teach an alternative behavior to barking
Does your dog bark wildly when the doorbell rings? Dogs bark when they hear the doorbell for several reasons: they are excited (“Yay, someone is here!), they are scared (“Oh no, someone is here!”), or they are simply doing their duty (“Someone is here—I need to let my family know!”). No matter what your dog’s motive is for barking, you can teach your dog to be quiet when the doorbell rings by asking for an alternative behavior, such as lying down on his/her bed (see Teach Settle on a Mat).
To teach this behavior:
- Have a friend ring the doorbell or knock on the door.
- Deliver the treat where you want your dog to stay, such as a mat or bed.
- Toss the treat away from the mat to reset the behavior.
- Repeat until the dog settles on his/her mat automatically when the doorbell rings.
Watch this video as KPA CTP Dan Clark teaches Sherlock that lying on a bed when the doorbell rings is more rewarding than barking! At first, the knock and doorbell created frantic barking, so Dan began by knocking on objects before having someone knock on the door.
For more training tips and ideas, check out our blogs and our Dog Trainer Foundations course!
Happy Training!