A calmer way to handle visitors

When someone comes to the house, the excitement can go from 0–100 FAST.

Instead of letting your dog rush toward the visitor and rehearse that overexcited behavior, use a leash to give your dog some structure and time to process what’s happening.

The goal isn’t constant commands or frantic treat-seeking. Let your dog observe what’s happening, give them the opportunity to choose to reorient back to you, and calmly reward that choice.

And here’s the best part: time is on your side. 

At first, a visitor is exciting and new. But 10–15 minutes later, they’re usually much less interesting. By keeping your dog with you during that initial excitement, you’re preventing them from practicing the behavior you don’t want while giving their arousal level a chance to come down.

Once your dog is calm and able to focus, they can have more freedom.

Calm dog + less exciting environment = a much better chance of success.

And this isn’t just for visitors! Use the same strategy anytime you know the energy in your home is about to change - guests arriving, kids coming home, deliveries, exciting activity, or anything else that gets your dog amped up.