is a low pulse rate, combined with a confident consistent message. Like any form of teaching we find it hard to learn if we are surrounded by stress.  The technique is to remove any form of stress from the equation, such as shouting, panicking, hard staring or even too much talking.  The dog needs some calm signals which he will understand and help to restore his faith in you as leader.

Preparation is the key. Like any situation, if we are not prepared for what is going to happen, it will be more difficult to deal with. The best way is to instigate the situation by phoning a friend or relative requesting they come round, warning them that you are doing some training with the dog. This way if you take some time to get to the door you will not come across rude and it gives you more time so you are not rushing and as a result your pulse rate does not go up.

The door knocks and your dog barks. At this point you should thank your dog for doing his job, for example, saying ‘good boy' or ‘thank you'.  If the dog carries on barking you should go and have a look to see what the problem is, making sure that it is clear to him that you are investigating the situation. By this time many dogs do calm down however if your dog is still barking and behaving erratically then you need to isolate him. You can do this by gently taking hold of his collar and putting him in another room and closing the door.  You should not speak or look at him at any point as it will confuse him.  By doing this you are giving him time to calm down, whilst also conveying the powerful signal that being stressed results in loss of the pack, a language which he understands. Once the dog has calmed down and stopped barking you can let him in the room again. To reinforce the message you should tell your visitors not to look at or speak to the dog when he returns to the room.  If the dog continues to bark, repeat the process until he finally relaxes.

Saying thank you when your dog barks shows him that his role of alerting you to potential dangers in the pack is vital. By looking at the problem you are showing him that you deal with the issue and by isolating the dog it demonstrates that erratic behaviour will make no progress and he will lose the pack. When using this method with the dog, remember to do it quickly and calmly.

This method shows that you a calm, consistent leader, that can be trusted to do your job without resorting to force or intimidation. By Nigel Reed

www.alphadogsitting.co.uk