Teaching Your Pup to Greet Politely
At Sit Means Sit South Denver we often hear from families who are struggling to teach a well-intended dog to greet guests politely. We have all met a pup that was more than a bit intimidating upon our first interaction. Even the sweetest of dogs can struggle to contain their excitement when meeting a guest for the first time, or every time for that matter. As your go-to Denver dog training experts, we’re here to help! With a little bit of training, for you and your pup, you can teach your dog to channel that energy and greet guests politely.
Start with Your Family
Before you can begin to train your pup to greet your guests politely, you must first train them to greet their family properly. From adults to kids, every person that lives in your home must be on board to help instill good behavior. Every time you, or a member of our family comes home, it is important to practice your dog training skills when entering the home. Teach your dog to sit and stay every time you come in the door. It might be a good idea to place a mat near the front door and teach your pup to use it as their ‘place’ when people enter. Once they begin to catch on and sit in their place, be sure to practice greeting them in a calm, soothing tone. Reward their good behavior without over exciting them.
Tip: speed up the learning curve by practicing coming in the door multiple times throughout the day. The more practice your pup gets the faster they will master this skill.
Mastering the Polite Greeting
Once your dog begins to understand the practice of greeting their family politely, it’s time to apply their new-found skills in the real world. It’s a good idea to ask a friend or neighbor to help, as it will require patients on their side as well. When they ring the doorbell, or knock, insist that your pup sits in their place. Continue to work with your dog until they acquiesce, regardless of how long it takes. Once the guest has entered the front door, ask them to also greet your dog in a calm friendly manner. If your pup moves from place before they are given the command to do so, remain consistent. Make your dog return to place and praise them once they have done so.
While this is a tedious task as first, soon your pup will be politely greeting all of your guests. Be sure and ask your regular visitors to participate. When new guests arrive, get them involved as well. Once your dog gets the hang of it, everyone will win!
Schedule Your Free Denver Dog Training Consultation Today!
Teaching your pup to greet people politely is just one of the many obedience skills we teach at Sit Means Sit. Schedule your free consultation and discover why we are the leading providers of Denver dog training services! During your free, no-obligation, in-home consultation we will show you how the Sit Means Sit approach garners immediate results. Let’s get started today!