How to Teach Your Dog Polite Greetings

Does your dog greet guests like a furry tornado? Do they jump, bark incessantly, or shower newcomers with unwanted kisses? An enthusiastic greeting might seem cute at first, but it can quickly become overwhelming, even frightening to some. The good news is, you can channel that exuberance into polite behavior. Teaching your dog polite greetings is not just about good manners; it's about ensuring everyone feels safe and comfortable around your canine companion. This guide will walk you through the steps of transforming your boisterous greeter into a well-behaved social butterfly.

Why Polite Greetings Matter

Before diving into the training, let's understand why teaching polite greetings is crucial.

• Safety: Jumping can knock over children, the elderly, or anyone with balance issues.
• Comfort: Some people are simply uncomfortable with dogs jumping on them or getting too close. Respecting their boundaries is essential.
• First Impressions: A well-behaved dog makes a positive impression on guests, neighbors, and even strangers you encounter on walks.
• Stress Reduction: For your dog, knowing how to greet people appropriately can reduce anxiety and excitement. They'll learn what's expected and feel more confident in social situations.
• Preventing Problem Behaviors: Uncontrolled greetings can escalate into other behavioral issues, such as leash reactivity or possessiveness.

Foundation Skills for Polite Greetings

Polite greetings build upon a foundation of basic obedience skills. Make sure your dog has a solid understanding of these commands before tackling greeting manners:

Sit

A reliable sit is the cornerstone of polite greetings. It provides a controlled position from which to redirect your dog's energy.

Stay

Having your dog stay in place, even with distractions, is crucial for preventing them from rushing towards guests.

Leave It

This command helps prevent your dog from picking up potentially dangerous items or overwhelming guests with toys.

Come/Recall

A strong recall allows you to interrupt unwanted behaviors and redirect your dog away from a greeting if needed.

Look at Me

This exercise puts you back in control. Having your dog focus on you breaks their focus from whatever they are excited about.

The Training Process: Step-by-Step

Now, let's break down the process of teaching your dog polite greetings into manageable steps.

Step 1: Start with Controlled Environments

Begin training in a low-distraction environment, such as your living room. This allows your dog to focus on you without the temptation of visitors or unfamiliar surroundings.

1. Practice Sit-Stay: Have your dog sit and stay. Gradually increase the duration of the stay.
2. Introduce a Guest: Enlist a friend or family member to act as a guest. Have them stand a short distance away.
3. Reward Calm Behavior: If your dog remains in a sit-stay position, even with the guest present, reward them with praise and a treat.
4. Manage Excitement: If your dog breaks the stay, calmly say Oops! or Too Bad! and lead them back to the starting point. Repeat the exercise. Do not move onto the next step unil your dog has mastered this step.

Step 2: Approaching the Guest

Once your dog can reliably sit-stay with a guest present, you can begin practicing the approach.

1. Guest Approaches Slowly: Have the guest slowly approach your dog, stopping if your dog breaks the sit-stay.
2. Maintain Sit-Stay: Use verbal cues (Stay) and gentle hand signals to reinforce the sit-stay.
3. Reward Calmness: If your dog remains sitting, have the guest offer a treat or gentle praise (if the dog likes it). Keep the interaction brief.
4. Gradual Progression: Gradually increase the duration and closeness of the guest's approach over several training sessions.
5. The Handshake: Once you have mastered having someone approach and offer praise or a treat while the dog sits, add a hand shake for the owner. Shake the owner's hand first while the dog is sitting and then give the treat. Make sure to use this every time. The dog will learn to associate the handshake with sitting nicely and will know that the treat is coming.

Step 3: Adding Movement and Distractions

Now it's time to increase the difficulty by introducing movement and distractions.

1. Increase the Pace: Have the guest walk faster towards your dog.
2. Incorporate Noises: Introduce everyday sounds, like the doorbell ringing or people talking, while practicing the greeting.
3. Vary the Guest: Use different people as guests to help your dog generalize the behavior.
4. Controlled Entry: Practice having guests enter through a door while your dog remains in a sit-stay. This is crucial for preventing doorway dashes.

