Territorial behaviour with dogs and visitors - Free training plan

Basic Obedience: Day 14 of 56

This video and training session are part of the Grungehorsam concept, a structured program designed to promote obedience and the bond between humans and dogs. The concept is carefully designed from a didactic and methodological perspective to ensure that each exercise builds on the previous one, thereby achieving maximum effectiveness. It is crucial that you follow the training in the intended order to achieve the best possible results for your dog.

Have you noticed that your dog gets nervous or excited as soon as visitors arrive at the door? Don’t worry—this is completely normal behavior. Dogs view their home as their territory and often see visitors as potential intruders. But with the right preparation and clear guidance, you can teach your dog that visitors aren’t a threat and that he can relax.

In this blog, we’ll show you how to manage your dog’s territorial behavior with a few simple steps. Whether it’s about protecting resources, establishing clear rules of behavior, or encouraging calmness—we’ll give you helpful tips to make your next visit with guests less stressful for both you and your dog. Ready? Then let’s get started!

Goal:To teach thedog, through targeted training, to perceive visitors as less threatening and to react more calmly. The focus is on controlling territorial behavior and creating stress-free situations when visitors come over.

Supplies:Dog Leash or indoor leash, Dog Bed or crate, treats or food-dispensing toys, safety gate or barrier, water bowl

Location: Home, relaxation room

Duration:Practice regularly; apply as needed

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Territorial Behavior in Dogs

You already know that dogs view their home as their territory. Visitors are primarily categorized as intruders and grouped according to two key criteria:

Who knows about the visit (known, unknown, friends, family, etc.)
Perceived threat (threatening, neutral, friendly, etc.)

For example, some dogs react particularly strongly to anything that seems unfamiliar to them—ranging from objects to people. The more a dog interacts with a variety of people, the less likely it is to perceive them as strangers, since it becomes familiar with their various movements (whether young or old) as well as their build and clothing.

The measures outlined in Day 08 and the setup of your dog’s sleeping and resting areas form the foundation for managing visitor situations. In dogs with strong territorial instincts, the front door in particular—but also the windows—are heavily guarded. This is one of the reasons why sleeping and resting areas should never be located near doors (including the entryway) and why elevated (lookout) spots should be avoided.

A black dog with a pink leash is looking straight at the camera

ℹ Info

Territorial behavior develops relatively late in a dog’s behavioral development. It’s possible that your dog won’t show any signs of this behavior around visitors during the first two years, and that it will become more pronounced as the dog matures and gets older.

The measures outlined in Day 08 and the setup of your dog’s sleeping and resting areas form the foundation for managing visitor situations. Dogs with strong territorial instincts tend to guard the front door in particular, but also the windows. This is one of the reasons why sleeping and resting areas should never be located near doors (including the entryway) and why elevated (lookout) spots should be avoided.

In addition to territorial behavior, anxiety can play a significant role in how your dog reacts to visitors. Home is a place your dog perceives as safe. For anxious dogs, visitors represent a change in their safe environment, and this sensitivity to stimuli leads to stress and insecurity. As a dog owner, it’s important to convey a calm influence on your dog’s behavior so that your dog can respond based on your mood. If you, as the owner, are already excitedly welcoming the visitor, you can’t simultaneously expect your dog to show no reaction at all. Every single change in your mood is transmitted to your dog. A dog that learns that its owner welcomes the visitor calmly and quietly will find it easier to react calmly and quietly as well.

ℹ Info

Did you know that alerting to intruders was one of the earliest uses of the domesticated dog? This is a classic example of how human behavior was painstakingly selected and trained over centuries, only to be discarded later on. This means that a dog’s breed also plays a significant role in how it reacts to visitors.

The three most important factors related to visitors and their associated territorial behavior are:

General Measures (Day 08)
Management (Day 14 – Today)
Workout (Day 26)

Visitor training is a separate training program. General measures and management practices play the largest role in maintaining a balanced visitor flow and lay the groundwork for the training.

