Hi

I haven't been on here for a while but could use some advice.  My four dogs,  an elderly westie,  a JR,  sheltie and rescued Greek hound, individually are well  behaved, all having  been to training classes and two of them are still attending.  However,  when there is a ring at the doorbell all sense deserts them and there is a terrible explosion of noise, barking, howling etc.  It is very embarrassing.  Once the person is over the threshold there is complete chaos for a few minutes and then it all subsides.  If I am expecting someone I can usually put them in another room but it is the unexpected visitor that causes the mayhem.

I know it is to do with the pack syndrome but I feel completely ineffectual at controlling the dogs.  Hannah the hound  started off life with us as very subservient - and still is quite a nervous dog - kicks up an awful row - I feel it is she who sparks off the others!  She jumps up terribly as well when strangers come.

Has anyone any ideas for stopping this behaviour as it makes me dread a ring at the door!

Thanks

Snowflake

look forward to your replies as I lose control with two, even if it's me coming back in the door!

Glad i'm not alone, lol

My problem is i dont get enough visitors to practise this :)

> My problem is i dont get enough visitors to practise this

Same here.  It's all well and good in theory (and in a training class) but I find that it's often my postman wanting to deliver something and I can't leave the poor chap on the doorstep whilst I gather my wits, find the front door key, and assemble the dogs into an orderly queue and reliable wait.  I tend to just shove them into the rooms either side of the front door.

...it's almost more ME that can't get my act together to manage the dogs in this situation, rather than them being completely unruly :)

I could do with a few stooges to just come and ring my bell from time to time, step in, say hello, then leave - maybe we should advertise?!!  How about 50p a go...

Ok this is how I have dealt with it !

As the back door is open most of the time they greet the visitors at the gate as they can see them so not a surprise !

However when they back door is shut and the dorr bell goes what I have done is distract them all by giving them treats so they associate the door bell as treat time ! Once they have finished they have forgotten who rang the bell so go ot the door and see who it is. If the person is to remain at the door eg  a courier then the girls are either told to sit and the watch me deal with the visitor or are allowed out to say hello and have a fuss dependant on who it is as some of the regular couriers are dog friendly and like to say hello and some often carry dog biscuits as well.

If the person is invited in there are two ways I deal with things :

1. If it is a person we know the girls are allowed to say hello but they are not allowed to jump up. To stop them doing that I tell people to turn the backs on them and ignore. As soon as they stop they are asked to sit and then the visitor can then fuss them.

2. If it is a visitor that doesn't want to say hello ( dont often invite people like that in ! ) then the girls are told immediately to go onto their beds which they normally do after a couple of times of being asked as they realise that they are not the reason why the peron is visiting !

> I could do with a few stooges to just come and ring my bell from time to time, step in, say hello, then leave

Definitely - same problem here :( Having said that, the dogs do know the word 'kitchen' and so run in there and get shut in before I open the door (if it's just a dleivery we have an enclosed porch so it's not a problem). The main problem with mine is the noise that they make if they aren't allowed in to see the visitor :(

Still haven't sussed this and my lab is 9 years old next month! Trouble is, we don't have a lot of visitors now, and she absolutely adores people. She doesn't just say "hello" and then settle down, like previous dogs we have had, she just cannot believe that people don't always want to make a fuss of her. Kongs help a bit, if we are sufficiently organised, but sometimes she just won't give up and ends up having to go out of the house into our utility room at the end of the garage. We were even turned down as puppy walkers for a charity because it was considered that she would be a bad role model for the puppy. :-( 

50p you say :)

Interesting tips here.

I think it may help to purchase a remote doorbell or as you say give the kids nearby 50p a time to ring your door bell.

I am guilty of not spending enough time on training this one :(

> or as you say give the kids nearby 50p a time to ring your door bell.

DUH - I've got my own children I could use for that - why didn't I consider it before??

That's my target for the summer holidays 'to implement better door manners'.  Since the 3rd woofer arrived last Autumn our household has gone to hell in a handbasket, I'd blame the puppy but he's such a nice chap it'd be a bit rude to assume it's ALL him :)

You need somebody to ring the doorbell for you, if you have then follow the instructions in this video (which I really must do myself -imagine 16 dogs barking!!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKltnrHsnrg

Is it possible that one of them just can't tolerate the actual sound of the door bell...??? Could you get a cheap pay as you go....leave the mobile number on a piece of card outside....asking visitors to ring you rather than ring the bell or knock the door.....???

A dog's sense of hearing is so much more acute than ours....

