How do I best get my dog to like others that come to visit us? He is very overprotective of us and will not settle down until they leave. This is beginning to cause us stress and to think way too much before we have company over.
By patricia27 from OH
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Sounds like my 4 year old dachshund. After awhile my dog will settle down but only after the company gives him a little attention and pets him. My dog has gotten so much better since I started "laying down the law" so to speak. Maybe you should just let him bark until he gets the message he's not coming out till you say so.
Find one of your guest, maybe a relative; one who has a lot of patience and have them visit while the dog is in the room. Don't know if it will work but I'd give it a try. We love our pets so much that we sometimes let them get away with most anything. I had to get really firm because of the biting. Mine is not perfect but a whole lot better.
I've had dogs like yours and yes, it can make the company very uncomfortable.
He won't like it, but the very best thing to do is to snap the lead on every time you have a guest. You will then be in control-he won't like it, so let him greet the guests, get a bit of a fuss, and then make him sit at your side during the visit. Do this whenever you have company, regular visitors and the new guest so that he understands that whenever there is any sort of company, he is expected to show company manners.
Whenever he tries to use his body weight (or whines and barks) to regain his position of control, restrain him at your side by returning him to the sitting position with your hand, and holding him there if needed.
You may have to enlist several different and patient friends to role-play several times to get him through the initial, difficult change to his routine of being in charge when company is around.
Using treats and praise to reward him for even a few seconds of 'sit-stay' is going to be a big help readjusting his manners, too.
Be patient, this method does work on 99% of dogs.
You might consider using a crate if it doesn't; you put him in his crate before opening the door to company-he'll fuss and whine and carry on, though, even if the crate is in the same room as the company.
Or you can crate him after trying to keep him well mannered with the leash. Have the crate in the same room as you are entertaining company, and speak to him now and again so that he understands he is not being totally excluded, just restrained from being too physical with the company:)
Locking him in another room and letting him howl (and possibly destroy the 'containment' area in his unhappiness at being kept away from the guests) will be more painful for you and your company.
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