If your pup is going absolutely bonkers every time the doorbell rings, then you’ll be delighted to learn that Cesar Millan has released valuable advice on how to keep Fido happy and relaxed when people come over.
Recently, PureWow interviewed a renowned dog behaviorist Cesar Millan. Millan shared his wisdom on how to keep your canine buddy’s anxiety at bay around unfamiliar people.
“Dogs feed off of the energy of the human. Americans tend to smother their dogs with affection,” Millan said. “Greeting a dog with excitement puts the dog in an excited state. The worst thing a pet parent can do is give affection or attention to an excited dog.”
As hard as it may sound, you need to give your dog the cold shoulder until they have calmed down. Once they have chilled out a bit you can give them all their regular loving.
Millan suggested that the most successful technique to train an excessively reactive pup is through ignoring them. “The best way to react to an excited dog is to ignore them,” he said. “Use no touch, no talk, no eye contact.”
Another tip to keep your dog calm is to wear them out. Before you bring them to a public outing, make sure to take them on a long walk.
“It’s easier to keep your dog from being over-excited if they don’t have the energy to do it in the first place, which is why the walk is so important,” Millan said.
With these tools in hand, you will have all the knowledge necessary to create a positive environment where everyone feels comfortable – even Fido!
