What to Do When Your Dog Barks at Guests
A dog who barks at guests is reacting to energy entering the home.
Your dog is responding to:
Excitement
Tension
Uncertainty
Movement
Change in environment
While some owners don’t mind barking at the door, I tend to disagree with it. Here’s why. When a dog is allowed to bark at the door or when guests come over or when they see a squirrel outside the window, it’s allowing excited energy to build with no real release. This creates tension. This is a big part in why you hear stories of dogs who over time “got worse”.
Let’s take a moment to think about building tension. We’ll use a police K9 and the robber aka: the other police officer in the bite suit during training drills. You’ll likely see the K9 handler holding the dog back on leash, but amping them up. Pulling back, letting them go a little, pulling back, letting them go a little. This is building tension. It really gets the K9 going. The reward? Letting the dog go, chase the suspect, and bite. Job accomplished. Now think of your dog at home. Day after day, doorbell rings, dog barks and excitement rises, dog keeps barking until you get to the door, building tension the whole time, person walks in or package is received, and for the dog? Nothing. All that built up energy was for nothing. Over time, this can build frustration. Causing the barking to become more destructive, or possibly even resulting in the dog nipping. You may be thinking, oh not my dog. Fluffy would never. But coming from someone who has heard this story and many like it over and over for 10+ years, I promise you, Fluffy could.
Before the Door Even Opens
The mistake most people make is trying to solve the barking after the guest is inside.
But the dog’s arousal begins long before that — usually at:
The sound of the doorbell
The knock
Footsteps
A car pulling in
Or even the anticipation of someone arriving
So we start earlier.
Your dog needs:
Predictability
Space
Clear expectations
And you need to set the tone.
Step 1: Support Your Dog’s Space
When someone knocks or rings the bell:
Pause. Don’t rush to the door.
Guide your dog to a calm spot away from the entry (Place).
Wait for your dog to soften — even for a breath — before allowing the guest to enter. (Rewarding calm behavior)
This prevents the dog from feeling like they have to manage the situation.
You take the lead.
Your dog can relax.
Step 2: You Greet First
You always greet the guest before your dog does.
This communicates:
“I’m handling this. You don’t need to.”
Your dog doesn’t need to check, sniff, or greet right away.
They can watch.
They can breathe.
They can just be.
This alone lowers anxiety more than most people realize.
Step 3: Keep the Energy Low
Ask your guest to enter calmly.
No high-pitched greetings.
No “Oh my gosh HI SWEET BABY!!!”
No leaning over the dog (best way to get bit).
Calm humans → calm dog.
If needed, simply let your guests know ahead of time that you are working on training.
“We’re teaching her to be calm when guest arrive. You can ignore her at first. Once she’s calm, I’ll let you go say Hi”.
This sets the tone clearly and your guests know what to expect. That way, if your dog breaks place or barks you can confidently go settle your dog and your guests won’t be confused on why they were left standing in your doorway.
Step 4: Allow the Dog to Approach When They Are Ready
Not forced.
Not pulled.
Not pushed toward the guest.
When the dog’s:
Breathing is slower
Shoulders have lowered
Eyes have softened
Tail has calmed down
Wiggles have faded
Then they may calmly approach.
And if your dog gets too excited— starts jumping/barking/going nuts— that’s when you calmly bring them back to place and let them settle some more.
The more you practice this, the more you will be able to read your dog’s cues and the better your timing will get with when to release them to say Hi and when to wait longer.
What Not to Do
Don’t rush the greeting.
Don’t hype up the dog with excitement.
Don’t allow crowding or grabbing at the dog.
Please never allow someone to put their face in your dogs face to say Hi (this can be very intimidating to some dogs and result in a bite)
These create pressure — and pressure creates more barking or other unwanted behaviors.
This Is the Heart of Calm Dog Behavior
We are not “fixing” a dog.
We are supporting their nervous system by setting clear expectations.
When the environment is calm, structured, and predictable —
Your dog no longer feels responsible for managing the home.
They can just relax
If You Want This Process to Feel Easy
We teach all of this — step-by-step — inside your home through our Day Training program.
We help your dog learn how to:
Regulate excitement
Feel safe with visitors
Trust your leadership in the home
Handle transitions with confidence
And we show you how to maintain it with clarity and calmness.
This is the foundation of a peaceful home.
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