How to keep a dog calm when visitors come?

If your dog gets overly excited when the doorbell rings or visitors arrive, the first thing to do is to put the dog on a leash. Having your dog on leash prior to the trigger will help keep the excitement level to a minimum. Use obedience such as sit or sit-stay when guests arrive. When introducing your dog to guests, it is very important to allow them to pet only when the dog is calm. If your dog starts to get excited, put it back into a sit-stay and give it time to calm down. By only allowing petting after calming, you will reinforce that good things will happen when it can stay calm. Stay calm as a handler so your energy level can help calm the dog. Practicing good control in all different environments will yield a well-behaved dog.

To help your dog settle when new people come to visit it’s a good idea to have a safe space that your dog can happily settle in, away from the excitement. Giving your dog a good walk beforehand will help him/her to relax, since they will have burned off any excess energy. A tired dog will find it easier to switch off and relax in their safe space. Try and get your dog used to spending short periods of time alone in their quiet place so that it’s a normal event. Delicious long-lasting chews and enrichment toys like Kongs and Lickimats can help your dog to calm down and relax. By giving your dog another focus, you are helping him/her to slowly switch off, while the buzz of something new dies down. You can also use a dog gate or barrier to reduce the risk of any unwanted physical contact between your visitor and your dog. If your dog is super keen to greet your visitor or to ward them off, then tossing some treats away from where you are will encourage your dog to accept some distance. Use your crate or safety gate and some yummy chews to give everyone some space to calm down.