Kersti Moss, Professional Dog Trainer from Dog Training Camp USA discusses how to keep your dog calm when the doorbell rings

Tips for Controlling Your Dog’s Barking at the Door Brought to you by the AKC GoodDog! Helpline – the AKC’s 7-day-a-week training support service By Hilarie Erb, AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Would you like to be able to hear the doorbell without your dog getting into a frenzy? It is a natural and sometimes even desirable reaction for dogs to alert their people when someone is at the door. But you can teach them that everything is okay and that they can stop barking when you want to open the door. First, think about what you do when the doorbell rings. You don’t realize it, but you have already taught your dog that it’s a very exciting thing because you drop whatever you are doing at the moment and rush to the door…every single time. This is an excellent example of how consistency makes for good dog training! You have reinforced Fluffy’s natural watchdog instincts. Now let’s make a conscious effort to use consistency to your advantage. Place Command Teach your dog to go to her place, such as a comfortable bed or rug that may be in sight of the door but still a cozy spot. Enlist the help of a friend or family member. Ask them to ring the doorbell several times while you ignore it. Calmly sit or continue doing whatever it is you are doing. When the dog quiets down, lure her to the place and reward with a delicious treat. Repeat as often as needed until your dog understands that when the bell rings, she gets a treat for getting on her bed. Let your helper know that they don’t have to wait at the door for you to let them in. It might be a while until you get to the point where you actually open the door.When the dog learns to associate the bell with getting a treat on her bed, it’s time to graduate to opening the door. If the dog gets up, do not open it. Just calmly direct her back to the place. Again, lavishly reward so that she knows staying calm and away from the door makes you dish out goodies. You still may not get the door open, but you are getting there. Wireless Doorbell A great way to speed up the process, and to save friends and family a lot of standing around on your front porch, is to get a wireless doorbell kit. These are inexpensive and you can make the doorbell ring yourself with the button that you have in your pocket, unbeknownst to your dog. You can ring the bell all day long and throw a treat to the special place. When you reach the point where your dog automatically goes to his place when it rings and you go to the door, pretend that you are talking to a person at the door. Soon you can invite real live friends to help and actually come inside. Even if your dog is well-trained and calm when the doorbell rings, if you are expecting lots of visitors, say Halloween trick-or-treaters or party guests, the best and safest thing to do is to put your dog in his crate that is in a quiet room. Give a special treat such as a food-stuffed toy or chew so he has a special party treat to enjoy too. Dog Training Camp  USA offers services to  fit the needs of all our clients.  There's our classic Training Camp program, Group Classes where you can interact with other dog lovers, and Private Consultations for those who prefer individual attention. If you aren't quite sure which service will fit you and your dog, give us a call at 919-401-9050 and we'll be happy to assist you in selecting  the perfect service. We Travel To You!  Mailing Address 514 Daniels Street, Suite 232 Raleigh, North Carolina 27605  919-401-9050 Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter