Instructions
Establish an alternative behavior to lunging. Put your dog on a leash and have a friend or family member knock on the door while you stand on the other side of the door with your german shepherd. When they knock, plant yourself and firmly tell your dog to sit. Continue to praise him for sitting until the person on the other side of the door has entered and greeted the dog. Reward him with a treat. The next step is to repeat the process without the leash. Eventually, your dog will learn to sit patiently when they hear a knock at the door.
Discourage lunging around the entryway. Your german shepherd might lunge at the door and entering guests because he is excited and wants to greet them. Teach your dog that lunging and jumping will not get him any attention. To do this, do not provide your dog with any attention when you come through the door and he is jumping. This means no eye contact, praise or petting. Firmly tell him to sit and wait until he stops jumping.
Be consistent by punishing lunging and rewarding non-aggressive behavior. Even after you have trained your german shepherd not to lunge, it is important to continue to provide consistent reinforcements. If you do not, the animal might slip back into his old habits.
How to Keep My German Shepherd From Lunging at the Door
When exposed to stimuli, german shepherds are naturally agressive in their response. Their innate curiosity and sociability will drive them to lunge at the door when they hear someone knocking. This can cause the visitor to feel uncomfortable or threatened, which is something no host wants. You can curb your german shepherd's lunging behavior with a few basic training principles.