Dog barking at the front door

[radfordrunner]

Hi everyone, my 2 yo male Labrador is an absolute nightmare when someone comes to the door! He was a lockdown puppy and so we didn't have any guests over in his formative months.

He is now 30kg and sounds like an absolute terror when someone comes to the door! We've tried addressing it but in the end we just ended up closing him in the kitchen whilst we take in a package, but I really want to sort it.

I was thinking about putting his lead / halti on him, walking him to the door, getting him to sit (which may be more of a feat than I realise!) and then open the door, give a treat and then close the door and reward with praise. Does this sound like a good idea? He is a very anxious dog generally so I want to break this habit we have found ourselves in!

Easy to solve if you are consistent.

It may be easier to get a new door bell but you can use the existing one.

Ring the door bell and drop a treat on the floor (what ever he does, even if he barks)

Best to be near the door so he does not get over excited charging to the door.

Then put a mat by the door and ring the door bell and put the treat on the mat
Do this over and over again. It may take a few days

Then move the mat a bit further away from the door and ring the door bell and put treat on the mat

Eventually you can have the mat where you want it and the door bell will ring and the dog will go to his mat for the treat.

It is really important that every time the doorbell rings he gets a treat, however very very quickly he will learn doorbell means nice treat.

The barking will stop and you will have a dog running to wait on the mat for a treat.

(If you use a new door bell you can train this away from the door before you fit the new door bell sound to the door)

@IngGenius - you are a blooming genius! Thank you - I will try this!