Hi all, I haven't been on the boards in a while and lost all my log-in info when my computer crashed, so i created a new account.

Anyways lately i have had a few problems with my Doberman getting upset with people at the door. he always used to bark and let us know, but recently his general attitude to it has changed in that situation. He has gotten less responsive to commands and his barking sounds way more stressed out than it used to.

I was curious how other people have desensitized their dogs to this. I have been trying a few things;

- when it can be anticipated get him on leash and collar and stop him from rehearsing the behavior and use OB commands and re-enforce good behavior with food or toy. correcting only for braking OB commands that he knows 110%.

- playing recorded sounds of knocking and talking near the front door while doing our indoor training sessions.

As well he is getting neutered next week at 2yrs old. i know that won't change the behaviors, but hopefully it will help remove some of the hormones driving him to perform them.

Thanks in advance for the awesome advice

Rob

What is the door behavior that you DO want? You want a clear command to marker train. When the command is solid, then someone can ring the doorbell and then you give the command. I'd just do that until that level was solid, then add a known person sticking in his head, and so on.

Also, it really can always be anticipated. You can call out "just a minute while I leash the dog."

I'd be super-vigilant about my own doorbell response. Shouting commands over the barking is pouring gasoline on it, and all that says to the dog is "Whoa! It IS a situation to get stressed and barky about!"

 Quote: rob o. kirkwood

... he always used to bark and let us know, but recently his general attitude to it has changed in that situation.

I taught my dogs that if someone comes (and they hear or see them way before the knock in this house), and they bark, I will always (ALWAYS!) get up and look and say "It's OK. It's lawn guys." (Long story, but it just means "I am checking because you barked, and now I am telling you that it's OK.") This works very well, but it did not happen overnight, and it required that I really get up or go to the right window or whatever every single time and look, THEN say "It's OK. Lawn guys."

Just one M.O.

 Quote: connie sutherland

 Quote: rob o. kirkwood

... he always used to bark and let us know, but recently his general attitude to it has changed in that situation.

I taught my dogs that if someone comes (and they hear or see them way before the knock in this house), and they bark, I will always (ALWAYS!) get up and look and say "It's OK. It's lawn guys." (Long story, but it just means "I am checking because you barked, and now I am telling you that it's OK.") This works very well, but it did not happen overnight, and it required that I really get up or go to the right window or whatever every single time and look, THEN say "It's OK. Lawn guys."

Just one M.O.

ditto, ditto, ditto.

Thanks for your response Connie,

The behavior i do want is him going to his "place" and laying down, until released. He knows the command and will perform it under some distraction... but if he is allowed to start getting worked up about the person at the door than the distraction is too much. If I'm prepared and i nip it in the bud than he listens like a champ. I do always leash the dog before answering the door. However when it is unexpected he has a chance to run up to the door rehearsing the problem behavior before i can get to him leash him and get the proper behavior.

I had read your approach for getting up and looking and then saying "it's okay, it's just lawn guys" from another post and it works well. I choose "its okay, just some kids." I probably need to be more consistent than i am and 90% of the time there is literally nothing there. Though passers by are not really an issue now thanks to that. It is just the door or somebody entering other than me. He seems to know before I'm even at the door that its me and greets me calmly. however my roommate coming home after work will trigger it, then he sees that its him and than he's fine.

as well If people enter the house with him or are already there when he comes in than there is no problem, same with cars. If they didn't ride with us, he doesn't know them well or they're not already in the car than he gets protective. but he'll get in a car with strangers already in it, and he doesn't look at them twice. this behavior is a little less extreme so he is easily calmed with a command like "down".

Thanks again for your advice,

Rob

I guess i was wondering if there was a way to decrease his overall reaction to the stimulus other than what I'm doing.

Flooding seems to be something people either love or hate and I'm afraid to use it, cause i think it may compound the problem. He tends to be the obsessive type with tons of energy, i couldn't see him relaxing anytime soon with constant knocking and opening of the door and if nothing comes in he may feel like he "won" the conflict with the behavior.

 Quote: Rob O. Kirkwood

I guess i was wondering if there was a way to decrease his overall reaction to the stimulus other than what I'm doing.

Repetition with a neighbor who would be willing to work with you on this might help. I am in the process of doing the same with mine. She has always been reactive at the door, but it has gotten worse over the past 6 months. Seems to have been aggravated by the mail person dropping the mail in our box (nothing intentional by the mailman, just the noise of the box opening and closing), which is attached to the house next to the front door.

I had resorted to putting her in her crate before opening the door for anyone, but that did nothing to reduce her reactivity. What I have been doing instead is putting her in a sit, near the front door, then opening the door and talking to whomever is there. I mostly do this with my neighbor, Tiffany, since she's comfortable around the dog and isn't disturbed by the noise coming from the other side of the door when she knocks.

Anyway, I am seeing some improvement and I think over time, as I practice it more, it will help to reduce her reactivity at the door.

thanks for your response Lynne,

I don't have that close of a relationship with my neighbors not that it's bad but they work different schedules than I.

I contemplated hiring an in house dog training service till i heard the price and decided ordering lots of delivery food and such would be cheaper and give me similar results... plus lots of tasty food.

I am practicing whenever my girlfriend or another guest comes over i ask them to call ahead and then i can get him doing the behavior i want before hand and "prime it" for when the visitor arrives, once relaxed I release him and i get the guest to offer a jackpot reward. So far it has made great leaps and bounds over the last couple days. He still gets territorial about the door but he is more easily calmed. in fact today there was a knock and as i approached the door he calmed himself and walked into his crate and lied down. I guess it just takes time, but he seems to be getting better.

Just my luck, i ask for help and the problem starts to go away, but the confidence that the people on this board would use the same tactics helps a lot.

Thanks again,

Rob

My GSD is 2 1/2 years and loves me. He respects me and listens, and I have socialized him (I thought) but lately he is showing aggression when people come up to me. He is showing some shyness or fear issues of men sometimes too. I don't know how to handle this. I think he would be better if i wasn't around. I want to be able to take him with me but i am beginning to not trust him. any help would be appreciated.

 Quote: Caryn Peck

My GSD is 2 1/2 years and loves me. He respects me and listens, and I have socialized him (I thought) but lately he is showing aggression when people come up to me. He is showing some shyness or fear issues of men sometimes too. I don't know how to handle this. I think he would be better if i wasn't around. I want to be able to take him with me but i am beginning to not trust him. any help would be appreciated.

Hi Caryn, and welcome!
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