Question

Dear Penelope

My Westie, Baxter, has been barking at the door at every sound he hears It's been two weeks now so I've had a chance to study his behavior.

We live in a condo unit and when hears a sound from the lounge he starts growling, and then seconds later he runs to the door and barks aggressively. He then comes and nestles close to us as if nothing happened.

I assume once people reach our floor at the steps he hops to it and barks until they are no longer in sight. It's possible that he thinks people scatter because of his barking. In any case it's loud and irritating.

It used to happen only when people were actually at the door, as a sort of warning, now it's several times a day and night. We've tried to settle him while it's happening with no luck...we've ended up screaming at him over his bark, again it doesn't work. Can you help?

Thanks!

Penelope's Tips

First off, by screaming at him you are actually JOINING in the bark fest with Baxter. Yippie, it must be OK, we're all barking. "BARK, BARK, BARK, BARK, BARK!!

INSTEAD

CALMLY go to him when he barks, take his collar, tell him OK, THAT ENOUGH, QUIET (don't scream it at him) and lead him away from the door and into the living room or some other room where he can get quiet and you can praise him for being a good, quiet boy. Then put him on a down/stay until he settles down. If you have to put him on a leash in the room attached to a piece of furniture, do it. Leave him there until he settles down. Do this EVERY TIME he begins to bark and soon he will begin to bark less. It's going to take time.

Remember, NEVER YELL, yelling is like "barking" in his eyes or to his ears.

You're theory about "I bark, they go away" is probably right. For some reason he thinks he needs to protect the door but if you stay CALM and firmly correct him and take him away from the door where you can praise him for being quiet, he will eventually learn that he doesn't need to protect the door.

At night, why not attach the leash to the end of your bed and keep him in the bedroom so he doesn't hear anything at the door. Prevention is a good thing. He doesn't need to be running around loose in the house at night, that time is for sleeping.

Penelope