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[quote=Anonymous]I don't think that it's going to be possible to make the dog not bark when a stranger suddenly appears so close to its territory. The dog doesn't know that the area behind your door or your porch is a separate space that isn't its territory.  It doesn't even know that your living room and kitchen are behind the door. You're just appearing out of nowhere right smack in the middle of "his" space, as far as the dog is concerned.

Dogs bark for all sorts of reasons, including when they're happy to see you.  You're reading the dog's barking all wrong and that's on you. Now, if you make yourself not a stranger but a friend to the dog, that could solve the barking problem.

If you choose to live in a townhouse or apartment, IMO you're subjecting yourself to the possibility that you'll have to interact with your neighbors when you enter and exit since your front doors are so close. If you want to minimize this, put up a fence or wall or something. If that's not possible then you should find a different place to live.

In the United States in the year 2020, dogs are very common in public spaces. It's a good idea to learn to coexist with their presence on walking paths, sidewalks, and all sorts of other places. People who choose to not find a way to be comfortable around dogs are setting themselves up for lots of unnecessary angst. Obviously, if you have an allergy, that's different.

If I were a parent with a fear of dogs, I'd have the dog-friendly spouse spend time with the kids and some gentle dogs raised by responsible pet owners.  You being there is going to negatively impact on the kids because they sense your anxiety, so you should stay away and do your own training separately. Your spouse probably knows people from work or the neighborhood who might be willing to lend him their trained adult dog for an afternoon. They could all take the dog for walk around the neighborhood or something, which would help the kids learn to enjoy the company of a dog.

I wouldn't make this one dog the end-all-be-all of your dog comfort training. That's too much pressure to put on one little puppy who, for all we know, might actually not not ever be a very friendly dog.

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