Barking at deliveries

Make your dog Smile

Inner-Ear Noogies
Put your hand in noogie position, and with the knuckle of your middle finger, rub the little piece of cartilage that juts out at the entrance to your dog's ear.  The dog's head will probably tilt to one side, with her eyes half-closed.
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-Excerpt from "97 Ways to make a dog Smile" by Jenny Langbehn

"Why does my dog bark at the mailman?"  This is a common question trainers are asked daily.  In today's world, it's not just mail carriers, we now have UPS, FedEx, Amazon deliveries, Grubhub, etc.  But why? and what creates this behavior?  It's important to understand dogs and what they inherited.  Your dog's ancestors had to defend their territories and food supplies from trespassers.  Anyone who is making a delivery is an easy target.  

Let's try to see this from the dog's point of view.  A stranger comes to the door, your dog starts to bark because that is what his instincts are telling him to do, the stranger leaves a package, then the stranger leaves.  Well, the bark worked.  Or so your dog thinks.  Also keep in mind the "stranger" leaves behind a package with unfamiliar smells.  Dogs are suspicious of new smells.  Especially in their territory.  This can cause unwanted behaviors such as marking around their territory.  

Now that we understand, what can we do about it?  It's not easy to stop a dog from protecting his territory.  But, you can teach your dog to respect those who are making these deliveries.  Leave treats where those who are making a delivery can easily see them with a note.  Let anyone who is making a delivery know they can give your dog a treat.  A friendly stranger who provides food is less of a threat to the territory.  Consider the arrangement of your furniture.  Sofa's and Chairs placed under a window gives your dog visual access.  This will not stop any barking, but, without a visual it will prevent your dog from extreme volume.  Avoid repeating yourself.  If you say "no bark", only say it once.  If you keep repeating this cue, your dog will hear you barking along with them.  

It's a good rule that you have to catch the dog's behavior in order to stop the behavior.  This is true, but you are not limited to this rule.  You can also prevent the behavior.  If you are not home to catch your dog's behavior, leave some music on at good volume.  This will drown out outside noises and prevent your dog from hearing outside footsteps.