How to prepare your dog for visitors
Find out how to help to help your dog feel calm when visitors knock on your door and come into your home.
The sound of the doorbell or a knock on the door can make some dogs feel excited or nervous. So, before you start welcoming visitors, you should prepare your dog and teach them to feel calm.
Top tip: Put a sign on your front door asking people not to knock or ring the doorbell while you are doing the training. Otherwise, this may get confusing for your pooch and could slow down their progress.
At first, you want them to learn that a knock doesn’t result in anything else happening. This is why you don’t want people turning up unexpectedly and disrupting the training.
Watch our video to discover how to train your dog for visitors.
You’ve taught your pooch to go to their bed and wait when there is a knock at the door or the doorbell rings. Now you can start to give them a long-lasting treat and close the door for a short period of time. Repeat this several times. Then, you should be able to bring the guests into your home while your pooch is devouring their treat in bed.
Top tip: If you want to ask your dog to come off the bed, you can say “OK” or “off”, so you keep things very clear.
Introduce your dog to real guests
Your dog now knows that a knock on the door means they go to their bed. So, when your visitor arrives, as above, leave your pooch there with a long-lasting treat and close the door.
You can now invite your guests in and let them settle down. Your dog should be calm so, if your visitors are happy to meet them, you can bring your pooch in.
They know how to respond to the arrival of guests. This should mean they are relaxed after real visitors knock or ring the doorbell, for the first time.
Top tip: Keep a long-lasting treat close by. That way, you can follow the same routine with visitors that you aren’t expecting, as well as with the ones that you are.
Stop your dog jumping up at visitors
Is your dog jumping up at your visitors? Then you need to ensure you train them to greet guests calmly and quietly.
Avoid your dog barking at visitors
Perhaps your dog barks at visitors? This could be due to excitement, but could also be a sign that they feel anxious about their arrival.
Prevent an over-excited puppy from mouthing visitors
If you have an over-excited puppy mouthing your visitors, then you need to teach them what they can and cannot chew. You can do this by providing your puppy with a range of suitable toys and chews to play with.
Extra behavioural support
Remember, help is there for you if you need it. If you feel as though your dog is struggling to have visitors in the home, or you're struggling to cope with their behaviour, an accredited behaviourist will be able to offer you practical support and guidance.
Or speak to our team of dog behaviour specialists on our Behaviour Support Line for free expert advice.
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