Managing Canine Chaos At Your Front Door
Many of us don’t mind a few barks to alert us to the arrival of visitors and most dog-friendly visitors can appreciate (or at least, tolerate) the wagging, sniffing and snuffling of a sociable canine greeting. But, some dogs assume the role of welcome wagon too enthusiastically, becoming a whirlwind of friendly canine chaos. If your dog is one that races around, barking and/or bouncing excitedly off guests, you and your guests will benefit from a chaos-management plan to introduce some order to those front door greetings.
Set-Ups Are Part of Success
A few simple changes to your entry area can help to lessen canine chaos.
Reduce sliding and scrabbling by clearing the entryway area of tripping hazards and use low-pile rug and rug pad to limit slipping. This is safer for everyone and may reduce your dog’s general frenzy, since s/he won’t need to scrabble for purchase.
An entryway treat jar of pea-sized treats positioned in a spot that’s easy for you to reach (but inaccessible to your dog) means you can grab a handful on your way to the door. Distract and occupy your dog while you open the door by scattering a handful on the floor a little distance from the front door as visitors arrive. Reinforce calmer behaviors with treats, such as looking at you or sitting, once your guests enter. Please note: this is not a good option if you have one or more dogs that become aggressive towards people or animals when food is present.
A fridge or freezer of pre-prepared food toys (like a Kong or Toppl) with a lasting filler, like peanut butter, cream cheese or canned dog food, is a good choice for canine control. Give one of these to your dog to occupy him or redirect his attention just before or after guest arrivals.
Limit predictable noises that send your pooch into Canine Watchdog mode. Ask expected guests to text or call upon arrival instead of knocking or ringing the doorbell.
(Kindly) Control the Beast
Gaining control usually requires limiting running and jumping. Doing so in the safest, least frustrating way possible is crucial, so choose carefully for you and your dog.
A tall, sturdy pet gate gives you a hands-free way to prevent your dog from crowding the entryway (or slipping out the front door). Don’t be surprised if your dog jumps and barks at the gate, but this still might be preferable to clobbering your guests.
A durable leash keeps your dog close to you and limits range of movement if your awareness and timing are sharp enough to notice when your dog is preparing to launch himself off the ground.
If a crate, bedroom or fenced yard is already a place your dog can comfortably by contained, then it might be a good place to stash your dog while your guests get settled. But, if your dog is unused to or dislikes being confined, this may not be the time to introduce it.
Make your chaos-management plan a regular, predictable routine and diffusing canine chaos becomes a lot simpler. Even better, you’ll discover that teaching your dog to greet guests calmly is easier and more effective for you, your dog and your guests!
