Barking Dog

[AngloScot]

Why does my dog bark its head off at strangers or whenever someone knocks on the front door?

[PurplePixie]

I suppose it's defending its territory & is letting 'intruders' know that they are not welcome. It's an instinct thing from way back, to protect the dogs 'pack'. The more senior the dog feels in the pack , the more it feels the need to jump in and take charge in defending (ie barking at strangers etc) If you don't want that behaviour in your dog you can change it by kind of demoting it in the family pack so it doesn't feel the need to take charge. But maybe you don't mind the dog guarding you...it'd certainly put people off breaking in!

[denisegordon]

The dog wins this battle everytime the postman comes, he barks - the postman leaves and it encourages him to keep doing it.

[readallabout]

A simple way to discourage your dog's bad behaviour is to put pebbles into an empty tin. When the dog starts to bark shake the tin with all your might close to the dog. When the barking stops - which it will - and the dog submits then stop shaking. Do this a few times and hey presto the dog is a gentle giant.

[peps]

when some one knocks at the door your initial reaction would be to rush to answer the door (unless its a salesman of course)therefore your dog acts accordingly to this, he rushes to the door to chase them off as he (or she, sorry)thinks you are doing.