Everyone likes presents but nobody likes upsetting a dog, especially when the dog is a vocal breed. If you regularly receive packages and happen to own a verbal breed like a Basset Hound, you may find yourself groaning every time a driver rings your bell, knocks on your door, or even pulls into your driveway. This guide has been written to keep your Basset in line so that all parties have some peace.
Why Your Dog Gets Excited
Territorial Barking
This is often done when a dog notices someone coming up to your property, ringing your doorbell, or knocking on the door. While your dog wants to protect its territory and the people within, this may be a defensive action intended to deter an invader.
Barrier Frustration
Maybe you have a fenced yard that your dog loves to enjoy but they rush up to the fence line every time they see someone beyond it. In this situation, your dog is more irritated at the fence or other barrier, which stops them from engaging with the stimulus. This canine behavior often arises from fear, stress, anxiety, frustration, or overstimulation.
Disdain
Since a delivery driver is not obligated to be friendly with your dog, your dog may consider them hostile. When your Basset barks at this stranger and they see the driver leave, they may believe that they have successfully repelled the “invader.” The fact that a driver walks onto your property and leaves something behind, often after the dog has aired its grievances, may reinforce your dog’s understanding that their barking repels strangers. The issue here is that canine logic is short-term; your Basset does not understand that the driver, or someone else from the same organization, will return and this confusion may encourage your hound to escalate their tactics.
Techniques to Keep Your Basset Under Control
Teaching your Basset to stay calm around delivery driver is crucial to everyone’s safety. Even an otherwise friendly dog, may become aggressive or bite when a stranger approaches their property. If your dog does bite a delivery driver, in many states, including California, you would be strictly liable for any damages.
When it comes to disciplining your Basset Hound, it is vital that you remind them that you are the top dog in your house and the surrounding yard. Here are three progressive levels of approach to keeping your dog in check whenever a delivery driver comes onto your property.
Level 1: Remove Your Dog’s Access
This is ideal if your delivery is expected and/or arrives regularly. If you can anticipate when a driver is going to come to your property, cut off your dog’s visual access to the area. This means keeping your dog away from the front door and closing the blinds on any relevant windows. If your dog is outside, consider relocating them to the indoors or an external enclosure like a doghouse. This may not fix any underlying issue, but it should keep the peace in the short term.
Level 2: Distract Your Dog
Distract your dog the moment that you notice that your dog is getting excited by a driver. Simply give your dog a command that they should obey until the driver leaves the premises, then reward them with a treat.
Level 3: Desensitize/Counter-Condition Your Dog
Desensitizing your dog is the third level of training. When you can see a driver, stand at the reception point, or wherever else your dog tends to bark at them and watch as the driver approaches. Your goal should be redirecting your dog’s focus on you and reward them when they do so. Eventually, you can redirect your dog’s association with drivers to treats because they can expect one after the driver delivers your items. The difference between Level Two and Level Three is that Level Three allows your dog to acknowledge the driver but trains them to watch you instead of following commands.
