How to Keep Your Dog Calm When Visitors Arrive

Does the thought of visitors calling in to your home leave you with a slight sense of dread? Not because of the guests themselves, but because your beloved pooch turns their arrival into a whirlwind of excitement and chaos! If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—many dog parents face the same challenge when guests arrive.

Whether it’s an enthusiastic greeting with barking and jumping, or a nervous reaction to unfamiliar faces, these behaviours can make hosting visitors stressful for everyone involved. The good news is, with the right preparation and strategies, you can help your dog stay calm and create a more peaceful environment. Let’s explore how to keep dogs calm and make your home welcoming for all.

In today’s blog, we’ll be looking at:

• How to prepare your dog for remaining calm before visitors arrive
• How to manage your dog’s behaviour during visits
• And long-term strategies to consider for ongoing calm behaviour

Preparing Your Dog Before Visitors Arrive

Helping your dog remain calm around visitors often starts before anyone knocks at the door. Following these steps ahead of time can help set the tone for a more relaxed greeting.

Burn Off Excess Energy

Exercise your dog with a walk or light playtime before guests arrive. This can help release pent up energy, leaving your dog more likely to feel relaxed. Be sure to avoid overly stimulating activities that might leave them too excited to settle.

Practice Calming Cues

Teach your dog a simple cue like “go to your mat” or “settle”. These recognizable cues will help your dog to understand that they can go to their safe spot when they hear a knock at the door. At first, keep this simple by training without visitors, then gradually introduce a friend or family member at the door who your dog is familiar with and who knows not to interact with or excite your dog. Remember to use treats and positive reinforcement throughout to encourage positive behaviour!

Set Up a Comforting Environment

Create a quiet, cozy area for your dog with their favourite bed or blanket. You can make this area even more reassuring by plugging in an ADAPTIL Calm diffuser in the same room. For the best results, we recommend plugging in the diffuser a couple of days before the planned event while everything is still calm in the house and using the diffuser for at least 30 days, but many dog parents report seeing results within the first week.

Managing Your Dog’s Behaviour During Visits

It’s great knowing how to prepare your dog to remain calm before visitors arrive, but understanding how to manage their behaviour during the visit itself is another equally valuable skill.

Stay Calm Yourself

Dogs are experts at picking up on our emotions. If you’re excited or stressed, your dog is more likely to pick up on and mirror that energy. Be sure to keep your tone of voice soothing, your volume normal, and your body language relaxed.

Calm Introductions

Ask your visitors to ignore your dog at first—this means no touching, talking to them, or making eye contact—and let your dog approach when they are ready. If visitors are too overwhelming, don’t force them to interact.

Use Barriers to Create Space

If your dog gets too excited around visitors, consider using a baby gate or dog pen to initially give them their own space. When they are calm, allow them to come out and greet your guests, but be sure to allow them to do this in their own time. If your dog is happiest remaining in their safe space and avoiding interactions, regularly check on them to let them know you’re still at home.

Provide Distractions

Keep your dog engaged with a filled chew toy or an activity feeder while guests settle in. This can help keep their focus on something positive and away from all the hustle and bustle.

Don’t Scold for Unwanted Behaviour

Telling your dog off for unwanted behaviour won’t help them learn and can negatively affect your relationship together. Instead, it’s important to understand why your dog is nervous around visitors and how you can encourage them to remain calm. Reward your dog for politely greeting visitors and remaining composed. Keeping treats near the door can make this easy!

Long-Term Strategies for Calm Behaviour

A lot of the advice above is great for helping your dog through one-off or occasional situations, but a long-term strategy for helping your dog keep calm around guests can be hugely beneficial. Here’s how to build some lasting habits:

Gradual Socialization

Help your dog build positive associations with visitors by starting small. Invite one friend over and gradually increase the number of guests as your dog grows more comfortable.

Desensitization Techniques

As we mentioned when discussing calming cues, practice doorbell desensitization by pairing the sound of the doorbell with a treat and teaching your dog to settle instead of barking. Over time, they’ll learn to associate the sound with calm behaviour.

Stick to a Routine

Dogs thrive on consistency. Ensure all members of your household follow the same rules when visitors arrive, and similarly let your visitors themselves know how to act around your dog.

Seek Professional Support if Needed

If your dog is struggling to cope with visitors to your home, contact your local qualified dog trainer for additional help. For sudden changes in your dog’s behaviour, a vet check-up is recommended to rule out any underlying health issues.

For more information on helping your dog remain calm around visitors and in other potentially stressful situations, view our full range of blogs online. And don’t forget, you can also sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop with all the latest tips, guides, and product info!