Barking at the door bell

[boricuajenny5]

My 2 year old cockapoo has started a habit of barking at almost anything. I can usually get her to stop buying giving her a sharp "no" or making a loud noise but when she hears a door bell, she wont stop barking. Even a door bell on tv sets her off. I try dropping something on the floor to get her attention or jiggling some keys but nothing stops her.

Any ideas of what else i can try?

[catnapper]

More than likely she's barking because she's tied the fact to doorbell=guests. Then she tied doorbell=barking=guests. In other words, she thinks by barking she has the power to make you open the door to get the person to come in. Try getting someone to ring the bell. DO NOT open it unless she's quiet. If she's quiet for even one second, open the door. Start to close it if she starts barking again. She needs to learn that barking will keep her from greeting the guests she's so eagerly to see.

Don't give her attention when she's barking. Nothing other than a sharp command to stop barking. I personally like "quiet" because "no" is used too often and its a word they learn to ignore (you already said she ignored no in this situation) Just say "quiet" once and wait 15 seconds before you say it again. Wait for her to settle down before you go into a rush of "quiet... quiet.... quiet... I said QUIET!" Teach her the quiet command on little things she already quiets on before you attempt to use the word on the doorbell. Once she knows it, then employ it on the doorbell.

Remember, in the beginning you'll also have someone on the other side of the door who knows you will be working with her, so there's no urgency to answering it until she settles down. As soon as she stops barking open the door, let the person in. Repeat, repeat, repeat with as many different people and at as many different times of day as possible. Its going ot take some time to un-train her in something she's done for several years now, so be patient and consistent.

[Seravieve]

We also use the "Quiet" command rather than No. When the doorbell rings, all three will usually bark. So we say Quiet and then get their attention off of the door. Same goes for when the mailperson comes by our house.

Good luck!

[Freedom]

All 4 bark when the doorbell rings here; one starts and the others provide support. They do hush when we say "Quiet!"

In Lacey's class, the instructor told us she trained her dogs that when the door bell rings, they have to go sit in their beds. She used a leash, treats, and a family member on the outside to get this trained.

[cali]

lol not barking at the doorbell...that would be nice. mine dont stop barking till the person is totally off our property(they aint barking in exitment), drives me nutty. when I know someone is comming over I will stand at the door watch, and I will open the window(the door itself doesnt open) before they can ring the bell lol. the dogs still bark at the person but its not as intense as when the bell rings.

[kittyfly]

I have had no truoble with a door bell but my male dog loves to bark at one of our friends when he comes in. And to make things bad don't let the cell phone ring.......... he howls it sounds pritty but it can get loud, I almost have him broke of it by doing the (shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh) thing and by letting him at ather times when it is not a hello call he seems to get it.

If it rins and we don't say hello he is aloud to sing but if we say hello he some what stops.

maybe this will help lol.

[mrsbrewer]

mine bark at the door bell but stop when they come in....then start barking again when they leave...it is like everytime the door opens they start barking!!!
crazy dogs!!
but i love them


I am new here so i get pics posted of my babies soon!!!

[Jennute]

My Lab Sasha does that too, I believe that its also a sign of protection when that doorbell rings they know theres someone at the door and want to protect their home..When Sasha does that with the bell or a knock, to get her to stop I will very sternly call her name once to get her to look at me and if her attention doesn't shift to me where I can stare her down, i will step in front of her and give her "the look" and point at her. Sometimes actions do speak alot louder than words....If you get yourself inbetween your dog and the source (the door) it sometimes lets them know that you are cutting them off from it, that you are dominent and their attention will turn away from it and they will stop barking. You could try that if you want, but do keep in mind it took me a few weeks of doing that before Sasha started to catch on and it may take some time, but now anytime Sasha barks at anything all I have to do is get up and stand in front of her and stare her down and she stops....its kinda fun! lol...I hope it works for you if you try it!

[Pam]

mine bark at the door bell but stop when they come in....then start barking again when they leave...it is like everytime the door opens they start barking!!!
crazy dogs!!
but i love them


I am new here so i get pics posted of my babies soon!!!

That is how it is around here. When my two actually see the people they stop. Ripley also barks Goodbye at people. I thought he was the only dog in the world that did that so I was glad to read that yours do too.

Welcome to Pet Talk! We love pictures here!

[lizbud]

Sometimes I think it's not a bad thing to have a dog bark when someone
knocks or rings the doorbell. The police say that 'bad guys" often knock on
a door just to see if anyone is home when they are checking out a place to
break into. A dog (no matter the size) is a big deterrent.

Smokey never used to bark when he was younger but, he sure does now
and so does Maggie.

[boricuajenny5]

Amaya still barks at the door bell. I dont think of it as much as a problem because sometimes I dont hear the door bell but I know someone is there because of her barking. I can get her to be quiet and sit but she is still very anxious to smell the person coming in. Its been pretty cold out so I havent been spending too much time training with someone outside. As long as she stops and backs up when I tell her to i'm ok with the initial barking. Once she sniffs the visitor she goes about her business. The first time meeting the visitor sometimes takes longer to get her to stop barking. If she already knows them, and if they dont ring the door bell at all, she doesnt bark.