chinook

Question
I rescued a Chinook, he was either dropped off or ran away.  He lived in the area for 6 months before i noticed him, on his own.  People fed him, but from a distance.  He was scared and was afraid of every-one.  Long story short, he came home with me and has been here for three months.  There are some issues with buddy!  One of them -  When someone rings the doorbell or walks through the door, he runs to the door barking like crazy!  I know he is protecting us, but i want some control.  Keep in mind that if his collar is grabbed, he sees that as a sign of attack ... not good!  Can u help?

Answer
The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat.

Try having your visitors avoid eye contact with him or letting their teeth show in a smile.  Instead they need to offer hem treats.