Well, hello there!
When I started interferon in February, I foolishly thought I could keep up with… everything. In fact, I thought that it would be like having a month of downtime that I could use to blog, read others’ blogs, catch up on writing projects, and so on.
Not so. I had no idea just how badly the chemo would kick my butt. However, I’m finished with the two-hours-every-day treatments and have moved on to every-other-day treatments at a lower dose. It’s been a couple weeks, and I’m starting to feel so much better that I decided it’s time to start dabbling in working, blogging, and dog walking again!
Oh, and – of course – dog training. Specifically door training.
Over the past few months, we have been taken care of by the best friends and family ever. People have dropped off food, walked the boys, and visited with me. It’s been fantastic – except I started to live in fear of the random drop-by.
These guys are horrific at the door, especially if someone rings the doorbell instead of knocking. They act like we’re under attack. They bark, lunge, jump up on the door, and just generally lose their minds. Cooper then redirects his energy and snaps at Lucas. It’s not pretty. And it’s so hard to get them to settle once they get that riled up.
Pre-planned visits or visits with a text or call beforehand are no problem because I put the boys outside or in the sunroom or upstairs. Of course, that’s the band-aid approach and isn’t actually teaching them door manners.
So as I start to dabble in activities again, door training has become my number one priority!
How do your dogs do with the door? Any training tips or advice?
Glad you are feeling a bit more spring-like. It’s a beautiful season. And I hope you keep getting better and better.
Kelly runs to the door and barks. She is small so she is easy to hold back with the collar. I suppose I should train her to sit and chill, though!
Thanks so much, Peggy! It sounds like you have a good system with Kelly at the door… I’m jealous! 🙂
So glad to hear you are doing better, I was wondering, which may be weird cause I don’t know you, but I love your blog! 🙂
So you and I are on the same wavelength, my hubby and I were JUST talking about getting serious with the dogs and their door manners. They stink just like yours and I totally know the fear of the random drop by. They like to bark and jump and try to trip people up the stairs and act like maniacs for what feels like 30 minutes, but is really more like 1-2 minutes and then they are totally fine. But I’m so OVER that first 1-2 minutes! We were thinking of trying to train by having the people pay ZERO attention to them at the door and try to call them and get them to come back upstairs and give them treats and once the people come upstairs and the dogs sit they get love and treats? Please let me know what you figure out cause its a pain for us too! 🙂
Thank you, Kim! I really, really appreciate the kind words!
Sounds like we’re facing a similar challenge… I haven’t figured out exactly what I want them to do, but I’m thinking I need to let them bark for a few seconds then send them to their beds so the guest can come in the door. I’m going to put some thought into it. I’ll let you know how it goes, and keep me posted on your progress!!
I’m so glad you’re feeling better, Maggie! Welcome back!
Thanks, Tina! 🙂
Hello from Oz. New to your blog, love your dogs and am so glad you are feeling better. Have you watched the videos/read the books of Jan Fennell, a British woman who deals with problem dogs? She’s the best I’ve come across – there’s none of the macho stuff of your ‘dog whisperer’ chap. She calls herself, ‘the dog LISTENER’ which I think says a lot. Everything is able to be ordered online. All the programmes are fascinating and I think she deals with your problem – rushing the door, separation anxiety, fearfulness and more. Great for when stuck in bed. Also, not on dogs but a very thought provoking and fascinating and moving read, is Henry Blake’s Thinking With Horses and Talking With Horses. He’s English and may be dead, now. I read him in the 70’s. If my dogs play up, I point the finger right at their eyes, once you have their attention, point to your eyes, then back at their eyes. Hold the eye contact and if I’m annoyed enough, I’ll bellow NO or QUIET, but I don’t have to, these days. I DO teach all my dogs GENTLE and that covers baby birds etc. and is non negotiable. Years ago, I used to go to 4 football fields together, to run the dogs and they loved it so much, the nearer we got, the more the 9 rescued dogs BAYED with excitement. It used to make me laugh helplessly but it was deafening and I decided, sadly, it had to stop. So, as soon as we got to the dead end access road, as soon as the noise started, the car stopped. At first, the noise continued, then slowly, it dawned on them the magic chariot had broken and eventually, there were just a few sad little woo hoos? When it petered out completely, the car continued. Immediately,screams and bellows WWWWWOOOOOHHHHHOOOO!!! so the car stops and the SADNESS of the subdued “what happened? Car died…” It only took one trip and the occasional WOO and another mysterious broken car, and it was stopped and I have to say, I really missed that MAD JOY and the HUGE laugh!
Welcome back! I’m so glad to hear you’re beginning to feel better. It can’t hurt to have some nice sunny days to inspire you.
Bella’s a disaster at the door as well. Unfortunately explaining to people that they should just ignore the 60-pound barking dog doesn’t seem to be the answer. We have guests so infrequently and she has so many other issues that need to be addressed, I haven’t put this on the priority list yet. It is probably time. I look forward to reading about your approach – I’ll need the tips. 🙂
maggie – i am also new to your lovely blog and am so glad to hear that you are feeling better! we have a golden retriever, with very big voice, who barks at everything going on in the front yard. her joy at having someone at the door is unbridled. we have found no way to dim it. she loves visitors. (unhappily, her friendliness meant that when i came home to a man in our garage stealing our bikes, she was right there with him, tail wagging. in her defense, it is possible that it was some she knew; he was leaving out a gate as the garage door was coming up, so i saw only legs.) it would be nice to get her to listen just a bit when the doorbell goes and i look forward to hearing what you devise in the way of training techniques. by the way, have you read vicki hearne? i know that her methods are controversial but i love her writing.
