I can say for certain, that not every family member feels the same loving attachment about dogs as you do. This means not everyone visiting you during the holiday season will be forgiving when your adolescent dog barks, growls or nips their child. Having owned three territorial dogs, at the same time, I wanted to share my proven tips on keeping everyone happy and safe during your holiday gatherings.
Keeping the Peace
Keeping the peace means implementing critical management to keep everyone safe. If you describe your dog as “shy” or “takes time to warm up to one person” then a social setting will most definitely stress your dog out. Holiday gatherings are NOT the setting to flood your dog with multiple personalities and emotions.
If one person would like to help you socialize your dog, great! Plan this greeting prior to your gathering, NOT during or after the party. After the gathering your dog will have heard and smelled unfamiliar sounds and scent for hours, increasing his arousal as he processes this information. Greetings during or after parties is not recommended for sensitive dogs.
Management Strategies
Management helps prevent your dog from practicing unwanted behaviors by modifying the environment to minimize triggers that lead to reactive emotional outbursts. These unwanted habits can interfere with your training progress. Keep in mind that your dog might actually find behaviors like rushing and barking enjoyable. For example, if barking at people or dogs through a window causes them to move away, your dog may find this behavior rewarding. Rewarding behaviors are unlikely to disappear on their own, using management strategies to prevent these habits is crucial while you work on your dogs emotional state.
Adding a Gate to Your Entrance
Install a secure gate or barrier near your home’s entrance to prevent your dog from approaching visitors as they arrive. This creates a safe buffer zone, reducing stress for both your dog and your guests. If you are even slightly anxious about your dog greeting people gathered at your home, your sensitive dog will feel this emotion from you. This is exactly why you need to use management to keep your dog safe from expressing big emotions.
Create a Safe Space
When guests visit this holiday season, keep your sensitive, non-social dog in a safe, relaxing space away from the gathering, accessible only to his favorite people. This is where he can relax and know for certain no strangers will enter.
Desensitize Your Dog to a Muzzle:
Invest in a well-fitted, comfortable muzzle designed for your dog’s face. Begin desensitization training by introducing the muzzle in a positive way, such as pairing it with treats or play, to help your dog associate it with a good experience. Muzzles can be a critical tool for ensuring safety in situations where biting might occur.
Use a Leash or Long Line in Public Places:
When outside your home, always keep your dog on a secure leash or a long line. This allows you to maintain control while giving your dog some freedom to explore without posing a risk to visitors. A leash can also help you prevent a dog bite if your dog is surprised by a visitor interaction.
Consider a Needs Space Collar:
Purchase a collar or harness that displays a clear message like “I Need Space” or “Nervous Dog.” These visible cues alert others to approach cautiously or maintain distance, helping to prevent potentially stressful situations for your dog.
How to Safely Introduce your Dog to Guests
I use a protocol called Approach and Retreat which allows the dog to approach the humans to where he is comfortable. Allowing your guests to approach your dog when he is confined on a leash is stressful for him. Before you lead your dog anywhere, take 4-5 belly breathes to lower your own energy. If you are nervous about this greeting, your sensitive dog will feel this and likely mirror your energy.
Ask your guests to ignore your dog while sitting or standing together. Lead your dog toward the guests, but keep a safe distance. If your dog is barking rapidly, say his name and lead him away gently. Avoid reprimanding your dog, he is simply expressing that he is not comfortable being near strangers.
Repeat this Approach and Retreat pattern several times and watch your dog calm down as you continue to speak to him calmly. When he is able to walk with flexion in his joints toward the person, the person can toss him a yummy treat or two. Remind them to toss the food behind him most often. We do not want your dog to get too close and lunge or bite your guests. Always lead or call him away if he gets overly worried such as barking rapidly, jumping up or nipping. Take a break after this pattern.
When the person is about to get up and move about, call your dog away several feet and ask him for a “sit” as the person moves about briefly. Reward him generously and often as he checks in with you, when your guest is moving .
Classical and Operant Approach
This process is both classical conditioning (your dog associates people near = food) and operant conditioning (he learns to hold a sit to get the reward). Go slow with this and move farther away if he is stressed noted by barking or growling. Avoid punishing your dogs growl as this is his way of communicating to your guest to not try to pet him.
After the introduction, only keep your dog on a leash at your feet if he is relaxes on his own. If your dog is conflicted noted by his pacing about, intermittent barking remove him to his safe place. If you are visiting a new location, consider if he would be more comfortable in your car if the weather is conducive for this.
Expectations
Changing your dogs behavior is a journey that takes time and patience! I suggest you lower your expectations as to what might happen and celebrate minor improvements such as reduced barking or subtle signs of relaxation such as a shake off. Small behavior changes indicate that he feels safer and trusts you to handle situations, such as keeping strangers at a comfortable distance. The reality is your dog is doing the best he can given his genetic make-up and his life experiences. As his trust grows in your calm and thoughtful demeanor, his overall fear of people touching him decreases.
Training Tips
Tip #1: Practice the Approach and Retreat pattern with a familiar person a few times before trying it with a stranger. This allows your dog to learn the predictable pattern without feeling any stress.
Tip #2: Practice asking your dog for a sit when on a walks if a person, jogger or truck passes you. Eventually, he will see a person walking or hear a truck coming and look at you! This is a good thing as he is saying people & trucks = food not fear.
Tip #3: Breathe. If you are stressed or anxious about the holiday gathering, avoid training all together! Sensitive dogs rarely improve when their handlers are also anxious. Instead, take a nice sniffer walk before your social gathering and let your dog relax the day away with a few stuffed kongs.
Summary
Positive socialization experiences with visitors are essential for the territorial dog to improve his behavior. Controlled positive introductions ensures your dog develops confidence and comfort in social situations without becoming overwhelmed.
Your goal is to create positive, manageable interactions with guests that help your dog feel secure and eventually relaxed. Remember, every dog is different, what works for one dog may not work for another one. This is why you should tailor introductions to guest with lowered expectations while considering your own energy and the dog’s unique personality.