Training to accept strangers in house

[k&s]

I need to work on training my two rotties to behave properly when I let strangers into the house. Any advice on what I should aim to do and how I should train to do it would be appreciated.

Right now they bark ferociously at the windows as people are walking to the house, and I put them away until the people are in and settled in. If they are friends who will be visiting, I let the dogs out once the friends have settled in, and then everything is fine. However, over the past few days I have had workmen here coming and going, and have crated the dogs. Even when I let the workman in and tell the dogs 'that's enough', they bark and growl as he walks by.

One of my rotties will take more of a 'wait and see' approach when I let someone in the door, but the other is less predictable and I feel I must be very careful with him, especially.

We do not get many visitors on a regular basis, so their territorial behavior is probably enhanced. they both used to be happy to see new people come in, but their territoriality seems to have become stronger over the past year or so. One is ~5 and the other is ~4. Both male (neutered) rescues that I have had since they were about 1.5 years old each. Both are in obedience class 2X per week. One is friendly with strangers outside the home after a brief 'wait and see' period. The other is primarily interested in seeing if people have a treat in their hand for him, but he does not gnerally seek out other interactions with new people.

Ideally, I would like to get to the point where I train them to sit and stay while I am letting someone into the house, and they do not approach the person until I tell them it is OK. But I am not sure how to get from where we are now to this point.

[Judi W]

Well, take this in the spirit in which it is given. what they are saying is that they think you are a dolt and incapable of being responsible for who you admit to the home. That is that in a nutshell.

[Mojave's Mom]

Originally posted by k&s

Ideally, I would like to get to the point where I train them to sit and stay while I am letting someone into the house, and they do not approach the person until I tell them it is OK. But I am not sure how to get from where we are now to this point.

You just answered your own question, IMO. Train them to do exactly what it is you would like them to do. If you are consistent and don't accept anything but compliance on their part, your problem will be resolved in no time. Good luck.

[Judi W]

In addition to the obedience however, it seems to me the dogs have an exagerated level of suspicion that puts them on defense with no reason for it. My concern is that the dogs get guardy against someone you have welcomed into your home. I would suggest that you exagerate your welcoming rituals into something more effusive.

[Anne]

My 14yo GSD started to behave that way once he reached about 11 yo. Prior to that he was perfectly OK with anyone I let into the house. He's going deaf as well so that might have something to do with it.

Both my Rottweilers are not bothered once I let someone in the door. Prior to the person entering they bark.

[Carina43]

Originally posted by Anne

Both my Rottweilers are not bothered once I let someone in the door. Prior to the person entering they bark.

Mine too. Dutch is a bit stand-offish at first, but they're all quite friendly. I have no clue what they're like when we're not home with strangers, but they all happily accept our petsitter into the house.

I agree with Judi's suggestion of being effusive and happy when someone comes in the door. Can you have visitors hand your dogs a treat on entering? I know that sounds a bit like pandering, but it may reduce their suspicion and make them realise visitors are not a threat.

[k&s]

I should also mention that over the past year they have started to bark when they are in the car (and I am not) and people walk past the car. they always used to be quiet in the car.

I'm not sure what has caused the heightened 'guardiness' recently, but I realize I must do something about it. When people came to the door I used to say, in an excited and happy voice "Oh! good company". But now all that seems to mean to them (one in particular) is that someone is at the door. Perhaps I need to be in the room where they can see people approaching the house, and call out "Hi! How're you doing?" in a happy voice, as I do when I see strangers on the street.

[kimble]

If they've gotten more guardy recently, maybe you should check if someone is teasing your dogs when you're not around.

[k&s]

I believe the guardiness in the car started when I was shopping one day and they were in car with windows slightly cracked, and some people came to the car and put religious pamphlets through the window. I know this because when I came out to my car they were walking away and said "Oh, your dogs barked at us". I was surprised because they never used to do this before. Only when I got in the car did I find the material in the car, meaning they had come right up and actually pushed the pamphlets through the slightly opened window. Not sure if this one incident could have started the heightened guarding of the car or not.

We get very few visitors up our long driveway, so I do not think anyone would be coming up to tease them in their pen. We sometimes may get an oil delivery or some other delivery, and I am sure the dogs bark and growl at them, but I doubt they do anything other than complete their delivery and go away. I will try to check on this.

Today we had a workman come. The dogs went to the windows in the dining room (which faces the drive & steps) and were barking and growling. I told them enough and made them sit stay, but they continually broke. We closed them in the room so the workman could come in. Every time he went past the door to the room they barked and growled. We said 'enough', but it had no lasting effect. My husband then stayed in the room with the dogs and tried to keep them in a down stay but they kept breaking.

I've now got them in a long down stay. I know I need to work on the obedience end of this so they know it is not optional to comply and remain in the stay. Seems I need to do this first and then work on the happy greetings when someone comes in the door (i.e. after I have a sound stay out of them when people come in ).

Hope this helps see where we are with this. Your thoughts and advice are appreciated.

