barking driving me mad!!

Question
Hi Labman,

I have 2 mongrel dogs, the biggest and oldest (about 7 now, called chip) is an alsation/collie cross and is driving me mad.

I live with my parents and work nightshift. however the minute the door goes (the postman, my sisters friends, basically anyone coming to house) he barks insesintley until they either go away, or some1 answers the door. obviously the smaller one (about 5, called gizmo) who is a border/lakeland terrier cross is now mimicking his behaviour, as he does most of the time.

also i should mention, when its the postie he doesnt just bark, he makes a loud snarling noise and lunges at the door.

i honestly do not think since i moved back in with my parents i've managed to wake up by myself due to this problem and i am constantly tired. although i love my dogs to bits this behaviour is really getting on my nerves. is there anything i can do to change this? we have had chip since he was 9 months old, and has done this since day one, but has now become a problem since i moved back home and continued with the nightshift. i have a feeling this bad habit may have been being on too long to change??

joanne :)

Answer
I am afraid this is going to be a tough one to solve.  First with his herding dog breeding, he has an instinctive drive to distrust strangers and spread the alarm.  Second, I assume your parents are home at the time.  In many cases, I can tell somebody how to retrain their dog.  Now retraining parents is tough.  Having a good pack structure reduces such problems.  The 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. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/  Everybody has to act like they outrank the dogs so they can be in charge of the people knocking at the door.  Here are some other things you need to do in addition to obedience training, http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm

If you are home by yourself, you could try crating them.  Other dogs may
not be as bad as the young Labs I am plagued with.  Still your house and dog
will be much safer with the dog in a crate when you are away.  The dog may be
happier in its den than loose in the house.  It relaxes, it feels safe in its
den.  It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving
its self.  Dogs that have been crated all along do very well.  Many of them
will rest in their crates even when the door is open.  I think the plastic
ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling.  They are harder for
dogs to open too.    Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with
something the dog can't pull in and chew.  Select
a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

Leave it some toys.  Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter.  Don't leave
anything in the crate the dog might chew up.  It will do fine without even any
bedding.  You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

A dog that has not been crated since it was little, make take some work.
Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate.  Praise it for going
in.  If you have been able to trust it with any bedding, put that in the crate.
Feed it in the crate.  This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding
time for more than one dog.

They are neutered?  It is no cure all, but no sense fighting all the hormones too.  It also greatly reduces the chances of cancer later in life.