How to get a dog to stay calm when people come over?
Willy Smith
2025-06-22 23:33:33
Count answers
: 7
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. Stay calm as a handler so your energy level can help calm the dog. 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. Depending on your dog’s current behavior pattern, teaching your dog to stay calm may go quickly or you may need to work on behavior for a few weeks. The more consistent you are as a handler, the better the dog will learn.
Emilio Goodwin
2025-06-15 12:41:47
Count answers
: 9
To help your dog to 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. 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 train your dog to accept the doorbell as nothing but a boring sound, which will pay off in the long run. Use your crate or safety gate and some yummy chews to give everyone some space to calm down. 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.