Halloween Door Manners: Training Your Dog for Trick or Treaters

Halloween is a gift to anyone with a dog who goes off like a fire alarm every time the doorbell rings, because a steady stream of callers on one evening, and again the next, is exactly the practice a reactive dog needs. With a little under three weeks to go there is time to do this properly, and the plan below runs in the order I would work through it.

Teach 'go to your place' first

Halloween is under three weeks away, which is long enough to teach 'go to your place' using a bed or a spot in sight of the door but at a distance from it, with a treat and some calm praise for going there and a little more time added to the stay each day, and it is easier than you'd think when he is tired, since he will often be only too happy to lie down and rest in the spot.

Walk first and put a notice on the door

Give your dog a really good walk before the first callers arrive and put a notice on the door that says 'please knock and wait, thank you for your patience – dog's in training', which buys you the breathing space to do this properly and sets the tone for everyone on the doorstep.

When the knock comes

When the knock comes, count to at least five before you get up, because dogs pick up on stress and tension very quickly and we want to counter their excitement with absolute calm, so move slowly, don't buy into the drama, quietly place yourself between the dog and the door and send him away from it with calm but firm eye contact, using 'place' if you have taught it.

Repetition and the lightbulb moment

The repetitions will drive you bonkers for the first hour or so, and the very first callers will get a door in the face rather a lot, so make sure your Halloween goodies are worth it, but if you are consistent there comes a lightbulb moment when the dog realises that the door closes every time he moves from his position, and that is when a treat after the door shuts and a calm 'good' can begin.

Visitors bring wonderful things

Once he is happily taking himself to his place, a bowl of dog treats beside the bowl of goodies teaches him that visitors bring wonderful things, and only a calm dog is invited to meet them, with straight back to his place the moment the reactivity looks like starting again. The children will happily come back the following night for a second round, so the local trick or treaters get their booty, the dog gets free training help, and the parcel delivery man gets an easier life.

Door and visitor trouble is something I see a great deal of through Balance Behaviour. If your dog needs more than a Halloween plan, call or message 07920 464120.

Julia Langlands, Canine Behaviour Specialist (ACFBA) | Balance Behaviour. Expert holistic behaviour advice, complex cases, second opinions, insurance claims accepted.