PLEASE help me break my dog of terrorizing the delivery people!
September 9, 2011 12:20 PM Subscribe
PLEASE help me break my dog of terrorizing the delivery people!
I have a shepherd mix who charges the picture window and/or front door barking and snarling every time someone approaches the door. This includes the mailman (Every. Single. Day.) and friends (minus the snarling). I want to start a training regimen that will break her of this.
I have some of Patricia McConnell's books, so I have some ideas of how to start. The doorbell is removable, so I have brought it inside and I stand next to her and ring it when I can block her charge to the door. We are practising Sit wherever we happen to be at the sound of the doorbell, and Sit/Stay while I walk to the door, and open and then close it. Eventually I'm sure I can coerce some friends into working on the next step (knocking, actual visitors present), but I really have no ideas about how all this will translate when I am not at home.
Does this seem like it will work, with enough practise? Other methods or tips/ideas?
I have a shepherd mix who charges the picture window and/or front door barking and snarling every time someone approaches the door. This includes the mailman (Every. Single. Day.) and friends (minus the snarling). I want to start a training regimen that will break her of this.
I have some of Patricia McConnell's books, so I have some ideas of how to start. The doorbell is removable, so I have brought it inside and I stand next to her and ring it when I can block her charge to the door. We are practising Sit wherever we happen to be at the sound of the doorbell, and Sit/Stay while I walk to the door, and open and then close it. Eventually I'm sure I can coerce some friends into working on the next step (knocking, actual visitors present), but I really have no ideas about how all this will translate when I am not at home.
Does this seem like it will work, with enough practise? Other methods or tips/ideas?
Hi I am a brand-new dog owner but holy shit be careful with those collars. We've been trying to get our puggle to stop barking when we leave and she barked right through the vibration (NB: not shock, never get a shock collar w/o a professional giving you the go-ahead) collar and the spray one freaked her out so bad she's still a little skittish almost a week later.
...but I really have no ideas about how all this will translate when I am not at home.
We've been recording her. You don't need to listen to the whole recording, but just look at the peaks to see if she barked. Maybe you can leave a little note to the letter carrier on the door to explain that you're training the dog and ask them to write what time they came by.
posted by griphus at 12:32 PM on September 9, 2011
...but I really have no ideas about how all this will translate when I am not at home.
We've been recording her. You don't need to listen to the whole recording, but just look at the peaks to see if she barked. Maybe you can leave a little note to the letter carrier on the door to explain that you're training the dog and ask them to write what time they came by.
posted by griphus at 12:32 PM on September 9, 2011
A friend of mine has had good success by teaching his german shepherd that strangers have the best treats. It only works when you're there, but it can help shift the dog's experience from "I am defending the house and will bark until these people go away" (which delivery/mail people then obligingly do) to "oh, here are people, perhaps they have snacks!"
posted by rmd1023 at 12:36 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by rmd1023 at 12:36 PM on September 9, 2011
Dr Sophia Yin has some good advice here and elsewhere on her site. You may also find, as I did, that your dog is totally fine when you're not home, but when you are there, she feels the need to protect/warn you by barking.
posted by judith at 12:43 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by judith at 12:43 PM on September 9, 2011
My German Shepherd was the same way until we started getting Jimmy John's deliveries. Now she actually tries to leave when the delivery person does. I think she'd get in the car with them if I let her. I don't think we've ever given her part of our sandwiches (maybe the kids share...) so maybe the delivery person just smells really good. Ever since we started getting the sandwich deliveries she's been much more mellow with everyone who comes to the door.
I'm agreeing with rmd1023 that having your guests bring snacks could turn it from "Must DEFEND my turf" snarling and barking into "Yay treats!" wiggling and wagging. Maybe you could keep a sealed bucket outside with a note that says "Before you ring the bell please grab a doggy treat out of this bucket." or something like that. If that's not possible maybe you could train her that every time the doorbell rings she gets a treat. Then you can be the one who gives her the treat as you answer the door.
We also moved our furniture around so that she can't see when the mailman comes. If she doesn't see him she doesn't care much. She'll perk up her ears but if the bell doesn't ring she doesn't bother barking.
posted by TooFewShoes at 12:43 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm agreeing with rmd1023 that having your guests bring snacks could turn it from "Must DEFEND my turf" snarling and barking into "Yay treats!" wiggling and wagging. Maybe you could keep a sealed bucket outside with a note that says "Before you ring the bell please grab a doggy treat out of this bucket." or something like that. If that's not possible maybe you could train her that every time the doorbell rings she gets a treat. Then you can be the one who gives her the treat as you answer the door.
We also moved our furniture around so that she can't see when the mailman comes. If she doesn't see him she doesn't care much. She'll perk up her ears but if the bell doesn't ring she doesn't bother barking.
posted by TooFewShoes at 12:43 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Part of the reason your dog barks at delivery people is because when he does, they leave! He thinks "Hey, it works!" My dog is generally ok with people once he knows them, but if you pull up in a delivery truck or are carrying a postal bag, he is spitting and snarling and trying to jam his head out the side window beside the door. Then, said person leaves (as delivery people are wont to do when they have, uh, delivered, as rmd1023 noted above) and he is so very happy with himself.