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Management

Management prevents undesirable behavior and, consequently, undesirable learning. This isn’t considered training, but rather guidance on your part. Specifically, this means that vantage points should be made inaccessible by either prohibiting the dog from entering them or blocking them off with a safety gate (e.g., separating the sofa so the dog can’t reach the window, or blocking the glass front door).

Effective ways to manage barking and restless behavior when guests visit include:

Preparation
Split/Check
Reorientation
Relaxation Room

Preparation

If your dog is the type that gets excited when visitors come over but is still friendly, it is possible to include your dog in these situations. To keep your dog’s excitement under control, you can prepare for visits by:

All of the dog's belongings are neatly stowed away (except for the water bowl)
Instruct visitors to ignore the dog until you give them permission to pay attention to it (only once the dog has calmed down)
After the visitor and your dog have met, keep your dog occupied to help him calm down (e.g., a stuffed food toy or a sniffing game that your dog can do on his own)

Split/Check

Walk over to your dog and stand in front of him. By looking at the trigger, you’re signaling to your dog that “Everything’s okay!” and then turning your attention to other things. Your dog will understand that you’ve taken his signal seriously and have everything under control. After that, you can guide your dog back to his spot by saying “Back to your spot!” so he can calm down.

Reorientation

Redirection can involve a different behavior or an object to which the dog should shift its attention. This can be achieved through simple exercises such as “Sit” or scattering food on the floor, so that the dog initially exhibits a different behavior. Redirection should always be used in combination with general measures and the actual training, but it offers a good initial approach to getting the dog to stop an undesirable behavior. Redirection includes:

Your attention cue for redirecting attention
"Search" using scattered food
“Take your seat!”

If the dog does not respond to any of this, it is led away from the situation on a leash and taken to its designated spot or into its kennel.

Relaxation Room

If the dog reacts strongly, keep it on a leash in its designated area or lead it into the kennel. Once the visitor has entered the home and had a chance to sit down, the dog may be brought over (provided it has had a chance to calm down). If the dog displays aggressive behavior, it should remain on a leash in its designated area throughout the visit. The quiet room is another option for managing the situation. While the visitor is at home, the dog can stay in the quiet room (Day 08). This allows the dog to move around without being overwhelmed by the stimulation of the visit. Remember to provide your dog with water if the visitor stays longer.

Summary

When guests come over, your dog may often react nervously or territorially because he views the home as his territory. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use specific management techniques to help your dog stay calm and enjoy stress-free visits. You’ll learn how to prepare your dog, redirect their attention, and provide them with a safe place to rest. With a clear plan, you can reduce territorial behavior and show your dog that visitors are not a threat.

[Day 13] Going for a Walk – Cultivating a Sense of Calm as You Set Out for a Walk

The authors: Paulina & Lui

Paulina and Lui are the heart and soul behind Vitomalia [Dog Training & Store]. Their journey in dog training began with the adoption of their first high-risk dog, Vito. This experience sparked a deep interest in sharing knowledge about dog behavior and training with other dog owners. Initially, this was merely a hobby, but with the adoption of Amalia, an American Pitbull who had been rehomed multiple times due to severe behavioral issues, their passion evolved into a true calling. Amalia’s unique behavioral challenges deepened their interest in dog training and behavioral therapy. This turning point led Paulina and Lui to leave their original career paths, pursue intensive further training, and devote themselves entirely to the field of dog training. Their work with human-dog teams also revealed a gap in the dog market: there was a lack of safe, high-quality dog accessories specifically designed for medium and large breeds.

Based on this insight, Vitomalia [Dog Training & Store] was born—a combination of their commitment to professional dog training and the need for high-quality dog supplies. Paulina and Lui bring their personal experiences, extensive knowledge, and passion for dogs to every product, with the goal of supporting human-dog teams in their daily lives.

[Day 14] Visiting - How to manage your dog's territorial behaviour