PETS

Pet Editor: Dog going ballistic? Rings a bell, and vice versa

Scott Craven
The Republic | azcentral.com
Find out why some dogs go crazy when the doorbell rings.

Question: My usually well-behaved dog goes ballistic every time she hears the doorbell. I have to tug her away from the door and ask visitors to speak up so I can hear them over all the barking. What can I do?

Answer: While doorbells are handy as notification devices, dogs take them much more seriously. They perceive each ring as a warning there is an intruder about, or something much more insidious — a salesperson offering a "free" test of your tapwater.

In order to repel the attack, a dog must rely on the weapon that inflicts a high degree of annoyance without causing noticeable damage. The result in a prolonged yapping Each dog relies on its Since the housebound dog knows he will not rely on their instincts know the true purpose This problem is so pervasive, we can only believe dogs know something we don't. Sure, most are genetically programmed to know that anyone who rings a doorbell is there to do harm. It's as Or sell something.

Either way, the invaders must be repelled. If a dog's only weapon is an annoying bark, so be it.

The dog's reaction is so automatic it would seem genetically programmed, yet it is actually a learned behavior, perhaps from watching family members scurrying around when the bell rings and muttering, "Oh no, it's the Beauforts again, duck before they see us."

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You just have to get your dog to unlearn it. Sort of. The clinical pet-behavior term is "desensitization," and it involves a delicate balance of treats, patience and excessive bell-ringing, said Kathrine Breeden, a Valley dog trainer (www.bekindtodogs.com).

Start by ringing the bell each time you take her out. Ignore her reaction, offering a simple "Good girl" when she's finished, Breeden said. Next, give her a treat that will keep her busy for a few minutes. Ring the bell like a door-to-door evangelist and if she goes into yap mode, ignore her. Eventually she will turn all of her attention to the treat because, you know, it's a treat.

You can also sit her by the door, ring the bell and throw a treat in the opposite direction. Odds are very good she'll choose treat over her job as house security because, as we said, it's a treat. Repeat often and over time, she'll take the ringing as a sign there is food somewhere, taking up the search rather than barking, Breeden said.

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Once your dog is desensitized, don't blame us should invading extraterrestrials ring the bell and your once-protective canine just sits there with an "I told you so" look.

Send Pet Editor questions to scott.craven@arizonarepublic.com.