How to Answer a Door with Dogs

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Ryan William with Expert Village; I'm going to teach you how to greet people who come to your house and how your dog should behave when people come over to visit you. First thing, when I first got this guy about a month ago, he would charge the door. He would bark as soon as somebody knocked; he would be barking and charging and growling, whoever came in. So the way we fixed that is as soon as somebody knocked on the door, they would come over and be super excited so I would make them stop at this point. I'd create a boundary here; I do not want my dogs to come passed this point until I give them permission. I would have them sit down; I don't answer the door, whoever's out there can wait. I'd have them both sitting, being calm. If he's growling or anything, I can't open the door until he's in a state like this. As soon as they are calm and relaxed like this, then I would open the door. Usually when you open the door, they get excited again, and you have to correct them and make them sit down again. Whoever is here can come through, the dogs have to stay there. That gives people space so they don't feel attacked by your dogs. As soon as they get passed here, the dogs can smell them or get to know them or whatever, pet them. That's how you should answer the door. It may take you 20 minutes to get them completely calm, but that's what you have to do if you want to have your dogs behave properly when people come over."