barking when the door is chapped

[Alan and Lynsey]

hi all,

lately when the front door is chapped meg will go crazy, she runs to the front door and starts barking until we open the door. Once the front door has been opened she goes mad for attention from who ever walks through the door.

thinks we have been trying:

when the door goes we put her in her crate till the guest is in the house and she has calmed down.

we have instructed the guest to pay her no attention till she is sitting down calm in front of them.

we have tried having treats on the stair in a tub and when the door goes we take out a treat and get her to down and stay, but she always jumps up as soon as the guest comes in.

she will not run out the front door because she know that the front and back door are threshold she should not cross until told to.

i would like to try and have her not react so excited when the door goes.

none of the above has worked so any advice would be appreciated.
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Cheers,

Alan, Lynsey, Meg, Peanut and new arrival Bella

[Suzanne H]

Perseverance is the key. Took us a while to get otto to not jump up on people including us -we just don't react to him when we come in, and get guests to do the same. He eventually got the message. I'd turn my back on him and not even acknowledge him. This lead to a right battle with him jumping ever higher...but he got it in the end.

He's also not allowed to greet people at the door...he will bark when people approach, and I don't mind that, he's just guarding. I thank him then tell him to lie down in his bed and stay. If it's a delivery man or a work man, he's kept out of the road.

If it's a guest, he's only allowed to greet people when we say so and if he doesn't stay calm, he turfed out the room. Which he hates, so he calms down. He is still young and does get excited when people come in, but he's not longer jumping and calms down quickly once he's had a sniff.

If you're seen to be calm and in charge of he situation, then they react to that ie it's his job to let us know someone is there, but it's not his job to say who gets in.

[Margaret J]

as above perseverance is the key !!!!!!!!! you are trying many things i would suggest...............the only other thing that i had to do with my fist dog is attach a toggle .....very short lead/handle ...... get from any pet shop.... to allow me to apply a correction for bad behavior ....

my 3 dogs sit behind me when i answer the door (especially if i m not expecting anyone and wait there until i dismiss them as i let guests in .......i send them off to bed and one the guest is settled i treat them for staying there.......

my dogs are in the same room as the guest but not allowed to fuss over them unless i invite them......sounds hard but it works for me ...... i don't let a lot of people fuss over my dogs... unless they a kids of course.....i like them to be gentle with kiddies...


good luck

[Alan and Lynsey]

Thanks for the tips
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Cheers,

Alan, Lynsey, Meg, Peanut and new arrival Bella

[Jack]

Alan - do you watch The Dog Whisperer? First thing you have to do is "claim" the door i.e. NOT let her near it when people knock on it.

I'd also endorse the use of a leash so you can issue corrective "jerks" down the lead to her so she learns quickly what is and is not acceptable.

My 3 used to be a nightmare but since I've claimed my door they STILL get excited (they're Staffies - EVERYTHING excites them! ) but I'm able to keep them at an acceptable level - if it's someone they know and love and who loves them and doesn't mind getting slobbered over then fine that's allowed but if not they are kept calm and only allowed gentle greetings. It works a charm and I wouldn't have thought anything could control these beasts of mine

Good luck - hope one of the tips posted helps. Every dog is different so you just have to keep at it to find what works best for you
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