Step 4: Generalization in Different Environments

Once your dog performs well in controlled scenarios, it's time to practice in different environments.

1. On-Leash Greetings: Practice polite greetings on walks. Keep your dog on a leash and ask them to sit before allowing others to approach.
2. Public Spaces (with caution): Gradually introduce greetings in quiet, public spaces, such as parks or empty parking lots. Always prioritize your dog's comfort and safety. Don’t let people rush up to your dog. Keep them on leash and keep the greetings controlled on your terms.
3. Consistent Reinforcement: Continue reinforcing polite greetings in all environments with praise and rewards.

Step 5: Addressing Jumping

Jumping is a common greeting behavior, and it requires a specific approach.

1. Ignore Jumping: If your dog jumps, turn your back and completely ignore them. Avoid eye contact, talking, or touching them.
2. Reward Four on the Floor: Only give attention when your dog has all four paws on the ground.
3. Teach an Alternative Behavior: Train your dog to perform a different behavior, such as sitting or lying down, when greeting people. This provides them with a more appropriate outlet for their excitement.
4. Enlist Guest Cooperation: Ask guests to follow the same ignore jumping, reward four on the floor rule. Consistency is key.

Step 6: Managing Barking

Excessive barking during greetings can be another challenge.

1. Identify the Trigger: Determine what triggers the barking (e.g., doorbell, sight of people).
2. Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning: Gradually expose your dog to the trigger at a low level of intensity and pair it with something positive, like a treat.
3. Quiet Command: Teach a quiet command and reward your dog for being silent.
4. Distraction Techniques: Use a toy or puzzle to distract your dog from barking when guests arrive.

Tips for Success

Here are some additional tips to help you succeed in teaching your dog polite greetings:

• Consistency is key: Use the same commands and techniques consistently.
• Positive Reinforcement: Focus on rewarding desired behaviors rather than punishing unwanted ones.
• Short Training Sessions: Keep training sessions short and fun. Aim for 5-10 minutes at a time.
• Be Patient: It takes time and patience to change ingrained behaviors. Don't get discouraged if your dog doesn't learn overnight.
• Manage the Environment: If you know your dog gets overly excited when guests arrive, put them in a crate or another room until they've calmed down.
• Consider Professional Help: If you're struggling to manage your dog's greeting behaviors, consult a certified professional dog trainer or behaviorist.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Here are some common difficulties you might encounter during training and how to address them:

Problem	Solution
Dog breaks the sit-stay immediately upon seeing a guest.	Go back to practicing in a low-distraction environment. Increase the duration of the sit-stay before introducing a guest.
Dog only performs polite greetings when treats are present.	Gradually fade out the use of treats, replacing them with praise and affection. Use treats intermittently to maintain the behavior.
Guests don't follow your instructions.	Communicate clearly with guests beforehand and explain the importance of consistency. Politely correct them if they deviate from the training plan. Having the guests give the dog a treat will motivate them to follow your directions. If the guests do not cooperate the dog is receiving mixed signals and the training will take longer.
Dog is overly anxious or fearful around guests.	Consult a certified professional dog trainer or behaviorist. Your dog may need a different approach to greeting people.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Greeting Skills

Once your dog has mastered the basics of polite greetings, you can move on to more advanced skills.

• Greeting Children: Teach your dog to be extra gentle and patient when greeting children. Supervise all interactions closely.
• Greeting Other Dogs: Practice controlled on-leash greetings with other dogs. Ensure both dogs are comfortable and relaxed.
• Go Say Hi: Teach a go say hi command to allow your dog to greet people on your terms.

The Reward: A Well-Mannered Companion

Teaching your dog polite greetings is an investment that pays off in countless ways. You'll have a well-mannered companion who is a joy to be around, and your guests will feel comfortable and safe in your home. Remember, patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement are your greatest allies in this training journey. Now go. Start teaching your canine the value of a well mannered greeting with your new found knowledge on how to teach your dog polite greetings. You may just find that your dog actually enjoys having these boundaries and will be happier overall!