I think it likely.....that even each individual dog "hears" noise differently to another....and that different pitches...frequencies etc....... may affect each of them in varying degrees. For instance Our Meg....has always since being a tiny puppy....set up a howling when She hears Cows mooing....or a chainsaw buzzing....Once She starts Her Howling.....then the whole pack joins in Howling..... (I love the sound of The Howling personally.....theres something really pretty and primal about it.....but thats probably just Me.....LOL..... :)

We have four Collies that live in the House with us....Chase....Lotts...Little Tess and Grandma Skye....people that we know well can just walk into the Kitchen.....and they tend to just amble up for a stroke....and then sit down again....If someone knocks on the door that we don't know .....then The Girls may well bark.... but then all line up.....and look back at Me..... to see how I'm going to react

Its possible that one of your dogs intensely dislikes the doorbell....the others KNOW She is going to react to the doorbell...... so move into a position to maybe try and calm Her... they are ALL now also anticipating YOUR reaction too.....and by The Time you actually manage to answer the door it feels like you have run a marathon....you open the door.....the whole pack is relieved that actually there wasn't any threat.....and begin "celebrating" by leaping and greeting....and general group hugs all round....  :)

Now if we were talking about The Electric Gates that lead into Our Garden and strangers approaching them....then yes....that can sometimes turn into a Free-For-All....but again....I feel this is dependent on The Attitude and Aura....being given off by the approaching stranger.....

It doesn't happen very often....but if any of My Collies do bark aggressively at a Human.....then it puts Me on My Guard too.....and to be honest..... I tend to trust their judgement....!

If My Collies don't like someone.....then its unlikely that I would even want them coming into My Property anyway.....! :)

I have the same problem with the barking and the attempted escapes too, not easy to "block" a dog so close to the ground.

Lately delivery firms have been ringing me from either outside the house or 5 mins away to give me time to round them up and make them secure in a puppy pen[Lexis has recently mastered getting over the top, she must get a bunk up from the others as she is the smallest of them] doesn't stop the barking though even giving them a high value chew to keep them occupied. Only had one chap from DHL who quoted me the price of a call as to why he didn't call, others had rung no bother, he was very impatient too and had already dumped the dog food at the back door before I got to the front and I just shut the door on the dogs not rounded them up, made him go and bring it back which did not amuse him.

We don't get many visitors either to practice and the doorbell was removed due to the local brats constantly ringing it.

I was thinking of getting a childgate across the lounge door so they can see through to what is going on in the hall and hope Lexis doesn't master scaling it too.

Thanks for your replies  - they made me laugh and good to realise I am not alone!  The Howling described cracked me up as Hannah our hound is the master (sorry mistress|) of howling - aaaooogh she goes with head in air!

I am going to practise on the doorbell - I think that is a great idea although whether it would actually cure them I doubt - the racket is almost a ritual I fear.  If one is expecting someone a phone call just before would be a good idea but I am embarrassed to admit that I have to resort to that!  I find when people come round the back they are not nearly so interested but I have to keep the back gate bolted owing the JR's escaping tactics!

Snowflake

I started this time last year on doorbell training, although I have now lost the doorbell!  And never got far with it, I just forgot about it as I don't have a doorbell (I bought a remote one specifically for the training).

With mine I started clicker training them to run from the door to the lounge, and then sit and wait until released.  When they were going that fairly reliably, I started to ring the doorbell as they were doing it - same as adding a cue on to any new behaviour.

Trouble is I only ever did a couple of sessions :-P But they did get the hang of it pretty quickly - Paige was brilliant and got it in a few minutes.

I need to find the doorbell really, 8 dogs pushing at the door is chaos!  Normally when I'm answering at the moment I just open it enough to fit one leg into the gap to stop any nosing their way through, if I need to sign anything I go out front, and any packages are left on the doorstep while I sign.  I then wait until the delivery peep has gone before I take it inside, the dogs are fine with that.

If someone actually has to come in, I'll either just leave the dogs to go mad for a minute if it's a friend (only have 3 friends visit and they all know what to expect!) or I shut the dogs in the garden for a minute and lob some food out to distract them (only other visitor is usually the meter reader).

Realy good to read that it's just not mine that go wild, can manage the situation with one but when the two are together I lose it. Even if I leave the house for 20 mins the noise on my return is dreadful, turning my back has not helped as the elder can stand howling behind me for a long time and trying to maneuver around two large bouncing BH's in an enclosed area is not for the timid. Even with people coming and going they  haven't improved but there is a bonus, that having lost some hearing in the last year I alway know when there is someone at the door! I have always meant to have someone stand outside and just ring for training purposes so will do it when OH gets back, think it will take a long time!

I feel your pain.. The best I have been able to manage with our standard poodles was to call them into another room which they did instantly,  and got a reward, while the visitor or postman remained bored on the doorstep. We did progress with the last dog to being able to open the door, she did one circle of the vistor then came inside to watch.. with this one she'd have them on the flat of their back!  Thank you for the reminder that this should be our next training session!

Just found this thread and yes daisy I do similar mine have been taught "kitchen" they rush to the door barking a tell them kitchen and shut them behind the baby gate that wasy they can see whoever I feel happy that a stranger can see the dogs and life is calmer.
If anyone is coming in I let them out wheb they re calmer and they can greet sensibly. That being said new pup has away to go on the training with this yet but we will get there:)

I have 6 medium size dogs and use dog gates, a gate across living room door into the hall (dogs don't have free access into the hall or upstairs, also living-room to kitchen door.

If the door goes I get them into kitchen, or if only postie or someone I won't invite in simply keep them behind living room/hall gate.

