Teach Your Dog or Puppy How To Greet Guests Politely - How To Handle Overenthusiastic Canines

How To Teach Your Dog To Greet Guests

Does your dog dance all over you guests as they arrive at your door, leaping and jumping about? While this behavior may only be showing how excited your pup is that company has arrived, it抯 impolite and shouldn抰 be tolerated. Many people don抰 want to be licked nor have their clothes mussed by your enthusiastic pooch. Children and the elderly can be overwhelmed by such greetings. So what is an owner to do?

1. Encourage your dog to sit whenever you enter your house before you greet them. Then when you do, greet them calmly and only when they are seated. This gets them into the habit of keeping all 4 on the floor when people come through the door.

2. Enlist the help of a friend who can remain calm even if your dog attempts his frantic friendly behavior. Have the friend calmly enter your home and stand still by the door. Ask them to give your dog the 搒it?command (your dog should already have this command mastered) before they attempt to greet her.

3. If the dog attempts to jump on your helper, have them turn their back towards the dog and even side step away from them. This prevents her from achieving success at unwanted behaviors. When her 4 feet hit the ground, praise and have your friend try again with the 搒it?command.

4. When she sits, have your helper calmly praise her with a few seconds of gentle petting. Do not use sudden or rough movements. The goal is keeping your dog as calm as possible. Then move further into the house in a relaxed manner.

5. When success has been achieved with one helper, try and find another willing helper or 2. Work up to a 搑eal?guest! Your dog will realize that she is being rewarded with petting when she is calm and well behaved.

Canine Manners 101 Training Series

• Greeting Guests Properly
• The Come Command
• The Sit Command
• The Down Command
• The Watch Me Command
• The Stay Command
• The Interrupt Command
• The Hurry Up Command
• The Drop It Command
• The Leave It Command
• Teaching Polite Leash Skills
• Take Treats Gently