MINDING THEIR ANNERS

By Kennedi Travis

let your guest in while they ignore your dog until they are even calmer. If your dog becomes too excited by the fact someone is at the door, shut it and wait for them to calm before opening again. Repeat this practice randomly over a period of days. Another activity is having a doorbell ring or a knocking sound play on your phone and to call your dog away from the door. When they come, remember to treat and praise. In this case, the dog is learning that these sounds mean to go find you and not run to the door. This requires much practice and patience, however. Other solutions might be to train your dog to go to a certain place, like a bed or crate, when they hear a doorbell or knock.

Begging

Fantastic meals are traditionally served during the holiday season, and no one wants a dog begging for food while they are eating. The best way to prepare for this is to not feed Fido while you are eating. Never feed Fido from the table, while you are preparing food, or while cleaning up.

can be released to greet everyone. One thing that I have company do when they enter my home is to ignore my dogs until they are calm before being allowed to say hello. This will teach our canine companions to politely welcome people coming into our homes.

Ding dong BARK

Do you have a dog that barks whenever the doorbell is rung or the door is knocked on? Prepare for this event now by training your dog to do something other than barking and running to the door. Start by playing the sound of a doorbell (YouTube has many great sound clips of different bells, or you can record the sound of your bell on your phone.). When your friend calms, reward that behavior. Repeat this practice several times throughout the day. Once your dog is exhibiting the desired calm behavior, have a friend knock or ring the bell. Do not answer the door right away. Instead, wait for Fido to calm and then open the door. If Fido remains calm, reward with a treat and verbal praise, and

For dogs that already beg, try ignoring them while you are enjoying a meal. Encourage your dog to chew on a chew or play with a stuffed Kong while you eat. Place a bed where your dog can relax while you eat or place them in a kennel or in another room. Always give Fido something to do, however, as this should never be a punishment.

While cooking these fantastic meals, I urge you to keep Fido out of the kitchen altogether. Place a bed for them to lay on away from your cooking area while keeping it in the same room. That way your dog can still be near you without being underfoot.

You can prepare for these holiday events now so that your dog is aware of what is expected of them! Make it worth their while to follow the rules by providing lots of praise and rewards when they are doing the right thing. Ignore and redirect behaviors you do not like. Remember, patience and consistency will get you the desired results.