(upbeat music)
(doorbell rings)
(dog barks)

[onscreen text] Barking at the door.

[onscreen action] Dog barking while man answers door.

[Narrator] If your dog barks when your doorbell rings,
you can retrain what the doorbell means to him.

[onscreen action] Dog barks.

[Narrator] Usually when the doorbell rings,
everyone jumps up and rushes to the door,
where exciting new people are waiting.
Well, it doesn't take your dog very long
to learn exactly what that bell means.
Changing your dog's reaction to the bell will take time,
but if you're consistent, you can be successful.

[onscreen action] Man adjusting doorbell settings and placing tape over the ringer.

[Narrator] The first thing you should do, if possible,
is change the chime on your doorbell.
If you aren't able to do that,
simply place a cover over your doorbell to prevent
the sound while you're retraining your dog.
This way you won't have random interruptions
while you're working on the behavior.

[onscreen action] Man placing mat and treats by the door.

[Narrator] Now, to begin training,
keep a jar of special treats near the door
and lay a floor mat somewhere near by
to provide a specific place for your dog to go to.

[onscreen action] Man rings front doorbell.

[Narrator] Next, have a friend or neighbor ring the bell
at a designated time,
knowing you won't actually answer the door.

[onscreen action] Man standing by mat with treats.

[Narrator] When the bell rings, go over to the door with your dog,
grab the jar of treats, and wait.
Then using the treats, try to get her over to the floor mat.
Ask her to sit if you think she will, and give her
a few treats to reward her quiet, calm behavior.
Then calmly go sit back down and resume
what you were doing before the bell rang.

[onscreen action] Man ringing doorbell again.

[Narrator] A little later, have your friend
swing by and ring the bell again.

[onscreen action] Doorbell rings.
Dog barks.

[Narrator] Repeat what you did earlier.
Always reward her for calm, quiet behavior.
It's important that you only open
that jar of treats when the doorbell rings.
It make take a few repetitions
before your dog gets it, but she will.

[onscreen action] Man opening door very slightly.

(Dog walking down stairs)
[onscreen text] (dog’s thought bubble) Treat Time!!

[Narrator] Now, the next step is opening the door a crack.
When the door rings, your dog should be heading
over to the mat on her own by now.
Reward her for quiet, calm behavior.

[onscreen action] Man giving dog a treat.
[onscreen text] (dog’s thought bubble) I’m really digging this doorbell thing

(upbeat music)
[onscreen action] Man opens door slightly and gives dog a treat.

[Narrator] Next, open the door a crack, and reward your dog again
for being quiet and staying on the mat.
Repeat this a few times a day for about three days.

[onscreen action] Man opens door fully after doorbell rings, gives dog a treat.

Once you're having success with this step, you're ready
to open the door all the way when the doorbell rings.
Reward your dog for being quiet.
During this phase of training,
you'll want to sometimes have a person
on the other side of the door and sometimes not.

[onscreen text]
Trainer’s Tip:
Use a leash for safety.

[Narrator] This way the bell will mean go to your mat for a reward,
rather than someone is at the door.

[onscreen action] Man comes inside house after door bell rings.

[Narrator] Once your dog is no longer barking
when he sees your company, they can start coming in.
Have your company take some treats from the jar
to give to your dog for calm, quiet behavior.
It shouldn't be long before the sound of a bell
will lead to a quick alert bark followed by
a calm, quiet greeting from your dog.

(upbeat music)