How to stop your dog from barking at the door!

We have a method with Misha that seems to be working pretty well. First, we started with the shaker can which she is terrified of. This helps to break the barking cycle.

Now that I'm able to get to the door I use Cesar Milan's method of claiming the space with my own touches thrown in. When she starts barking, I immediately walk in between her and the door and I say "Thank you" in a firm voice. I walk her back from the door repeating "Thank you, you told us...No bark" at the same time I am pointing to the hallway. It's taken several weeks, but it's really paying off now. I can walk her back to the hallway or the living room. Then, I put her in a stay. It's helped us because it reaffirms that I'm in charge (we've had some issues in the past). Some times she responds to the "Thank You" even if I'm not in the room.

It has it's flaws. It works well for getting the mail or packages from UPS. Not great with someone actually standing at the door. The only thing that works at that point is putting the leash on her. But, in that case it's no so much the barking that is the problem, but the fact that she wants to tear them to pieces.

Good luck with your new method! I hope it works out and you have some quiet again.