When visitors come in the dogs are not let into living room until calm and visitors seated, though most of their friends pet them over the gate to start with.

we have a large window over the stairs which is next to the front door ..I usually go onto the stairs shut the dog gate and speak to whoever is at the door through the window... this saves them waiting for me to remove the dogs into another room as I am on the stairs they go a little quieter so they can listen! I can also take in parcels and sign for them etc:,

I love this thread. I am so glad that my gang of usually well trained and polite dogs are not the only ones that go into 'mob rule' not only for the door bell, but if anyone dares to drive a noisy lorry or car passed our front or even worse still call out a greeting over the fence. The DHL driver has resorted to throwing the package over the fence on the odd occasion as well,( instead of giving me time to round the noisy crew up )
I have threatened 'Battersea dogs home' on many occasions but for some reason they ignore my threats, perhaps they know I don't mean it.

Oh yes - I now live in rural Suffolk and several times a day one or two horses are walked past our house!! You can imagine the manic barking and hollering - as if they have never clapped eyes on a horse (we have lived here now for 16 months so you would think they would have got used to it!).  If I have the misfortume to be out with the mob and see horses approaching I have been known to duck down (with them of course) behind a car until the fierce monsters have passed!!!

It is a relief to know I'm not the only absolutely useless owner of a pack of (usually nice) dogs!

Snowflake

I have taught my lot, sit/stays.  All separately, at training classes.  I have a treat bag beside the front door and I tell all the dogs to sit/stay and then I answer.  After I have closed the front door again, everyone who held the stay gets a biscuit.  For some reason, this works.  I am no super-trainer by anyones standards but this works.  I work with each dog separately until I have a strong stay.
As for people that come in?  That's a different story as everyone is visiting JUST to pet my dogs(or so they think!!).  But then I don't mind as they don't jump up and everyone that comes here knows what my lot are like.  This is there house.  If you don't like dogs, don't visit!!

> It is a relief to know I'm not the only absolutely useless owner of a pack of (usually nice) dogs!
>
>

Ha ha no,you are most def not on your own. My lot are well behaved as individuals but when all together at the door push and shove to be first in line to greet whoever is the other side. And I swear the barking is them telling me to open the door faster!

If you don't like dogs, don't visit!!

Amen to that! :)

My 5 sound like the Hounds of Hell... until I ask them to go into our front room and shut the door. Then they listen intently to see who it is as I answer it.
At least we`ll never get burgled.

My lot race to the door to see who it is and although they calm down quickly they like to be sure they've performed their best as a welcoming committee--the youngest races off to find a prize to offer the visitor, be it a plant pot, a shoe or something that should have been allowed to die quietly in the laundry basket, the other two could generate enough power to run the house lights with their tails and if I were mechanically minded I would have sorted this out a long time ago.

> At least we`ll never get burgled.

be careful making statements like that, most burgalers dont knock 1st

my dogs hae been taught that when the doorbell goes they go to their bed and get a reward. its usually the visitors who teach the dogs to misbehave, jumping ect. I am afraid if people dont respect my vishes for them not to greet the dogs when they first come in they wouldnt be allowed back. once people are in and settled then the dogs may say hello.  I once had a friend who was pregnant visit about a month before her baby was due, and i was confidant that my dogs would not jump or push her.

> be careful making statements like that, most burgalers dont knock 1st

Indeedy!  I used to say no-one would ever try - till an attempted burglary last July :-O  Two blokes, one on his mobile keeping a lookout out front.  Think that was one of the only 2 or 3 nights I had the bedroom window open otherwise they'd have gotten away with it - I heard the lookout on the phone, so did the dogs then they heard whoever had just left the house and all went haring downstairs roaring at him!

We found my xbox in a bag in the garden, evidently the sight of (then) 7 angry dogs was a bit too much for him :-P

My lot kick off when door bell goes or people knock, doesn't help that strange dogs will then walk into our home but it's unacceptable to bark like wildbeasts and scare people. I have a strong "enough" command, switches off barking, then all dogs must sit and wait whilst I answer the door. Done by getting the kids to knock on the door and me controlling, then the boring kids come in(mine are teenagers so really boring and reluctant!!).Then I have treats on me and get the dogs to hold the sit and release each individually to say hi then unlease the whole motley lot on relatives. if it's guests samething occurs but if someone dropping a dog off no hellos allowed and dogs are introduced individually with treats abounding when owner has leftas tensions can run quite high with owners crying etc.

All goes well until my dad comes round and totally disrupts the lot by nearly wrestling all the dogs to the floor and generally causing chaos.He's a lost cause I gave up years ago but the dogs love him and my parents don't have a dog anymore(work commitments) so he gets his way. You have to pick your battles!!

And mine! Whsitler howls and barks and Jake hunts for the nearest "fetch" and both tails go around not side to side, around like a windmill. Then they get boared and go back to sleep.

It's never the dogs is it? ; )

I usually shout through the door wont be a minute.. then put the dogs in another room to answer the door.

I watched a Victoria Stillwell programme last week. There were 4 Weimaraners going nuts at the door. She had a straightforward lesson on their management. There were other issues as well of course not least of these being that the dogs were not exercised! Worth a watch ---probably find it on I- player with a google search.