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| Barking at the door | |
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| Topic Started: Feb 2 2009, 11:39 PM (101 Views) | |
| Laura | Feb 2 2009, 11:39 PM Post #1 |
One of the regulars
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We're moving house at next weekend (yey!) and I'll finally be able to get the dogs into good habits when people come to the door. At the moment they both bark when the door goes, Meg usually stops barking once she has seen who it is and had a bit of a sniff. Sally keeps barking and trying to barge through the door untill she realises it's someone she knows. If it's not someone she knows she keeps barking, and unless we put her in another room she runs around their feet. Up untill now door training has failed as we live with my dad in law and little brother in law and they found it hard to keep any consistency with the dogs (or have any dominance over them really) so I've never tried it seriously. I am planning to use their crate, they are both quite happy with it, and trying to teach them, eventually, to go to their crate when the door knocks, rather than going to the door. Just wondering if anyone has any tips? I hope it will work quite well as it will be a whole new house with new routines. Thanks, Laura, Sally & Meg |
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| Tafia | Feb 3 2009, 12:26 AM Post #2 |
Total Gas Bag!
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Well I tried to train them to bark at the front door .... didn't work. I even resorted to crawling to the door on hands and knees barking, they just looked at me as though to say "Good job, carry on ..." :blush: |
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| piwoodhouse | Feb 3 2009, 12:57 AM Post #3 |
Total Gas Bag!
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Personally I think barking at the door is quite healthy and when you have terriers, entirely to be expected! That said, I seem to remember Bruce Forsyth's daughter Debbie called in a dog behaviourist to help her Yorkshire terriers. If you recall, her dogs were stolen from the back seat of her car and were so traumatised that when she finally got them back. they were very different dogs. They would go bonkers when someone rang the doorbell, whereas before they were quite relaxed about visitors. The behaviourist dealt with their behaviour by allowing them a veyr quick bark when someone came to the door, but Debbie would then acknowledge them with the words "Thank you!" (delivered with the meaning "That's enough!"). The dogs were taught to respond to the cue words "Thank you" by sitting/lying down and waiting in situ while she went to answer the door. Easier said than done but it was all about acknowledging the dogs to let them know yes they'd been heard but also no, the owner was in charge and quite capable of dealing with whatever was behind the door. She was on It's Me Or The Dog but you may find references to it by googling Victoria Stilwell (who presents the show) and/or Debbie Forsyth, dog behaviourist with the dogs names which I think were Widget and Gizmo. |
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| Sky | Feb 3 2009, 07:45 AM Post #4 |
Chatterbox
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I think I have probably opted for the "easy option" but it works for us. My two act like they are going to "kill" the door when the door bell rings. I initially used to just open the nearest bedroom door, chuck a few treats on the floor and in they went until we had dealt with whoever was at the door. Now, every time the door bell rings we get the usual noise but they they wait at the bedroom door for me to open it and in they go (no treats now needed) and there they wait quietly until we let them out. They usually race out up to the door - check out that there is no one there and then settle back down again .................. until the next ring :lol: |
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| Laura | Feb 3 2009, 05:14 PM Post #5 |
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One of the regulars
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Thanks for the advice, I'll definately look up the Victoria Stilwell technique. I also like the idea of letting them bark untill I ask them to stop, it's quite usefull when theres music on and only the dogs hear the door knock! I was thinking of doing something similar to your bedroom idea but with their crate, get them in, give them a treat (which would also shut them up long enough for me to praise them for it) and I guess eventually that woud become the routine. A lot more pleasant for visitors who don't really like dogs. I mainly decided to do someting about it after my agility trainer told me how her dogs don't make a sound when the door goes, let alone get up to investigate. She has 6 collies and a border terrier!! That kind of obedience puts mine to shame! :blush: |
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| piwoodhouse | Feb 3 2009, 08:33 PM Post #6 |
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Total Gas Bag!
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Laura, never compare your dogs to someone elses, particularly when they come from different groups. A Border Collie has an entirely different mindset to a terrier for a start. Bet if your trainer ever gets burgled and her dogs don't as much as bleat she'll wish my Cairns had been staying with her that night! |
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| Laura | Feb 4 2009, 04:36 PM Post #7 |
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One of the regulars
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Haha, good point!! I think the noise of a couple of yappy little dogs is just as scary as a deep bark from a single big dog when they're just on the other side of a door, that's why I want them to shut up as soon as I go to open the door! We're moving on Saturday, I'll let you know how the training goes! |
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4:59 PM Nov 27
