How do your dogs act when someone knocks at the front door?

[Christiansmommy]

I thought it might be interesting to see what rituals we do with our dogs when someone knocks at the door...

If i am expecting someone, i would put Dale outside. If someone comes unexpected, i will either have to go out on the front porch and shut the door behind me, so Dale doesn't try to get out and greet the stranger. Today someone knocked unexpected, but Dale was baby gated in the kitchen at the time, b/c it is rainy and he was muddy...so i didnt have to worry about it, but what i am going to do, is have a leash tied to my banister (going up the stairs), which is right by the front door...so when he comes with me to "greet" someone, i will just clip his collar to the leash on the banister. I understand some training is in order, but Dale just gets *so* excited when people come, and then Christian runs to the door with him, that i needed a sure fire way to secure him while i answer it in peace

I am sure some of your dogs, sit like perfect angels, while you open the door, but Dale isnt one of them!!

So, what do you and your dogs go through, when answering your front door?

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

Tia: sit's on the couch waiting patiently wagging her tail as fast as she can and makes happy barking noises, they're kinda of between barks and yips.

Echo: She wags her little stubby (tail) and does a weird barking thing, when I get my digital camera I'll have to make a video of it to show you because I can't explain it.

Tango: she barks and Jumps around a lot and when the people finally get in the house she get's crazy and jumps all over them ( we don't know how to stop her from that).

All of that happens when someone comes unexpectedly.
If we're expecting someone we put Echo and Tango in the basement and wait for the company to sit down before we let the dog's up.

[Samantha Puppy]

Samantha goes nuts, she's so freakin' curious. I think growing up with a cat, some of his traits rubbed off on her. I usually open the door a little and block with my leg so she can't get out. If she won't settle down, I'll step outside and close the door.

She DEFINITELY is not a perfect little angel!!

[ComedyDevil]

Great topic!

If I'm expecting someone, the dogs get shut away and given Kongs or chews.

If I'm not expecting it, the doorbell rings, Ollie and Squid run around like maniacs, totally ignore me when I call them and growl and bark loudly enough to scare anyone away. (Normally they're both angels, people coming to the door is the ONLY time they misbehave, maybe cos they think the person is trying to break in or something ) I scoop them up and shut them in the dining room.

Toby sits at the door patiently until I open it, then he offers the person a paw and waits for lots of fuss, which he almost always gets

Then once our visitor's sat down, they're let out to say hello

[micki76]

Originally posted by Christiansmommy
I am sure some of your dogs, sit like perfect angels, while you open the door, but Dale isnt one of them!!

So, what do you and your dogs go through, when answering your front door?

Oh, not mine. They're terriers and therefor, horrible to strangers on their property. It's very embarrassing. I usually have to put them in the bedroom before answering the door, which sometimes takes so long that the people at the door leave!

Once the visitor is in the house, they get a cookie to give to the dogs once I let them out. There's a LOT of barking and posturing (especially from poor Millie, she HATES everyone but us), but they eventually take the cookie and Chester warms up very quickly. Millie never does.

[ComedyDevil]

There's a LOT of barking and posturing (especially from poor Millie, she HATES everyone but us),

Toby's good when people come over ... you can borrow him and I'll take Millie. Actually I want Chester too

[Christiansmommy]

I should add, we have been having a lot of unexpected visitors lately, b/c we just had our 1 month inspection on our house (new house), and people have been coming to fix minor things. Anyway, they hear Dale and immediatly ask, where is the dog? What kind of dog? And i have to assure them that he is outside. His bark is pretty intimidating!! So one guy comes over to the back door (Dale was outside), and makes sure that i had locked it (like Dale really would have knocked open a glass sliding door)...it was pretty funny!!

[Jods]

My dogs go freakin' nuts as well... I practiacally have to wrestle them outta the way so I can ever open the door... Usually if it's a man we have to hold Mercedes back. (shes a little on the rude side lol)They growl bark jump at the door... Crazy doggies.... If they don't settle down once the person comes in they go outside then they can come back in and visit. If they behave... If it;s someone they know I usually have to hold them back even more... Gomer runs and gets a stuffie and brings in to the person and Mercedes well she's Mecedes she could really care less she goes back to go to sleep.

[ParNone]

Maddie was pretty much perfect about the door. No barking and she'd calmly follow me to the door to greet whoever was there. I never worried about her running out the door either. She was much more interested in saying Hi, then bolting.

Murph doesn't bark or jump on people, but I do have to pick him up, because he just might decide to make a mad dash through the open door.

Oz initially has to bark, when the door bell rings. Guess he figures I can't hear it and must announce whoever's arrival it is. Once we're going to the door though, he stops. I never worry about him going through the open door, but if the person is somebody he knows or they start talking to him, I have to keep him from jumping on them. I usually just keep my hand on his chest. He calms down pretty quickly. Seems like the older he gets the calmer he gets too.

Gull... Well Mr. Gull's got quite a ways to go on the greeting thing. He wants to excitedly bark and jump on anybody and everybody that comes to the door. If I do let him come to the door with me, I like to have a treat so I can work with him on sitting and being quiet. It's very much still a work in progress though. Hopefully he'll be like Oz and calm down more, as he matures.

Par...

[My Peanuts]

My house sounds like the ASPCA! Both Sylvia and Harley bark like crazy. We are trying to control them, but nothing works! Harley will stop, but Sylvia will keep going and going and going...

[DJFyrewolf36]

Mom and dads pups are TERRORS! Well, I know they are just doing the guard doggie job to the best of thier ability buuutt...

The rutine usually goes something like this

Ding dong

Max: Big indimidating WOOOOOF!! Grrrrrrrrrr

Twilight: Barking like an idiot and bouncing around

Dad: Max sit DOWN

Mom: Twilight CHILL OUT!

Both dogs sit until they see who it is. If its me, I get licked to death. If its anyone else (especially a stranger) the person at the door gets glared at from behind dads chair lol.

[dogs_4_me]

Emma-Runs to the door at top speed, slides, usually ends up hitting it then she will sit and wait paitently untill i say "go say hi" If I dont say that she will sit their untill they are gone

Moco is a little more challenging, he will run right to the door bang on it really hard and i need to grab him, and lock him out, mainly because if he got out of the door he would take off and hes not to friends towards strangers.

[Tina]

Mine are awful Ginger will jump up on people that visit. Reggie will bark and bark! Ember she will bark some and jump on people. That is if it is with someone they know fairly well.

Now if a stranger comes unexceptly they all bark and bark like crazy!

If we know we are having company over usually they are put outside. Sometimes they do get to come in and visit with our company.

[MariaM]

Whenever somebody is trying to open our gate, Major will jump and jump and jump up to the gate. If it's the marketplace guy, he'll bark. He's very friendly towards everybody, a little too friendly

[chocolatepuppy]

My dogs go insane I put them both in separate rooms and then answer the door.(good thing my house is small) If it's a stranger I'll usually take Lacey to the door with me.