I would be really grateful if anyone could give me some advice.Poppy,my 3 year old border terrier is very obedient but she is very wary of strangers and when visitors come to the door she barks at them if they try to make friends with her and she also does this when she goes for walks if we meet someone.She has never tried to bite anyone but she can be very intimidating when she barks.
I have a tin with stones in that I used to train her but I can't shake it when I am talking to someone at the door or take it on our walks.
Has anyone got any ideas?She's fine with people if they ignore her!
Thanks very much.  Sue.

If she's fine with people when they ignore her, you'll have to ask them to do just that - not to pay her any attention! :)

Just out of interest, why can't you take the can to the door or on walks?

Thanks for your advice.I'd like her to be more friendly but maybe that'll come if she's allowed to make the first move.The tin is good when I answer the door but it's a bit difficult shaking it when I'm taking in a delivery and signing for it which is when the delivery people usually try to make friends with her and it's just a bit awkward to take out and shake when a stranger wants to talk to her on walks. Sue

If you rattle/throw a tin with stones in it this may worry or frighten your dog if it is sound sensitive; if you throw/rattle it when strangers are about then might she not be associating this unpleasant experience with the visitors/strangers which could actually trigger the barking ie she sees visitors, knows that a rattly tin may be coming her way so barks to get rid of them before you can rattle/throw the tin............

just a thought.

Yes,that's true.It worked really well when people actually came into the house because she used to get over-excited and jump up when she was younger and that has stopped now.I just wondered if there was a way to get her to actually like people talking to her and being friendly instead of so scared that she barks. Sue

She'll need to lose her wariness of people before she'll start to like them.

You say that she used to be over-excited and jump up at people when they came to the house, but the use of the can stopped that. Is it possible that she now associates the use of the can with the presence of people rather than her behaviour, and is barking at them to make them go away so that the can doesn't come out?

Edit: Oops, just seen that Tohme said exactly the same thing! Sorry!

Great minds JG ;)

I expect people approach her instead of allowing her to approach them?

One way of stopping this behaviour in the house is to have a pot of treats by the door and when they arrive throw several on the floor, whilst her head is down and her mouth is full I think you will find that she will discover it is a tad tricky to bark at the same time.

This will also have the side effect that she will associate visitors with good things rather than something to be uncomfortable about.

HTH

Thanks for your reply.I'll try the treats.It's a good idea but I'd really like her to be more friendly with people if that's possible.I know the barking is just because she's scared of them so as you said the treats might make her feel more secure. Sue