Is there anyone (that the dog does NOT KNOW) who will help you by wearing a uniform, and basically loitering in front of the house, repeatedly, while you are inside rewarding the dog when he actually *does* stop barking? Rinse and repeat, daily or so, until he stops being so snarly.
posted by strega_bianca at 1:07 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Is there anyone (that the dog does NOT KNOW) who will help you by wearing a uniform, and basically loitering in front of the house, repeatedly, while you are inside rewarding the dog when he actually *does* stop barking? Rinse and repeat, daily or so, until he stops being so snarly.
posted by strega_bianca at 1:07 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yes, your approach is right. Use positive reinforcement training technique all the way, and when you have the basic chain of behavior nailed (link 1: quiet. Link 2: lie down and be quiet in view of the door. Link 3: remain in place, quietly, as door opens. Link 4: same, plus person enters door), add challenges like strangers and packages. This is complex and chained behavior you are teaching, so take it slow. 5 minutes is about as much training session as any dog can handle at one time, and don't forget to always end on a high note. Reinforce with the things your dog loves best (e.g. reward with toy or delicious piece of chicken) and a cue word or clicker as soon as you get the behavior you want, then extend period of time for behavior to last. Then on to the next link.
Do NOT use punishments like bark collars! Negative reinforcement gets you very unpredictable results, and frankly it is cruel.
posted by bearwife at 1:19 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Do NOT use punishments like bark collars! Negative reinforcement gets you very unpredictable results, and frankly it is cruel.
posted by bearwife at 1:19 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I once had a dog trainer (who specializes in German Shepherds who have had...problems) tell me that you shouldn't leave a open-view window all day. The dog thinks he has to be on HIGH ALERT at all times in case of danger. And like someone above wrote, in the dog's mind "Barking = Threat Disappears".
Obviously you want to keep some good light coming into your house, so maybe the bottom-up blinds would work for you?
posted by Zoyashka at 3:10 PM on September 9, 2011
Obviously you want to keep some good light coming into your house, so maybe the bottom-up blinds would work for you?
posted by Zoyashka at 3:10 PM on September 9, 2011
As a dog owner with a boy that barks at any front door noise, I debated, years ago, about trying to train him out of that behavior. After reading the crime stats for my area, particularly those for home invasion and burglary, I didn't. And occasionally, still, my lab/chow mix goes ballistic at someone furtively testing my front doorknob, or coming around the back of the house, to see if my patio door might be unlocked. And we have no front window visible exposures that the dog can see; my view of the front door and yard is by video monitor of several CCTV cams.
Generally, when my dog "goes off," I smile, say "Good Boy!," and go back to doing whatever it was I was doing before, and he prances around, tail and ears up for 2 or 3 minutes, like some kind of hero.
I did train him, with a ton of work, to "Down!" behind me on a gestural cue, whenever I answer the door, so that we don't present an unduly aggressive face to strangers that knock at our door; of course, in my hidden left hand, when I answer the door, I might have a shotgun with a chambered round, one pace in front of my otherwise pretty friendly, but loud and excitable, sensitive hearing "bad dog."
Of course, he still goes bananas at every pine cone that drops on the roof, and cowers at every thunderclap or gust of wind driven rain in our sub-tropical thunderstorms, but I don't mind. Even heroes have their fears.
All of which is to say, consider carefully whether trying to suppress the dog's reaction to external noise is really warranted and in your best interests. Delivery people face "dog alarms" hundreds of times of a day; if your dog can be trained to "Down!" whenever you are present to answer the door and accept deliveries, what care you for how much noise he makes when you aren't there, or when the noise at your door doesn't have a package requiring your signature?
posted by paulsc at 8:08 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Generally, when my dog "goes off," I smile, say "Good Boy!," and go back to doing whatever it was I was doing before, and he prances around, tail and ears up for 2 or 3 minutes, like some kind of hero.
I did train him, with a ton of work, to "Down!" behind me on a gestural cue, whenever I answer the door, so that we don't present an unduly aggressive face to strangers that knock at our door; of course, in my hidden left hand, when I answer the door, I might have a shotgun with a chambered round, one pace in front of my otherwise pretty friendly, but loud and excitable, sensitive hearing "bad dog."
Of course, he still goes bananas at every pine cone that drops on the roof, and cowers at every thunderclap or gust of wind driven rain in our sub-tropical thunderstorms, but I don't mind. Even heroes have their fears.
All of which is to say, consider carefully whether trying to suppress the dog's reaction to external noise is really warranted and in your best interests. Delivery people face "dog alarms" hundreds of times of a day; if your dog can be trained to "Down!" whenever you are present to answer the door and accept deliveries, what care you for how much noise he makes when you aren't there, or when the noise at your door doesn't have a package requiring your signature?
posted by paulsc at 8:08 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Can you get to know the mailman and ask if they'd mind slipping a treat through the mail slot every day? You could leave a bag of treats outside your door and encourage all visitors, etc. to grab some on their way in.
posted by whalebreath at 7:40 AM on September 10, 2011
posted by whalebreath at 7:40 AM on September 10, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:25 PM on September 9, 2011