Polite Greetings
Does your dog pounce on visitors? Teach them to wait politely on a bench so guests can greet them instead. Ask a friend to help you practice this.
- Teaching a Greeting Station
When the doorbell rings, tell your dog to get on the bench and give them a piece of kibble. The goal is for the dog to hear the doorbell and instinctively jump onto the bench.
Once they’re on the bench, practice opening and closing the door. If they stay put, reward them with another treat.
Reinforcing Good Manners
Invite a guest to enter. If the dog jumps off the bench to greet them, the guest should turn away, ignoring the dog. The dog learns that only by staying on the bench do they receive attention.
If the dog remains on the bench, the guest walks over and gives a treat as a reward.
Elevated Hellos
Most dogs are quite happy to stay on a bench to greet people—they like the elevated view and can interact better at eye level.
