Does your dog rush the door when someone is on the other side or when you go to open it? Perhaps it’s time to teach your dog good door manners.

It’s only natural. A dog wants to be right at the door when you open it, to see who’s there, to try and protect you or maybe to run out the open door. If you yell at the dog for charging the door, this only increases its concern that it needs to protect you.

Greeting people first at the door is your job, not your dog’s. Instead use rewards to teach your dog to sit and stay back away from the entryway. Use visual cues like a line it shouldn’t cross or a mat it needs to stay on. Do your training when no one is at the door and gradually increase the difficulty as your dog learns to stay in his place while you move towards the door.

Eventually your dog will learn to wait patiently away from the door for his turn to greet the person at the door.