Many dog owners have faced problems with their dog greeting guests in the wrong way, whether it’s jumping up on them, barking excessively or showing hostile behavior.
Not all dog owners expect such issues, but they are very common especially when it comes to recently adopted dogs.
The presence of visitors in your home can make your dog overly excited.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent this problem and ensure your dog greets visitors politely.
Here are 5 tips to train your dog to greet visitors in an acceptable manner.
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1. Get your dog used to the doorbell ringing
If your pup barks whenever he hears the doorbell ring, all you need to do is to get him used to it.
To achieve this, simply put your pooch on a leash and let a friend or a loved one ring the bell several times. Whenever your dog barks, say “No”.
Make sure you repeat this several times until your dog stops barking when someone rings the doorbell.
2. Train your dog to stop jumping up on people
Your dog jumps around in order to get attention.
One of the best ways to get him to stop jumping up on you and your guests is to ignore his behavior.
When someone enters your house, and he starts jumping up, ignore him. When he is finally calm, be sure to praise him.
3- Introduce visitors gradually
If a lot of guests come into your house, it can overwhelm and even confuse the dog.
Even well-trained dogs can find it difficult to behave when there are a lot of visitors in your home.
Instead of confusing your dog with very many people at the same time, introduce guests to your home slowly and then increase the number when your dog learns to behave around your visitors.
4. Teach your dog the “sit” command
Encourage your puppy to sit every time you enter the room before greeting him.
Then make sure you greet him politely and only when they have all four paws on the floor.
ALSO READ: How to Train Your Dog to be Calm Around Stranger
5. Seek the help of a friend
Seek the help of a friend who should remain calm even when your dog doesn’t stop his frantic behavior.
✔ Ask your friend to quietly enter the room and stand still at the entrance. Your dog should have already mastered the “sit” command.
✔ Ask your friend to give him the “sit” command before they try to greet him.
✔ If the dog tries to jump up on your friend, let him turn his back towards your dog or even move away from him.
This will help prevent your dog from succeeding at unwanted behaviors. Once he has all four paws on the floor, praise the dog and let your friend repeat the sit command. Immediately your dog sits, let your friend praise your dog with some tender petting.
Avoid rough or quick movements. The objective is to calm your dog down and then move further into the room in a calm manner.
Once you start achieving success with one friend, ask a few others for their help. That way, your dog will ultimately learn that he’s getting rewarded for being calm and polite while greeting your visitors.
ALSO READ: 13 Common Dog Training Mistakes You Ought to Avoid
Get professional help
If you’re struggling to train your dog to greet visitors calmly or are facing any other behavioral issue with your dog, you should seriously consider seeking help from renowned professionals like Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer.
The Doggy Dan Online Dog Trainer program is one of the most popular and most recommended online dog training resources in the world.
It is a comprehensive training course that covers a wide range of subjects, and it uses gentle training methods instead of cruel tools and procedures.
With Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer program, you can even watch a full video of how a young puppy should be trained until he’s one year old. This allows you to see for yourself what issues to expect and how to solve them before things get out of hand.
The program has around 250 videos with many others added on a regular basis. That way, you can forge a trusting and loving relationship with your adorable dog.