# Stangers at your door



## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

It is weird how I feel obligated to answer my door to anyone one who comes by...even though it is a pain, and they never have anything I want. Lately, I have been working on it and have managed to not answer the door.

Today, I saw two (older) men in suits walk up the path to the door. They didn't ring the bell, but knocked politely. I was guessing they were Jehovah's Witnesses. Anyway, I tried to keep the dogs in, but MiMi and Dopey ran out and started dancing around these men. My goodness, I wonder if they would greet a robber with so much joy? Probably. The two men were very pleasant and really enjoyed the dogs. The girls were out-of-their-minds happy.

Now when friends come over, the dogs run out, but follow them into the house. I do not know how to train them to sit inside. I mean, they go berserk when someone comes to the door and pay no mind to me at all. I know I should train them to sit, but they are way too excited. 

I have asked friends to help, but that didn't work. We don't have visitors often enough to get the dogs accustomed. Ray is good, but the girls would rather have company than eat strawberry ice cream.

Any suggestions?


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

I keep the foyer a dog free area by using baby gates. Sometimes they escape to the entryway anyway, but I like an extra barrier to prevent any accidental escapes to the great outdoors. 

Maybe, I have become an old grouch. If I don't know the person at the door, I don't answer it. We get solitictations in a neighborhood that is posted no solicitors, so I do not fee bad about walking up to the door and shaking my head no. I am not going to talk to you. If someone knows me, they should call ahead. If they do not know me, they can introduce themselves by leaving something at the door. In any case, I no longer feel the need to be "polite" to people who show up on my doorstep. 

The lone exception to this is the neighbors. If neighbors knock and I recognize them, I will answer and I will see if they need something.


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## [email protected] (May 9, 2015)

I tell all regular "guests" to quietly enter the house and not to make a scene.
Sophie stays in her room, laying in her bed and perks her ears. She's on high alert but won't run out.
The only time she'll run out is if the door is ajar when her boyfriend pup is outside. After a quick sniff, she runs back home, to her comfy bed.

I have a security camera pointing in a direction of the front door and get notified (via Smartphone notifications) if there's anything making noise or if there's any movement. If there's girl/boy scouts, or any other solicitors, the curtains and the front door stays closed. There have been recent reports in my area of break-ins and home-invasion robberies.


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

I have a split entry and Jodi doesn't run downstairs so I'm lucky that way, no risk of escape. Jodi still barks at the top of the steps though happy to see whoever it is.

I feel a little paranoid sometimes, but since my front window is up high I can look out and see who's at the door and if I don't know them or its dark etc. I won't answer if I dont' feel like it.


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## Polly's mom (Apr 29, 2013)

I also have a baby gate in my foyer. I keep all exits double covered. The risk of something catching Polly's eye is to great.


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## Steph_L (Jul 20, 2015)

We don't have that problem with Daisy. Our building needs a code to get in and it has a camera intercom system and then our front door has another code (instead of a key) and a camera intercom system as well.

Before I got married I lived with my parents, their 2 lab mixes, and my Newfoundland that lives with them permanently. There would be all sorts of people coming around: Jehovah's witnesses, boy scouts, meat sellers, occasionally the post office/fedex. The front of their house has high privacy windows, about 4 1/2 feet up and the Newfoundland can still stand on his hind legs and look out. He's a sweetie but seeing that and hearing that bark scares enough people away. He's also a runner, will barge through the door and nock people over, so he gets crated when people come or gets put outside in the fenced back yard.


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

Whenever friends or family comes over they all come in through our garage door and that's the way we enter too. That way if Pipper ever did run out the door he would still be in the garage. When someone knocks on the front door I always pick him up before I open the door. I don't think he would ever go out the door but I don't take chances.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Okay, the way my foyer is situated a baby gate will not work, plus they would dash out before old me could get through...and I can't step over it. Neither can I pick up all of them before I open the door...but good idea, I will pick up the craziest one before I open the door. Oddly enough, that never even occurred to me...duh. See, you guys always have good advice.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

I do answer the door, but give them short shrift if they are selling something. As for the girls I always lock them into the bathroom before I open the door, just to be sure. They do bark though.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

Oh my gosh Sylvia one of my pet peeves, we live in a neighborhood and every Spring it starts:angry: we have a sign posted on the window of our front door, No Solicitors, yet we still have those ones who think they can get by
I don't answer the door, hubby does. He just points at the sign. Even then some start there spill

The girls go crazy:w00t: geese I hate it, Maddie is the worse, she just doesn't stop barking. When it's family or friends the girls quiet down once someone is in our home. I'd give about anything to have the girls behave.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I would never open my door to someone I was not expecting. It seems one is asking for trouble and placing trust in an unsafe place. But then I live in a big city.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

I just don't answer the door unless I know the person or I'm expecting someone. It's much like I don't answer my phone unless the same. I though, am a bit awkward in social encounters anyway


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## mdbflorida (Feb 28, 2013)

We have a courtyard house now that has two entrances. The first one the enter into the courtyard and pool area and then come to the front door. I also keep them contained by baby gates in one of the rooms -3 way protection. Well really 4 since we are also in a gated community so no one rings without us knowing they are coming i.e. no strangers. When we do know someone is coming. Zach is the perfect angel. Boo is the happy I must greet everyone with a toy in his month because after all it is all about him. No one could be possibly coming to see anyone else in the house but HIM> LOL


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## jane and addison (Nov 1, 2012)

We have the same problem. If we open the front door Belle will run out and greet them but We pick Petey up since he has problems with some people ( unknown what). Belle does come back in when called.


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## Finn (Feb 25, 2016)

I've trained mine. When the doorbell goes off, i command them to sit and stay in a seperate room and close the door. When I come back, I command them to sit, and give a treat. Eventually I started doing this, but leaving the door between us (across the house) open. It takes only a few second to do a quick sit/stay and shut the door, and now they're trained that they get rewarded for waiting patiently in the next room. :aktion033:


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

I'm not polite when it comes to intruders. I open the door, look, don't say a word, turn and close the door...hard. I can't be wasting my time with such people.

The layout of my house is pretty open in the living areas. i found a wooden gate that expands 7 feet that I put in between two columns that separate the kitchen and livingroom where my front door is. That way I don't have to worry about them running out.


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