Whether your dog gets excited and jumps on visitors, runs and hides in a corner, or growls with their hackles raised, most every dog could use a little help when it comes to politely welcoming guests into their space! While we could go into endless detail on this topic, here are the basics on how to set your dog up for success:

Create Positive Associations AND Practice Neutrality

Ensuring that your dog is confident and happy around visitors, but not SO excited that they're bouncing off the walls, is a balancing act! 

Build Positive Associations -
It is important that your dog has positive interactions with many different types of people, in many different environments. We usually start these interactions with young puppies and we want them to view people as non-threatening - people have toys and food and gentle pets! Set up controlled meet-and-greets with friends and family members, young children, elderly people, etc. so that your dog has a wide range of interactions. Use toys, food, and physical affection to build a positive association!

Practice Neutrality -
Once we've established a positive association with people, we want to ensure that a dog can be neutral towards them as well. People are nice, but we don't have to be best friends with every single person we see in the world! Spend time allowing your dog to sit and observe the world. Go for walks and keep the focus on walking together versus stopping to visit with neighbors. Spend time around other dogs on leash without any nose-to-nose greetings (group classes are great for this!). This will teach your dog that sometimes just coexisting is okay!

Desensitization and Counterconditioning -
What if your dog doesn't like people or is starting out with negative associations? If your dog is distrustful of people, we recommend working on both desensitization and counterconditioning. For safety's sake, start by ensuring your dog is muzzle conditioned. Use shaping to get your dog comfortable putting their nose in the muzzle then slowly build to buckling it. Once they can keep the muzzle on for a few minutes, try having your dog move with it on! 

Start with neutral time outside of your home and build in small increments as your dog begins to understand that people are not threats. Consider activities like going for a walk with a trusted friend or family member and passing the leash to them once your dog is comfortable or try playing the triangle game - a game where the other person throws the ball for your dog, your dog brings the ball back to you, and then you give the ball back to the other person to toss out again. Once you progress to working in your home, make sure your dog has a leash (and muzzle!) on and a safe place to go to if they feel uncomfortable - more on that later!

Set the Stage and Control the Interaction

If you want to set your dog up for success, it's important to plan ahead and be prepared. 

Prep Your Guests -
Let them know what you're working on with your dog and how they can help! Most people are willing to follow your lead if you just give them a heads up.

Consider Meeting Outside -
If your dog gets overly excited when the doorbell rings (or if they're territorial), consider meeting outside and going for a walk together first and then heading inside together. 

Keep the Energy Mellow -
Ask visitors to greet your dog calmly or ignore them all together! When guests come in excited, your dog feeds off that energy. If your guest ignores your dog until they've had a chance to relax, their calm behavior will be reinforced rather than their excessive energy, making them more likely to start with calm behavior in the future!

Use Your Tools -
Keep a leash on! We think of leashes as outdoor tools, but there's no reason you can't keep a leash on your dog inside the house. Use your leash to correct jumping or barking, tether on place, etc. If your dog is e-collar conditioned, make sure to have the collar and remote charged and ready before your guest arrives. If your dog requires a muzzle, put it on your dog before your guest enters the home.

Make It Fun -
Continue building positive associations and reinforce good behavior! If your dog is behaving calmly, allow your guests to reward them with food! Show off your obedience repertoire and tricks. Give your dog a long lasting chew (like a bully stick) to enjoy while you visit with your guest. Go to the backyard and play the triangle game. Make sure you are only reinforcing good behavior - if things get out of hand, dial back the energy, put away the toys, send your dog back to place, etc.

Have Safe Spaces Available -
If your dog has a place command, put your dog's place cot or bed in sight of the door so that you can put them on place as needed. If your dog will not reliably stay on place, be sure to have a leash available to tether them. Keeping a crate close by is a great option for dogs who are fearful or aggressive towards guests. Both place and the crate should be used as safe places - guests and all members of the household should understand that dogs are not to bothered if they go to these areas.

Monitor Your Dog's Body Language - 
If your dog seems uncomfortable or overstimulated, consider taking a break and trying again once they've had some time to relax. Young dogs, in particular, need a lot of rest time to be the best version of themselves. Preemptively encouraging rest like you would with a toddler will ensure the best behavior possible!

Not Prepared to Welcome Guests?

If someone drops by unannounced, don't be afraid to use your crate! It is better to avoid an interaction with a guest, than to have one go poorly because you weren't prepared. Your dog (and your guest!) will be okay, we promise!

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Like any skill, calm behaviors are learned and they require practice! Ask friends and family members to stop by for planned visits. Talk with them beforehand about what would be most helpful - do you want them to ring the doorbell? Ignore your dog when they enter? Toss out a ball and initiate the triangle game to make your dog feel more comfortable? Use food to build a positive association? It may feel like work, but practicing on even just a few occasions may save you years of frustration!

With a bit of prep work and a whole lot of practice, it is possible to go from crazy to calm, ensuring stress free visits with guests! To work one-on-one with our trainers and help conquer calm behaviors, make sure to check out our in-person training programs.