How to stop a dog from lunging at the door?

We tried having them wait until the door is open, but they still run immediately when released from that command. We tried standing in front of the door but once again, when told its okay they still run. We used a leash on them for several weeks and that worked, until we took the leash off. They went right back to running. Make sure you check out our WIKI for recommended resources and articles about common problems. This community is geared towards modern, force-free, science based methods and recommendations.

Stopping a dog from lunging at people is all about making sure the dog feels comfortable and confident. If the dog’s handler manages the situation by helping the dog move away from things before it gets startled or fearful, it is essentially practicing not reacting to strangers. This is a version of something called BAT or Behavior Adjustment Training and its a great way to help a dog who lunges at people. You want to make sure its a wide open place that isnt too busy. Sniffing is a displacement behavior that can calm down many fearful or anxious dogs, so green space is important. Once your dog has learned to search for things hearing the “find it” cue, you can preemptively stop your dog from barking or lunging at people by tossing the treats away from whatever it is you know your dog’s going to react to. They key is to do this the instant your dog starts to feel anxious or uncomfortable. Most dogs bark or lunge at people to get them to move away. If you spot a dog offering any of these indicators that they are uncomfortable, immediately play the find it game or call them away from whatever it is they are looking at. Tossing the treats on the ground is a great way to stop dog from acting aggressive to people because they often sniff for other things that they detect on the ground when they’re looking for the treat. I recommended that Boba‘s guardian practice this exercise a couple of times a week in 20 to 30 minute practice sessions.