Why Your Puppy Barks When Strangers Are At The Door

Article Written By: Wendon Lee

One reason your puppy barks is from an instinct handed down from the grey wolf ancestors of 15,000 years ago. Currently your puppy engages in this sort of territorial barking whenever she senses a stranger nearing her pack's "den" (in this case, your home). Not surprisingly, it can be this incredibly habit within your puppy that makes her a good watch dog, so it's probably not something you want to quit completely.

The dilemma arises when your puppy starts barking at the approaching letter carrier or family friend and does not quit.

When your puppy first alerts you to someone at the door, it is best to let her know you've got received the warning with a warm pet and whatever verbal indication of approval the two of you've got worked out by this point (which is likely to be some variation on "good dog"). At that point, the barking ought to cease. If it does not, use a short command like "Stop" or "No additional," delivered firmly and strongly, but not angrily.

As with most training, you will need to back up the command with positive reinforcement when your puppy obeys you. It may well take a while for your puppy to quit barking and exhibit the behavior you would like to reinforce with praise or a treat. But ultimately, she will quit barking and as soon as she is silent for as briefly as a number of seconds, pour on the reward.

But although all this is going on, the individual outside is waiting for someone to open the door, generating this type of training rather impractical to use on just any approaching stranger. One strategy to get about which is to have a friend volunteer to play the stranger in a purposely planned training exercise. Have your designated stranger approach the house and ring the bell whilst you and your puppy wait inside.

When your puppy starts to bark, thank her. If she keeps on barking, give her the command to "Stop!" and wait quietly until she does. When your puppy stops barking, give her praise and a treat. Then move away from the door, have your "stranger" ring the bell, and start off the process over again.

By then end of various repeats, your puppy must be responding a lot more speedily to the "Stop!" command. Do this over numerous days, and your puppy need to understand to fall silent in just a couple of seconds. Your volunteer stranger will spend a good deal of the exercise standing outdoors, which is why you may want an especially patient friend to help you with this game. And you'll definitely want to do it in good weather!

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