Why does my lovely dog go nuts when people enter the house? And what can I do?

[ArmchairActivist]

We have a gorgeous 18 month old terrier who's very friendly to all and sundry but barks like a maniac when someone rings the doorbell or enters the house.

If the visitor is known to DDog he pipes down pretty quickly. If unknown, he may continue barking for an indeterminate length of time. It's getting to the point where I worry about inviting new people or infrequent visitors round.

I'd like to know why he does this (is he scared? Or just being a terrier?) and what we can do about it. Sometimes he'll just bark and bark at the new person - even if we get them to feed him treats.

We got a dog trainer in who told us to train him to go to his bed when the door goes or a visitor comes, but that does diddly squat unfortunately.

Any help gratefully received - we're also thinking of neutering him soon and I worry if this will make things worse. He doesn't seem anxious out in the street though (loves other dogs and people out and about).

My dog barks at the door and at people coming in. He also loves to sit at the window and bark at other dogs walking past, but rarely people. We think it's a territorial thing, as he also barks at birds, cats, foxes and noises in the back garden at night (for ages. But who needs sleep anyway?)

We've been desensitising him to back garden noises which seems to have reduced the barking somewhat. It's harder to do with the doorbell as you have less control over when it goes, but could you try practising with a recording? You'd need to play the sound while feeding him treats until he gets used to the noise and doesn't react at all, other than to look at you for a treat when he hears it. Then maybe you could ask someone to come and ring the doorbell and do the same over and over until he doesn't react. Then the same with them coming in, so then when an actual visitor comes he doesn't react, or waits for a treat. It'll take a while, but it's probably worth it.

It's also better if the treats come from you rather than a stranger as then he'll focus more on you and get used to ignoring them, iyswim?

Watching this as i've got the same problem

Utter that made me laugh, at least.

Thanks for that tip home - we can try that.

Do people think it's not anxiousness then, just territorialness (not real word)?

He's definitely not aggressive, and as I say, doesn't seem anxious in any other context.

The barking at polite visitors as they awkwardly sit on our sofa with a pained smile on their faces and a cup of tea is very trying.

We weakly try and tell them he's 'usually lovely and calm'. They undoubtedly leave thinking what a horribly annoying dog we have.

Yoga - my sympathies.

He might be anxious about people in 'his' house? It's hard to know really, but either way, teaching him that strangers coming is associated with loads of fuss from you and treats can't hurt.

Yes that's a good point home. Only problem is I have tried with the fuss and treats from myself too and it didn't seem to work - he just kept on bloomin barking, taking a treat from me, then going back to the visitor to bark.

But as you say, maybe just starting with practising with the doorbell first (without visitors) might help.

I grew up with a dog like this. I think she was just a bit excited to see who it was.
She calmed down a bit in later life.

Hmmm, maybe you've accidentally rewarded him for barking? It might be worth working up to it step by step, if you have a willing stooge? So a person at the door, with the door slightly open, a bit more, etc, all the way until they're sitting down? We're desensitising my dog by sitting with him when he's calm and treating at the first response (ears up, looking towards a noise, etc) so he doesn't even get to the point of barking.

Although, we're currently out in the back garden practising not reacting to noises. Which was going well until a cat leapt over the fence, cue frenzied barking and running around. I think he has a way to go yet...

Yours sounds like ours home. Cats are like kryptonite to him!

The willing stooge approach is a good idea. It's tough cos absolutely any outside noise sets him off. Someone slamming a car door on the street....people walking past having a conversation... It's been remarked that he'll give himself a heart attack if carries on like that!

Will try with the desensitisation though.

I taught my springer to 'back up' when the bell went. I taught him to jump on the sofa and stay there when the bell went.

As soon as the bell went. I told him to back up and he would stay on the sofa. I didn't let him off until people were in the door.

It took weeks and weeks of practice and training. But I can't tell you how happy I was when he did this for the first time. I nearly forgot to open the front door.

Find a doorbell noise on your laptop and ring it everytime you walk past - lots of times per day but don't look, talk or touch him while you do it - just carry on as normal (as if you have not noticed the noise at all) - keep on doing this till he stops reacting too. He's just got excited about the doorbell and picking up on your reactions to it.

Everytime you walk past a door in the house, including the front door knock on them but then keep on doing whatever it is you were doing so that over time (a week or two at least) he becomes desensitised to 'door' related noises.

What's important is that you don't react to any of the noise you are creating.

You could also just put him on the lead before you open the front door when it is someone there.

I have a 3 1/2 year old border terrier who goes mental at the door. We've notice a tiny change in that we can see she's trying not to bark but can't help herself. She goes berserk for my in-laws (in a nice way) and doesn't calm down til they leave. I don't know a single terrier who doesn't bark at things/the door/the wind! You have my sympathy x