Mary Allen
“Klingelingelingeling – dog are you there? Are you there? dog hello?”
The doorbell definitely sounds something like this to our dogs, or why do they feel addressed directly every time someone comes?
You’re also wondering, “Why do dogs bark when the doorbell rings?”
Then take good care! After all, you don’t want your dog to be stressed out by the doorbell ringing and the visitor behind it.
In this article, we will explain to you what motivates our dogs to answer the doorbell and, above all, how you can stop your four-legged maid from barking at the door.
In a nutshell: How to get your dog used to barking when the doorbell rings
Whether your dog barks out of fear, insecurity, joy and excitement, or a protective instinct, you can break the habit.
As? With calm, consistency, love and a lot of patience! Your dog must learn to trust you and no longer feel responsible for the visit.
Thank your dog for being alert and send him to his seat. YOU open the door and YOU welcome YOUR visit. Only then is it your dog’s turn.
Research into the causes: Why does my dog bark when the doorbell rings?
Before you can train your dog to stop barking at the door, you need to find out what motivates him. These can be diverse and the approach can be just as diverse.
Perhaps you will rediscover your dog in our descriptions?
Your dog barks when the doorbell rings because he wants to protect you
Some dog breeds were bred specifically to guard and protect homes, yards, and their people. Dogs that have guarding in their genes report confidently and reliably when something stirs in their home.
The prompt ringing at the front door does not only startle us from time to time. Your guard dog is of course immediately on the alert.
Your dog barks at the door because he’s scared or unsure
After the first shock of ringing, the second comes right at the sight of the frightening visitor?
Your dog is afraid of strangers and can’t tell whether the visit is making all his hair tangles.
To protect both of you, your scaredy-cat tries to scare off the intruder with a loud bark and stop him from entering the house.
Your dog barks when someone comes out of conditioning
Above all, our dogs are one thing: smarter than we often assume! They observe us all day and learn behaviors.
So what happens when the doorbell rings?
That’s right, you jump up in a rush to open the door for the visitor as quickly as possible. Your dog will imitate you and absorb your excited energy. In addition, you are too slow in his eyes, which is why he runs to the door in front of you.
So it’s possible that you’ve unintentionally trained your dog to bark at the door.
Tip:
With consistent training, patience, sovereignty, and love, you will be able to calm your bello down when the doorbell rings. Don’t expect miracles from one day to the next, but consider every small advance as wonderful!
No more barking at the door: the right solution is always individual
It depends on your dog’s character and the reason why he freaks out at the doorbell, as well as your own personality as to which approach to training is right for you.
Causes and solutions must always be considered individually. It is important that you both feel comfortable in the training because this is the only way you can remain authentic and your dog will buy it from you.
Show your dog that you are responsible for the visit
Does your dog feel responsible for welcoming visitors and checking them first?
This can be really annoying and maybe even put off your visit.
So if your dog barks when the doorbell rings, stay calm. Get up relaxed and go to the door. Thank your dog for his attention and only open the door after he has stopped barking.
Ask friends to practice the procedure with you. This way you can delay the time between ringing the bell and opening the door until your dog has relaxed. You can also send him to his place and greet YOUR visit in peace before it is your dog’s turn.
Training tip:
If you have a very alert dog, it is an advantage if his basket is not directly on an observation post. A quiet place where he can relax and not have to keep an eye on everything is just right.
Offer your dog safety, protection, and guidance!
If your dog barks out of insecurity or fear, your training process will probably take a little longer.
Perhaps there was a situation in the past that caused your dog to lose trust in you?
He now has to learn (again) that you are able to take care of him. When the doorbell rings and Fiffi freaks out, consistently send him to his seat.
It is important that your dog does not see his place as a punishment but can relax there. From a safe distance, he can marvel at whoever comes in the door WITHOUT the visitor attacking him directly – because he is so cute!
Insecure dogs are best helped by ignoring them a little. If your visitor doesn’t pay much attention to your barker, your dog can decide for itself when to approach it.
When training with unsafe dogs, it is always advisable to consult an experienced and specialized local trainer. Insecurity can also quickly turn into aggression.
Redirect improper conditioning
You accidentally taught your dog that visiting means jumping up and running excitedly to the door?
Also, is your dog so cute that he is always the first to be greeted by your visitors? Of course, this also confirms your dog that it is HIS visit.
But it is not!
You have to make that clear to your dog now, but how?
- Send your dog to his seat when the bell rings.
- Walk slowly and relaxed to the door and receive your visitor.
- If your dog has waited calmly and politely, he too may welcome the visitor on your command.
- Tell your visitors to completely ignore the dog (this will seem strange to you at first, but it is actually useful. After all, it is about relieving your dog of its supposed responsibility.)
- Practice, practice, practice! Ask friends or neighbors if they want to ring your bell – checked, of course! The more often the bell rings, the more chance you and your dog have to relearn what was wrongly learned.
In short: your dog will no longer bark when the doorbell rings
Once you have found out why your dog barks when the doorbell rings, the right solution is not far away.
It may be that your dog wants to protect you and therefore announces visits loudly. If he is more of an anxious nature, he will try to drive away the visit by barking.
You may have accidentally taught your dog to bark excitedly when the doorbell rings and run to the door immediately.
In any case, you can divert his barking joy through loving and consistent training. Your dog needs to learn to trust you and not feel responsible for everything.
Great that you are dealing with your dog’s behavior! If you are unsure, it is always advisable to involve an experienced dog trainer on site.
Would you like to learn more about the behavior of our dogs? Then take a look at our dog training bible. Here you will find valuable tips and tricks for dealing with your dog properly.