I was just reading all of the posts and I think that a combination of OB ( go lay down!!) (LOL)and an E-collar are the best way to go.

My bitch Bella has a tendency to need a firm hand for best results because she thinks nothing of challenging me to make sure I'm still boss. I like the e-collar because I can use it discreetly and she self corrects. Meaning: I tell her to down with the door in sight.I will then open the door.If she trys to break the down I will tap the remote and as she stops so does the correction, so she learns not to move.I do not repeat the down command when she moves, but when she stops and resettles in her position I will say " good down, thatta girl,good down," etc...you get the idea.

This works for me and Bella is a pretty hard dog( at least for me she is ) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I feel like such a novice compared to some of the boards' members!! (probably because I am, right!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )If I am doing this wrong feel free to let me know, I just happened to get results this way though.I know Lou will have some ideas on fine tuning E-collar use! thanks

Bounetteyvette, I forgot to ask.......is she minding you on other commands that she "knows"? If she isn't, then I would have to agree that you proceed to the next level. What that level is, is up to you, but remember:
A) 6 months is often a testing phase
B) tackle a small problem before it becomes a big problem
She is still very immature emotionally. You have to be a leader in both voice and body if you want her to obey. You can either correct or redirect. There are several excellent suggestions in the previous posts. Obedience is never an option. If you say something you must mean it and back it up if she does not comply. She is not a "widdle baby" anymore, she probably weighs almost 50 lbs. Determining the level of "motivation to comply" is up to you.

I have the same sort of problem with my neighbours Siberian. He's 1 1/2 unneutered and has not been trained. He has little food drive but a nice toy drive. I bought my neighbour a prong and in two weeks he was sitting nicely and heeling not too bad. Even now when I go in her backyard he does not jump on me anymore, or body slam me (I didn't use the prong for that). He is not an unhappy dog but he knows I mean what I say regardless of whether or not I use the prong. My neighbour unfortunately is still being slammed and jumped on because he knows he can get away with it. He does not listen to her very much unless he is on the prong. Even then he listens more to me than to her.

Bottom line: Say what you mean ("Quiet"); mean what you say ("QUIET"); back it up (Prong; squirt; zap; place; down). It's just common sense.

A little different thought on this...

With dogs that are of protection breeds, whether you are going to protection train or not, teach the dog an out command and an OK command for meeting people. By using these commands in conjunction you can tell the dog what you want.

Dogs tend to be very literal, and specific in their responses. With a protection breed the dog develops a need to protect/guard their family and home. This can become a bigger "problem" when this compulsion is combined with a fear based component.

Here is how I look at this type of problem:

If you tell the dog to be quiet, you are telling the dog to stop barking. That is all. You are not telling the dog that there is no threat, just to shut up. So the dog has no direction as what the situation is, just to shut up. If the dog is taught to out, it is taught to cease aggression. Out is also a positive command. You are not telling the dog that it did the wrong thing, just you want it to do something different. This is a different thought for the dog. If the dog is taught to meet people on command then the dog knows that the person is ok. Now the dog knows that you are in charge, and that there is no threat. The other thing I would teach is a "place" command. Teach the dog to go to some specific point away from the door and down. The position of this place would be based on the "comfort" zone of the dog. Put the dog far enough away that it doesn't feel threatened as the person comes in.

We have a similar problem in our house. It has become a bigger problem since we now have 3 dogs at various stages of protection training. As a result, if any 1 of them starts to growl or bark the other 2 kick in. Often it becomes a situation that feeds on it's self. Once they are all going at it, it will continue based on the fact that the other dogs are barking. "There must be a threat, the other dogs wouldn't be barking if there wasn't a problem.". In order to control this we have taught them to go to their crate on command. Now they are away from the door. We can control the introductions, and the dogs haven't been taught not to guard the house. If we are not going to bring the person in the dogs are allowed to guard the house, and are expected to out on command.

As a puppy ages it is important to communicate to the dog what you want proactively, not reactively. Telling the dog that a person is ok is a much better solution that to try and react to the dog becoming defensive with somone you don't want them to. By teaching the dog that you will tell the dog who is a threat, and who isn't, the dog can relax and follow direction. It also communicates to the dog that you are in charge and will provide them protection if needed or direct them to participate to assist in providing protection.

Yes....good points Richard.
I should have mentioned the "place" command. I use it often when I'm having a dinner party and am expecting a lot of people to come to the door. It's also helpful on Halloween.

Incidentally, would having a container of treats at the door for friends to give to the dog be helpful or detrimental? I have used that in the past and found that it does not in any way affect my dog's desire to bark and protect the house when the doorbell is rung. In fact, once I opened the door to find the Chinese food delivery guy 40 feet away at the base of the driveway.

My dog is well known for his 6 foot flying leap at the door. You can see it all through the glass inserts. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I think that treats would be ok in certain circumstances. If you plan to poison proof, or if you have multiple dogs I wouldn't. I would rather have the dogs only get treats from us. We should be the source of the best things. I would only use treats for a limited time for correction of an introduction problem. After the problem is cured, I would go back to just using petting from the person.

WWWWWOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

i logged off for one night and woke up to aver 50 email notifications from leerburg. you guys are great.

for one. she does have a place. i tell her "go sit" and she goes to her crate.

she also has an "out" command i guess.with her obedience training i tell her "okay" to break what ever command i had her in...

she does listen to other commands. and i don't really think she would turn her aggression on me. she knows that when i say something i mean it. atleast i think she does.when i tell her quiet and she kind of settles down but still has the posture and starts "woofing" instead of barking i look at her or start to get up and her posture gets very submissive towards me.if i were to stand right over her she gets into a down position and her ears go back but it's like she just can't be quiet.

what type of behavior would you guys say this si on her part? she is very obedient otherwise.and the only time she is aggressive is with play. she likes to play alot and she will do lots of biting and growling if i get her worked up enough..

so this is the thing... even when i pt her in a down, or tell her to go to her place she still woofs and bark from there.....does this seem like a fear response from her or what?

I would say she is confused as to what you want. Baring is an alert to you and the intruder that "Someone is here and may be a threat" to you, and "I am here and willing to bite you if you violate my area" to the person. She doesn't know there is no threat, just that you want her to be quiet. Tell her there is no threat, "Out", rather than just be quiet.

so this is the thing... even when i pt her in a down, or tell her to go to her place she still woofs and bark from there ARRGGGHHHH!!!

SQUIRT HER!!!

Just try it once. See what her reactions are. No harm done it is only water. Can't hurt her with it. If it makes her afraid of water you have bigger problems than we can help you with anyway.

SQUIRT HER!

Todd Gaster,

you said if i tell her the command and she is not obeying then she does no know the command.... why do you say that? she could not just be being dis obedient?

one more question i have for you is, you said that people like to solve the problem not the cause.....
(i hope i quoted you right)what do you think is the cause for what she is doing?

The only one in the house that should receive food "treats" at the front door should be you!

Think of it this way, If everytime you heard the doorbell ring and then you went to it and there stood a "friend" who handed you 100.00 bucks, wouldn't you get excited to have the bell ring again.
Sometimes what we think we are doing to be good is not always right.