Barking at Guests and Outside Noises

[JaderBug]

My 5 month old pup has taken to growling/barking at people when they enter the house, and growling/barking at any noises she hears outside of the house as well, such as people walking around, people talking, people walking up our drive/porch, car doors shutting, etc. This has only been going on for a couple of weeks, but it seems to be getting worse. I correct her when she's doing this by saying a quick "Hey!" or "No!" to try and startle her. It generally works for low growls, but nothing else. This is really annoying and not at all how I would like her to behave. She doesn't seem to be aggressive about it, her tail wags when she greets people. Is this perhaps another fear phase? How do I stop this behavior? Is this just a phase? Any suggestions are appreciated...

[mbc1963]

I'm not great for the barking at visitors thing, because I live alone, Buddy loves my regular family and friends who visit, and I have NO IDEA how to get strangers to come to my house, just so I can teach Buddy not to bark at them. ("Excuse me. My dog growls and barks at stranger who come in my house. Would you come in my house so he can growl and bark at you while you hold treats and look harmless?")

 

However, as for the barking out at people who pass, I did make progress at that. I think I took my protocol from a book I read - probably "Bones Would Rain from the Sky" or one of Patricia McConnell's books. But basically, I kept treats around, and called the dog to me when he got really frenzied about barking at someone outside my house. I used "eeeeenouuuuggh" as his "quiet down" phrase, and a deep voice. When he stopped barking and got calm, he got a treat. I did this regularly for a few weeks. I was off work at the time, and used the most reactive time - commuters walking home from the train station - to work on the barking.

 

He's never going to ignore people right outside my front door, and I have a very narrow front yard with a busy sidewalk. But, I can use the "enough" command to get him to settle without too much fuss. He knows what I mean. Honestly, I'm not 100% consistent about this, but at least I know he knows what I want him to do if I say "enough."

 

Later, I read that if you actually get between the dog and the window, and use your body to show you don't want him there, it helps. So if I need him to stop and he's ignoring my "enough," I'll get up and body block him away from the window. That seems to make him go straight to his bed and settle, too.

 

Good luck!

 

Mary

[1sheepdoggal]

Tell her to "knock it off!" and mean it. If she cant behave after youve made your point. Crate her in another room. She'll learn that its unacceptable behavior and if she wants to be a part of whats going on, she'll learn to be a well behaved young lady.

[vanillalove]

I would get her to sit every time she's near the front door. She sits, and gets a treat. Practice this with her until sitting at the door and focusing on you, means goodies! Yay!

 

I would suggest then calling up your friends and having them stop by for surprise visits. First have them just ring the doorbell or knock and then leave, have her sit, give her a treat. Do this a few times and she'll learn that people by the door doesn't always mean people coming inside. After she gets used to that, start bringing the people in. Have her sit and give her a treat. If she barks and growls at the visiter, have them leave. This way, if she is barking because of excitement, the excitement of someone visiting has now gone. After this happens many times, she'll learn to be quiet at the door because she doesn't want them to leave.

 

I use positive reinforcement instead of correction, when I can help it, because it is longer lasting. If you teach her that having good manners at the door means treats, she'll want to do it all the time! With Petey, we had a jar of treats near the door, and if he was ever caught sitting in quiet by the door, he was rewarded.

 

Good luck!