[Judi W]

It should be kept in mind that this is a working breed with a guarding heritage. As dogs mature they become more aware of what they consider intruders and express that. This does not excuse their blowing you off when you are welcoming someone into your home but I wanted to point out that the development of guarding behavior does not mean someone has been teasing them. To ignore the influence of guarding behavior is to ignore breed character.

Usually putting up a barrier increases the guarding rather than decreases it. I would suggest that you take the more compliant dog and have it loose with the other dog behind a closed door and then work on teaching them one at a time. With the two always in pack mode they will keep each other worked up.

[k&s]

Please critique and make suggestions on my game plan.

(1) when people come up the drive I act happy, but not overly excited. "Oh, someone is here, let's see who it is".

(2) I crate the less malleable dog and put training collar and lead on other. (Crate him in living room where dog can see and hear what is going on, or close him in room in another part of house?)

(3) I go to window with rottie on lead and we watch person get out of car and approach the house. If it is someone he recognizes, we go to kitchen near door, and I make him sit and stay while company enters. (I give correction when he attempts to break). After he is calm and the humans have made their greetings among ourselves, I let dog (on lead) approach the guests. Dog must sit before getting any attention from guests. Dog is released off lead to mingle with guests as long as dog is calm and relaxed.

(4) (Here is hard part): If it is stranger and rottie is acting agressive, I say something like 'don't worry, I've got it under control', and tell him 'that's enough' . and I put him in a sit stay at window and give corrections when he breaks and barks etc. I then put him down stay near kitchen where he can see door but is some distance away. I give corrections when he attempts to break or behave agressively. During all of this I give praise and treats when he is guiet and focussed on me.

(5) I keep him in down stay and on lead until person is in house and dog appears more relaxed. If person is workman I keep dog in down stay for the entire time. I give corrections when he attempts to break. (If workman here for long time I release dog in room away from workman, as long as dog is calm. If he is not calm, or if workman has to come into room, I put dog in down stay again.

(6) As far as rottie #2, he remains in crate while workmen are here; he is allowed out to greet friends after they are here for awhile and dog has become more relaxed.

(7) After I am successful with rottie #1, I repeat this process with rottie #2 (this will require putting 1st rottie in another room when company comes so I can devote attention to training rottie #2).

[Judi W]

Close, but not quite.

You do not want the second dog in a visible crate hollering and urging the other dog into action. Behind a closed door.

Also, it would be good if you see people coming if you take the dog you are working with out to the drive on lead to welcome the people and escort them into the house rather than still having the barrier (door) as a thing to stimulate the guarding.

Personally, I would not be asking for all this obedience as I think you are probably setting up for failure at this stage in their training. What you want is the dog to feel relaxed about the people coming in and to be mannerly. If you are busy enforcing a stay (that will be broken again and again) then you are not busy showing the happiness and relaxation at the company. On leash allows you to correct for jumping or guardiness, but other than that what you want is informal and graceful greetings. I have also found that with worried dogs, a physical contact between the owner/handler and the other person is very helpful. Shaking hands will do, you don't have to hug and kiss the workmen.

I guess you need to decide whether you are working on a proofing stage of obedience or working on your dog's attitude towards people.

[k&s]

thanks Judi W for helping to clarify what I should be aiming to do.

so, this will be my plan of action when strangers (e.g. workmen, friends not known to the dogs, etc) arrive:

(1) put one rottie away in bedroom

(2) put leash on other rottie, who by now will be barking at window

(3) go out in driveway and greet visitor/workman with a relaxed and friendly voice, while keeping dog at a distance from him/her as I observe dog's behavior. Give leash correction for any guardy behavior at this point. Otherwise continue chatting with visitor as dog and I walk with him (still at safe distance til I am sure of dog's comfort) into the house.

With friends the dogs are very familiar with, I'll have both rotties out and allow them to greet the friends at door in order to reinforce the idea that it is good to have people come through door.

In the interim, I'll continue obedience work with a big focus on sit stay and down stay in the face of distraction.

The handshake is only suggestion you give that I will have trouble doing because I need to manage the dog at same time. However, if spouse is there as well I will be sure to have him greet the people that way.

[Judi W]

Remember the messages you give a dog with a tight leash. Unless the dog is acting uneasy, your tight leash/holding the dog away is telling the dog that something is wrong! Why refuse to let your dog happily greet someone if it is so inclined? Holding the dog away with a tight lead gives them very confused information. It tells them you are unsure.

I would still only work one dog at a time regardless of whether they know the people or not. It only takes two to make a dog pack. If it is two, you want to be the other member of the group, not the other dog who probably is not the best teacher at this time.

Your obedience training must go on because it is there that the dog learns to look to you for guidance. It is not for the purpose of having the dog turn into a statue on stays, but for the dog to defer to you in attitudes and actions. This is a bit subtle, but true. The proofing stuff comes later

[RottieGirl86]

Great post & replies!

Great Idea about Handshake! I'm going to try that too.