The Doorbell Challenge – Happy Halloween
As I sit at my desk facing the garden I contemplate the forthcoming Halloween celebrations. Everyone loves trick or treating except me. I mean, don’t get me wrong I’m not Bah Humbug about the sweeties and the dressing up. I am noise phobic - more concisely barking dog phobic.
In my ‘day-job’ a barking dog distresses me. It means someone is in pain or distress, or is bored and frustrated, and I scale up another level of stress and anxiety that I just don’t need in my already stressful profession.
Cat and pumpkin - 2 things my dogs freak out about
Having 3 reactive dogs in my home life can make me want to run back to work with joy. Am I a bad pet-employee by not dealing with the reactivity? Did I make them reactive? Why don’t they just listen!?! We need an intervention!!!! These are some of thoughts that course through my frustrated brain when the doorbell rings.
The problem with three dogs is despite triple the number of licks and cuddles (and hair), there is 30 times as much work involved in behaviour shaping, as they feed off each other’s possessiveness, frustration and reactivity. And it’s such a great idea to throw yourself against the window trying to kill the cat that’s nonchalantly sitting on the fence. Let’s all do it!
Counterconditioning and positivity sound fabulous until there is a trigger too great and unavoidable that you lose control of the situation and the barking and craziness just goes on… and on… with each doorbell chime.
I have been working on distraction and reward. I am hyperaware (I have actually become my dogs) and see the cat first. I call the dogs and they get treats every time they turn to face me. I’m not an idiot. But it took me about 20 failures to realise I need GOOD treats. Sometimes dog food just isn’t going to cut it.
At first, calling their names to get their attention was like asking Brad Pitt on a date. Who are you? I don’t think so…. I would have to be the stalker, walk up to them and hold the treat in their faces to tempt them to break their line of sight and take a little glance at me. With 2 Salukis sight is a huge motivator and anything that breaks that line of vision is a win.
Gorgeous short haired saluki
After weeks of this, if I hear a little wuff and the sound of running I can call them to distract. It does mean many episodes of the dogs running back and forth towards the window and to me (but I figure that’s good exercise right?).
Dog training is HARD. Each one has their own personalities and you have to adapt. Within the pack is the smart one – he just lies down on the floor and knows if he does nothing treats - like manna from heaven - will assail him. Then there is the cheeky one – she will pray and wait – she is WAY TOO POSH to lie down, as soon as her belly touches the floor she gets a treat. That can sometimes be a war of wills – is the cat-pull too much to complete the down or do I just need to compromise and give her the treat? A win is ANY distraction away from the cat. Lastly is the little rocket. He is super smart but like Tigger, he bounces and winds himself up – the THOUGHT of getting a treat is TOO MUCH!!! AND THERE’S ALSO A CAT!! I CAN’T CHOOSE!!!! I NEED THEM!! ALL OF IT!! He’s exhausting.
If, like today, I am in the office (which faces the entrance and of course has massive windows overlooking it) the dogs vary between lolling around and patrolling the window.
If they are lying down quietly, I throw them a treat. They may well get up and nosy around me, but I ignore everything until they lie back down. This meant having treats scattered all over my desk (they hear the packet open) so I can ‘catch’ them in repose. It also meant upping my throwing game. And how do you throw 3 treats simultaneously?
If I get a small trigger I can talk to them, and reassure and ask them to lie down and then treat them. Remember they are reactive because they are fearful. Talking soothingly not only builds their confidence, but it is character-building because I just feel like screaming and walking out of the house. We are at the stage where I have a wuff, I can call a name (the most reactive) treat and tell them how wonderful they are (I have also become an inveterate liar) and wait …. Generally, I get 3 dogs lying down awaiting more treats.
If someone comes in the garden or the bell rings, I get dogs lying down, jumping up, running to the window, wuffing, me calling them, a treat and the down. Repeat 38362527 times in the next 3 minutes until person leaves. Then I have more patrolling, staring out of the window until they settle in an equilibrium. I’m pretty happy with this. BUT it has taken weeks to get to this. From having dogs that physically throw themselves against the windows, this is a win. And it is getting better and better every time we have these sessions.
Halloween is another level of pain. Firstly, we have scary ghouls and witches visiting, in groups! They may or may not have a plump spider or ET with them. No sooner than I have an equilibrium will some other group of other worldly beings ring my bell, screech out Happy Halloween, to upset the dogs again.
This year I am going to use Halloween to my advantage. I am going in with a positive mindset. I have all my tools ready. (And this doesn’t include turning off all the lights parking the cars in the next street and pretending no one is home). This year, I welcome the next challenge in our training.
A notice on the door - don’t ring the bell!
Leave the door open so they can enter the garden and I see them coming
Get my treats out in strategic places (and I don’t mean for the trick or treaters)
Engage the help of my family. This is a war room and we need all the soldiers at the ready. Someone ELSE will answer the door, give the visitors candy and walk them out. I will be the dog treater.
If we hit a rough patch - and no doubt we will - I will hustle the dogs to the kitchen (at the back of the house) and give them some time out there with family member no 3. Once they are calm, we will resume and await the next onslaught!
Watch this space for updates for my success!
Monique Strange BVSc MANZCVSc MRCVS
© Monique Strange 2022