Getting Your Dog to Go to His Room when Visitors Come
Continue from post:For Teaching Your Dog Not to Jump on You. Getting Your Dog to Go to His Room when Visitors Come
Sometimes it’s easier to avoid a jumping-up situation than try to prevent or correct it. To do this, teach your dog to run to another room when the doorbell rings or someone knocks.
For this lesson you’ll need a hallow toy stuffed with peanut butter, cheese or some other food your dog really likes.
1. Pick a designated room where you want your dog to go when the doorbell rings or someone knocks.
2. Have the hallow, food-stuffed toy ready on a shelf or somewhere (other than the floor) in that room so you can quickly grab it.
3. When your dog is in the house and calm, go to the door and ring the bell and/or knock, then run to the designated room, calling your dog and clapping so he’ll run after you.
4. As soon as your dog follows you into the room, give him the food-stuffed toy, leave the room and shut the door (with him still in the room, of course).
5. After 10-20 seconds, go into the room, take the toy away and let your dog out.
6. Wait about 10 minutes, and then repeat Steps 3 through 5.
7. Practice this exercise three times, pausing for several minutes between each session.
This will teach your dog that if he runs to the designated room when the doorbell rings or someone knocks, he’ll get a delicious reward.
8. For your fourth practice session, change the procedure a bit. While your dog is still inside the closed room busy with the food-stuffed toy, go ring the doorbell or knock and then talk as if you’re greeting friends. After a few seconds, go let your dog out of the room.
9. After your dog has learned to run to the designated room when the doorbell rings or someone knocks, advance the training with a real visitor. After the visitor has been inside for a few minutes, go let your dog out of the room. As your dog approaches the visitor, practice the “no jumping” lesson where your visitor asks your dog to sit as he approaches. Immediately reward his correct response.
Tip: Give your dog the food-stuffed toy whenever visitors are in the house, so he’ll be more interested in that than jumping up on them.
You will be interested in this training: Teaching Your Dog to Lie Down
Tags: Room, Visitors
Filed under: Dog Training