Hi, Maggie! I have been hoping for the best for you; I’m so glad to hear you are feeling better!
One of my three dogs is very bad at the door. Not only does he bark when someone comes to the door, but when a car door shuts nearby or when one of the neighbors is outside talking.
As you can imagine, hearing him bark all day long becomes very tiresome. I tried to teach him the “enough” command, but he didn’t respond very well. With guests, I taught him to lay down while I open the door, but as soon as I turn my back, he jumps up and continues his tirade.
Within the last six months, I’ve found a very simple, magical solution: a spray bottle. When he barks, I give him the “enough” command, and if he doesn’t stop, I spray him. The spray is enough to startle him and take him down several notches to the point where he is more controllable.
After spraying him several times, he has learned to stop barking when he sees me with the spray bottle. We still have issues, but overall, he is more well-behaved.
Good luck and well wishes!
I’m so glad to hear you’re starting to feel better! I have no advice for training the dogs at the door. When you figure it out let me know what you did so I can train Buster and Ty to do the same thing.
Hi Maggie,
I just found your blog through Twitter from a Tweet from Rotations Pet Food. I am now following you on Twitter as well.
Let me yell you I can relate to you on your chemo treatments, but my situation is a little different. I had the experience of breaking my leg in late January. I too, thought I would have some downtime to catch up on things. Sprucing up my blog, catching up on Facebook, Twitter, reading, etc. Three days in the hospital included an operation to repair my leg followed by two weeks in a rehab hospital were very depressing & hectic. I went through depression along with anxiety attacks didn’t make me feel like doing anything computer related. I wouldn’t watch TV either. Do you know they didn’t even have Animal Planet so I missed The Puppy Bowl! It was two weeks of listening to sports talk radio because you don’t get much depressing news in sports! LOL! To makeweight worse the antibiotics made me nauseated & I lost my appetite.
When I came home my chihuahuas were happy to see me, but when I was home alone, they were relegated to their crates. We couldn’t take the chance on me tripping on them or them running into me and me re-fracturing the leg. I too found myself having to tell those visiting me to call ahead so I could have enough time to get to the door & try to eliminate excessive barking. I was not equipped to handle unexpected visitors.
Now I can get around again, not perfectly but I am mobile & driving again. My chi’s are now out of the crates while I am home, but I now have the jumping at the door & barking if an someone comes to the door unexpectedly. Yep, the can use additional training there as I don’t need a run away chihuahua that I can’t keep up with.
I’m sorry to read that you had to go through chemo treatments. Since the dose has been reduced I hope you won’t have to continue that too much longer. It’s great that you are feeling better. It feels like a breakthrough when you reach that point! I look forward to reading your blog & Twitter posts.
Glad to hear you are feeling better!
I have two dogs of my own who also seem to think that any time the doorbell rings we are under siege. While my dogs (Jack and Brooklyn) still start to bark and go crazy initially, I have trained them that when I say “sit” they are to sit down and stop barking. As long as I am in the same room, and close enough to them for them to understand I am in control, then they listen very well and quickly start to mind their manners.
They might still give a little growl just to be sassy, but overall I would say that teaching them that “sit” means sit down and be quiet seems to be a very helpful approach to calming down the pups when they are acting like our house is under attack.
I love your website! I am new to blogging and am wondering whether you would like to check out my blog:
destructivepuppy.blogspot.com.au
Look forward to hearing from you.
Keep up the good work!
Flynnah
They are so adorable, my beagle boxer Lola does the same thing on sunny days.
Sorry I’m so late to the party. But catching up on old blog posts I’m so glad to know you’re feeling better and up to entering on some projects.
I have a different problem at doors than you do. Honey, my Golden Retriever, doesn’t guard the door. Instead, she has a greeting disorder where she can’t contain her joy at whoever comes to the door.
I started out trying to teach her how to sit and be quiet when people come over. But her excitement level was so high I think it was a bad choice. Instead, I give her something more active to do like play tug at my side or I give her a toy to carry around (it’s a Golden thing). It’s hard to do with 3 dogs but if you can find an active job for the boys, it might be easier than expecting them to put off all their excitement at the door.
Good luck. I look forward to hearing how things work out on this project.
Hi,
So glad things are going better for you. Doesn’t this cancer stuff stink? At last visit my doc happened to mention that I had just finished chemo treatment 43 for prostate cancer! Depressing on the one hand but I’m still here!
Dogs at the door –They think that they are in charge. Got to let them know that you are the boss. Put them in a sit and stay and have someone ring the bell. Don’t let them out of the sit while you respond to the bell. Perhaps do this one dog at a time. Keep practicing till they don’t react to the bell. You can tie off their leashes so they are forced to not run to the door, even if they leave the sit. Make sure you use your “command” voice. Good luck with life and with dogs.