Dog Barking in Crate
This can be scary for both people and dogs. As with any dog behavior, the more it’s practiced, the stronger it becomes so let’s teach your dog that quiet behavior and guests bring goodies!
How to Keep a Dog Quiet in Her Crate
Provide a Food Stuffed Toy
Give your dog something else to do in her crate. Provide a food stuffed toy when someone arrives at your door. When the doorbell rings, which usually produces a barking explosion, give her a stuffed toy, then answer the door. By pairing a yummy treat with guests arriving, she’ll learn guests mean cream cheese stuffed toys!
RELATED: Introducing Your Dog to House Guests
Put Up Visual Barriers
If your dog is afraid of people, provide visual barriers along three sides of her crate. Blocking your dog’s view will usually stop barking. If dog barking in crate continues, try placing your dog’s crate in a room further away from the front door and living room, and play soft music to drown out voices. Don’t forget to give her a food stuffed toy to keep her busy.
Dogs bark for many reasons. Most are excited and others are nervous so determine the reasons why your dog barks. Check out this offensive aggression article for suggestions. If your dog is scared and she can’t get away, she’ll do what it takes to scare someone away.
Play the Toll Game
If your dog is overly excited when guests come over, play the toll game. Dogs can’t bark when eating treats–well 99 percent of them can’t. 🙂 So your dog learns to be quiet and anticipates your guests walking over and giving treats.
- Give your guest a small bowl of tiny yummy treats.
- Ask your guest to walk past your dog’s crate and toss a treat inside. Ask him to repeat three or four times.
- Now, raise your criteria. Ask your guest to stand near your dog’s crate and toss a treat inside when your dog stops barking. Practice for one minute, then give your guest and dog a break. Pop into another room and enjoy your guest.
- Before your guest leaves, ask him to pay the toll again. 🙂
If your dog becomes too excited and explodes into barking, ask your guest to leave the room. Once your dog is quiet again, your guest can pop in and give your dog a handful of treats. Don’t forget to practice with several different guests. I usually ask each guest to spend two or three minutes playing the toll game upon arrival.
You may also like: 4 Tips for Renting with Large Dogs
