PET OF THE WEEK: Ion is a stunning older gentleman and the purr-fect companion if you’re looking for a mellow and affectionate friend. This 14-year-old has managed to melt the hearts of PHS staff and volunteers with his near constant purring and sweet personality. Come fall in love with Ion, ask for ID# A279676. Adoptable pets are available at Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA’s Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion, 1450 Rollins Road, Burlingame. For more information, call 650-340-7022 or visit www.phs-spca.org. (Hiromi Motojima / Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA)
Dear Miss Behavin’: Whenever I have guests over to my house, my dog Lucy barks at them for the first 15 minutes. Eventually she settles down, but how can I get her to warm up to people faster and not give them such a rude greeting?
Reply: Most dogs will bark when someone knocks or when a visitor comes over — this is pretty normal behavior. Usually they are just alerting their owners that someone is entering their territory or house.
However, the fact that it takes Lucy 15 minutes to settle down could mean that she is afraid of your visitors. She isn’t just alerting you to their presence, she’s also telling your guests “Stay away from me, I’m scared.”
If Lucy is solely barking and then warms up after 15 minutes, there are some things you can try to get her to warm up faster. First, it can be helpful to use a baby gate or portable pen to keep Lucy away from your front door when guests come over. Teach her to go behind the gate as soon as someone knocks on the door. This helps avoid a hectic situation at the doorway.
It won’t do much good to punish or yell at Lucy for barking. In fact, it could make her fear issues worse. Instead, try to show her that guests are a positive thing. Bring out her favorite treats or toy to show her that good stuff happens when new people are around.
Once Lucy calms down after their arrival, you can let her out of her pen. Instruct your guests to just ignore her and not pet her right away. Letting Lucy warm up on her own terms is the best way to help her feel comfortable. Hopefully you will see that she warms up faster each time a person comes over, and that she is able to remember certain people that visit often.