Monday, October 3, 2011

Guests Arriving and Compatible Dog Behaviors?


I have decided I think I would like to train my boys to go to crate when people arrive. I will have to talk to John about it because we will need to be on the same page if it is going to be effective.

The boys get WAY over stimulated when people arrive at the house. It does not even have to involve the doorbell ringing. Ike is the worst offender and takes the longest to chill out, but Bug is only too happy to get wired and go along for the ride.

We don’t have company that often, but I am sick of enabling their bad behavior.

Do any of you have a method you employ with your pups or a good resource? I think going to crate would be the best bet for us because Ike’s response is partially fear driven. Anyway I am open to suggestions or resources. I plan to start working on it alone, but wouldn’t rule out the worth of a private lesson.

8 comments:

Taryn said...

I have pandemonium at my house as well when someone comes to the door. Doorbell or knock, it's the same. Both boys head for the door screaming, Jimmy often gets so amped up he attacks Wilson. Our front door has a deadbolt so I need keys to open it as there is no latch to throw. It is to the point if I just pick up those keys, (with no knock or doorbell sounds)Jimmy goes nutso!


I am too lazy to work on it, but I sure should!

Red Dog Mom said...

Hey, I'm in the obnoxious greeting of visitors boat too! Georgia is probably the worst here as she gets so excited she will jump up and nip hands, butts, boobs....whatever she can reach. How we handle it depends a lot on who the visitors are, how many we are expecting and how long they will be staying. If it's a planned visit, we will often crate everyone half an hour before arrival. Then we decide who can come out and say hello once the visitors are settled. Deliveries don't engender as much drama; a lot of barking until the "intruder" is "scared away." That's usually a little more bearable.

Jules said...

I am glad to hear I am not the only one dealing with this issue. I have decided I have had enough of it. Where Bug isn't in a class at the moment, this is the perfect time to try and do something about it (before I add a 3rd dog and the problem gets even more annoying).

Michele said...

We have pandemonium even though ours are usually crated when someone comes to the door. We have 9 dogs and run 4 groups, so management is key...Plus 6 of our crates are in our living room near the front door. We know we will have chaos, but a spray water bottle has come in handy...Our dogs are not real sensitive, so a quiet command is given...If not responded too, water bottle comes out and squirt to the offender. And they all settle down within a few minutes.

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

It gets a little ....or a lot over the top when people come to our house too, I usually put everyone in the crate and not sure why but it has been getting a little better, we had the cable guys over here FOUR days in a row...dont ask why so many days, LOL...but I was impressed that there was some wild barking for a few seconds then quiet for the rest of the visit,although the dogs were outside or in the crate. I want to desensitize the dogs to the door bell, it is on the list of things to do....but I would love to train the dogs to go to the crate when they heard the door bell, that could be a crate cue....one day....

Builder Mama said...

Add us to the list. Rufus tends to be the one who stands off and barks...bark bark bark bark...it's maddening because it's not a warning bark as much as it's a HEY I'M DOWN HERE bark. Nick, on the other hand, thinks everyone should adore him and no matter how short or tall they should love having him put their paws on them as he tries to drown them in kisses. Talk about two opposites.

The key with Rufus is to ignore him and it stops. Nick...well, I figure he's not hurting anyone so that's more of a quirky annoyance than having a piercing bark in your ear.

Strangely enough, the guy from next door came over last night with his daughter selling cookies...Rufus barks at this guy every morning as he jogs by and then jogs past again. Well, he knew who it was and did that same odd bark that he does when he sees the guy jog by. Completely different than his normal bark.

Hmm. I am definitely overthinking things. ;-)

Katrin said...

teach the dog that the cue to "crate" is someone knocking on the door or ringing the bell. Begin by setting it up as a training session. For example have John go outside the front door and knock. When he knocks, cue the dogs to crate and reward them heavily in their crates. If you have practiced crate games then that would be an excellent refresher for your dogs on staying in their crates until released. Practice the dogs staying in their crates as you go to open the door. If they break, put them back, and systematically teach them to stay put while you open the door. Then practice them staying crated as the person you let in the house gets closer and closer to the crates. If the dog's break out of the crates, the person stops and you recue "crate", the dog learns self control of staying in the crate is what earns them attention from the visitor (that is if that is what the dog wants, Bug probably does, Ike would probably prefer if the person left him alone)

Jules said...

Thanks, Katrin. This is exactly what I was thinking of doing. Initial thought was to have the crates side by side, but now I am thinking separate might be better.