How to Train Your Dog to Be Well-Behaved Around Guests

Hosting guests in your home can be stressful, especially if your dog tends to act out. Fortunately, with the right training, you can teach your dog to be well-behaved around visitors. By focusing on positive reinforcement and consistency, your pup will soon become a perfect host! Here’s how to get started:

Understanding Why Dogs Act Out Around Guests

Before diving into training techniques, it’s important to understand why dogs sometimes behave poorly around guests. Whether it’s excitement, fear, or territorial behavior, these emotions are all natural responses to new people entering your dog’s space. Identifying the root cause will help you tailor the training to your dog’s specific needs.

dog sitting in a urban area — Dogs may react to guests based on excitement, fear, or territorial instincts.

Step 1: Teach Your Dog the “Place” Command

One of the most effective ways to train your dog to stay calm when guests arrive is to teach them the “place” command. This command directs your dog to a specific area, like a dog bed or mat, and requires them to stay there until released. Here’s how to do it:

Choose a spot: Designate a comfortable and familiar place for your dog to go to when guests arrive.
Use positive reinforcement: Reward your dog when they go to their designated spot.
Increase duration: Gradually increase the amount of time they must stay in place before being released.

This command helps reduce the excitement and teaches your dog self-control.

Learn more about effective training commands in our post How to Teach Your Dog Basic Commands.

A dog sitting on a living room couch looking curiously at a door where guests are arriving. — Dogs may react to guests based on excitement, fear, or territorial instincts.

Step 2: Teach Calm Greetings

When guests arrive, dogs often get overly excited, jumping up or barking. To prevent this, train your dog to greet people calmly:

Start with leash training: Keep your dog on a leash when guests first arrive to control their movement.
Reward calm behavior: Wait for your dog to exhibit calm behavior before allowing interaction with guests.
Consistent practice: The more you practice, the quicker your dog will learn to greet people appropriately.

For more tips on handling your dog’s excitement, check out our blog post on How to Stop Your Dog from Barking Excessively.

Step 3: Socialization Is Key

Socializing your dog with different people, environments, and other pets is crucial for building their confidence. The more your dog is exposed to new situations, the better they’ll behave around guests.

Start early: If you have a puppy, introduce them to as many new people as possible during their early months.
Use gradual exposure: If your dog is older or more anxious, start with one or two people at a time, slowly increasing the number of guests.

This not only makes your dog more comfortable but also helps them understand that guests are a normal part of life.

Want to know more about socializing your dog? Check out The Benefits of Socializing Your Dog Early.

Step 4: Reward Good Behavior

Positive reinforcement is key in any training scenario. Reward your dog with treats, praise, or affection when they behave well around guests. This reinforces the idea that good behavior results in positive outcomes.

For more details on how to use positive reinforcement in dog training, check out this American Kennel Club guide.

Step 5: Be Consistent and Patient

Consistency is crucial when training your dog to be well-behaved around guests. Make sure everyone in the household is on the same page, using the same commands and rewarding the same behaviors. It may take time for your dog to adjust, but with patience, you’ll see significant improvement.

For additional tips, read our post on The Ultimate Dog Training Tips No One Told You.