Can someone please advise me how to teach Barney (a very excitable 2 year old cocker spaniel) to stay calm whenever someone rings the doorbell.  He runs round the house barking like a mad dog! :rolleyes:  It has got worse the last 6 months, since we moved into our new house, the door bell in the new house is a loud ring whereas the doorbell in our old house was a buzzer - could this have anything to do with it?

I have tried saying 'no' and then praising him when he is quiet, but this is very difficult then someone is waiting for you to answer the door. 

Jax :)

Try changing the doorbell?  Or train him to go to his bed when the doorbell rings, and only reward him when he's settled.

..and perhaps ask friends or neighbours to ring your doorbell at pre-arranged times so you don't feel rushed trying to get to the door.

or maybe one of those wire free doorbells so you can have the buzzer in your hand and the reciever in the lounge ( or wherever you are) and just press it every now and then and then give the command quiet and reward when he's quiet again.
atleast that way you can train anytime of the day without the need for "visitors" :)

personally i like dogs to bark especially when im out puts off certain people if you know what i mean :)

[linkhttp://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2002/doorbell.htm[/link]

Maybe it could be useful for a dog to bark not only when the door bell rings but whenever anyone approaches the front /back door. Nothing deters burglars more than a dog barking madly. There may also be the odd occassion where you didn't hear the door bell, at least you know when someone is there.

Bazza 

This one sometimes floors me.  I rely on the dogs barking as I don't hear the bell out in the hall if I am in the kitchen as the door being closed masks it.  One of mine even starts everyone barking at doorbells on TV grrr. 

Just occasionally I assume they just barkjed for now reason, shush them up only to find that someone they knew, (hence the quick response to quiet down) had called! :D  Ort the oen that annoys me is I will look into the hall through the door glass and can see no-one, so assume there is no-one there (I usually also shout anyone there) only to find that someone has been standign to the side so they can't be seen. 

My kids friends are the worst culprits and think I have deliberately not answered the door.  Now what is it with people doing this?  Surely anyone at the door should stand so the householder can see them without the need to open the door first?