Reply #10: I always used to [View All]

[dropkickpa]

use the "My dog doesn't like strangers" excuse. Now, keep in mind, my old dogs were Golden Retreivers. The male could care less if anyone was at the door (and, when he was older, he was deaf and didn't know anyone had knocked or rung the bell anyway), and ignored them. Molly, the female, would let out a volley of barks that sounded quite ferocious (it was really her "Oh goody! People are here! Let them in! We must become intsant best friends" bark). So, when I'd open the door, the people (mormons, JW's, door to door sales/survey people) would already look a bit apprehensive. I'd hold Molly, the 90lb Golden's, collar (while she was struggling to go out and subdue their feet by flopping on them and rolling over) and act like I was struggling to keep her in the house and prevent her from attacking them. I say "I can't talk, my dog hates strangers" and 95% of the time, the people would look relieved and tell me to have a nice day as they hurried down the steps.

Lila, my current dog, is good for this too, as she is a black lab and quite intimidating to non-dog people.

Of course, I could always hang the demon-dog picture in my door window with this

WARNING: Premises protected by Satan's Hell Hound.