Tips on How to calm your dog when guest visits(Dog training)
Why don’t dogs like strangers?
Dogs are pack animals, and for them, their pack is everything. Any outer person or animal is perceived as a threat. Hence, dogs with poor socialization tend to become aggressive seeing an unidentified individual. Moreover, some breeds like mastiffs and other guard dogs are born with a dominant territorial trait.
This makes them much more unwelcoming to people they don’t know compared to other breeds. Hence, if you don’t want a stranger-danger dog in your home, proper socialization from puppy hood is a must.
Tips to Calm your Dog during Guest visits.
A good dog is a well-behaved dog. Embark your journey of calming your dog while greeting guests with positive dog training techniques.
- Teach your dog to greet you politely- Dogs can be undoubtedly overwhelming when welcoming their owners, making it a habit. To stop this, command your dog to ‘Sit’ followed with a ‘Stay’ before going out. In case your pup starts showing exuberant behavior, stop making any progressions, and avoid him until he settles down. Once settled, offer him a treat to reinforce a positive stimulation and repeat the commands before heading out. Methodical practice will help the pup perfect his behavior to departing guests.
- Make Him Learn to let People Come In calmly- Command your dog to ‘Sit’ and ‘Stay’ near you when you open your door to guests. If your dog has a jumping habit, start applying the above-said method beforehand. Talk a friend to act as a guest and give your commands to perfect his behavior. Systematizing this step can help you have a calm and well-behaved pup when you are expecting real guests.
- Offering proper socialization opportunities- A poorly socialized dog is always a threat to strangers. To avoid this, start socializing your dog with friends, family, and other pet animals if any. When the pup comes in regular contact with your guests, he will automatically become more docile and loving. After every successful meet, reward your pup for encouraging the same behavior.
Making this process a habit requires loads of patience and is simultaneously exhausting. Hence, maintaining a strict schedule of dog training must be done daily. However, refrain from using verbal or physical abuse as this can make your dog even more aggressive and unpredictable.
What to do when the dog is still aggressive to strangers?
If you have tried everything and your dog is still aggressive to strangers, it is better to opt for professional dog trainers. Although consulting with a vet can work well in understanding the underlying reasons for aggression, dog trainers provide more promising results. With their years of experience and proper training skills, they will train your pup to be on his best behavior always. Similarly, when your dog comes in contact with other dogs within the kennel, he will learn a more friendly demeanor.
The dog training duration might depend on various reasons, including emotional stability, anxiety levels, breed, etc. For more information, you can contact your local dog trainers and book an appointment with them. While some trainers provide in-house training, others might also allow boarding facilities.
You can also find about How to Train a German Shepherd Husky Puppy.
