Introducing dogs to strangers??

Can everyone please tell me how you feel is the best way to introduce your dog to strangers who come into your home OR they meet out of the house (on leash) I have two dogs that have come from shelters and mostly been "chained up" their whole lives and maybe do not trust other people? When someone comes to the door they bark fiercely like they want to go after the person. We have tried to hire a pet sitter and we just couldn't get them to like her even after several attempts in and out of the house.

Hi - my dog is also a rescue dog who is very wary of stangers and barks at them.

Our kitchen (at the end of the hall) has a stable door. When we are expecting friends we put Max in the kitchen and shut the bottom half of the door but leave the top half open so that he can see the visitor. We have a treat jar by the door and the visitor takes a treat to Max who usually has his paws on the door and is looking over.

Max knows the 'quiet' command (although chooses to ignore it sometimes!). I ask him to sit and ask him to be quiet. Only when he is sitting and he is quiet then the visitor gives him the treat.

I like our door because visitors are able to stroke him with a physical barrier between them which makes people a bit more confident. Max is able to get to know them and having a treat from them means that he associates them with good things. When he has calmed down and the vistor has sat down I let him out of the kitchen.

This is something that works very well for us, we were lucky that our kitchen already had a stable door. I suppose you could do a similar thing with a dog gate across the door.

As for meeting people on walks I have no advice to offer. We're able to explain to visiting friends that Max will bark lots but once they have fussed him he will be their best friend for life. Sadly most people we meet on walks move away from Max because he is a big guy who sadly looks quite scary .

If you are trying to hire a pet sitter, the best way for the petsitter and your dog to bond is for them to take them out for a walk alone. Is this possible?

Here is an article that may help

http://www.dogsey.com/dog-articles.php?t=8050

I would start with one dog at a time, if anyone comes to the house they should ignore the dogs, give no direct eye contact, when the dog is quiet encourage the visitors to call the dog to them rather than to approach the dog and to throw or give small high value treats like pieces of chicken so the dog learns to associate visitors with good things