Advice for first timer with a baby gate for hyper dog!

I've just fitted a baby gate for the very first time, and wondered if you have some tips for me please, for first time use if you know what I mean.

My problem is, I have 7 guests coming for lunch tomorrow, and although Zena knows 3 of them, she hasn't met any of the others, plus we don't get many visitors, and on arrival she's a bit of a pain, we have to do the introductions with the use of cheese in the bootroom before they come in, but seeing as they will all be arriving around the same time, I can't be a*sed with it all quite honestly.

She has always been fine with about 6 people, WHEN, they've been here for a few minutes, but then they arrived at totally different times, and by the last one, she sort of ignored her coming through, but that was 2 years ago, she's bigger, louder and more scarey now initially. She would never bite anyone (and YES I do know that for a fact!) She's more hyper with them if anything and although the slipper cures her of jumping up, if she drops it, she might in excitement jump up at them, before she runs off to get the ball, and it's all too much, I want to enjoy my day, so the baby gate it is!

I have Plan A, which is to get her behind it (and the other one but he's no problem!) with a kong, I don't want to leave her there like that whilst I greet the first 2 coz they know her, and my house, so they can come straight in on their own, whilst I stand in front of the gate and let her greet them from behind it. Then there's 5 more to come I know she COULD just jump it, but I don't think she will, she's not that type of dog, she will realise she's been put behind it and hopefully stay there, BUT, just wondering if there's any failproof ways I could do this to make it all go smoothly please?

Any of yours jumped over the gate when first put behind it?

I will be armed with another kong filled with high value cheese for when they have all come past her, and in all honestly, I don't really feel I want to let her through either, I want to enjoy this time with my friends without having to constantly worry about where the dogs are, or being pestered with that ball, BUT, in the past, she has just laid down nicely for us and been quiet after we've all settled down, but not this many people.

Any tips then please, how did you first use yours? Thanks!

Sorry do not use gates, so cannot help

I find once ive lifted Millie up to say hello to strangers comming into our home she is much happier for it but obviously with a bigger dog you can't do that!!

If I didnt pick her up for her to say hello she would never on her own greet people but this has helped with her confidance a lot she is frightened of strangers now but would still rather not be stroked which im fine with. I know like you she would never bite anyone and like you we dont often get visitors o.0

I would say maybe give her a bone or a kong to keep her occupied while their, their might help her relax more.

We have a 4ft dog gate between the kitchen and the rest of the house (no door, just the gate).

The boys don't get to meet visitors unless I say so. A lot of my friends and some of OHs family are very wary of dogs, and due to the size and nature of the Boxers most visitors don't get to meet them!

They do bark a bit when people come in, but we ignore them. Once they have quietened down, they get a biscuit, and to settle them, they have a pigs ear/chew/kong. They would never settle in the same room - Murphy is so friendly he wants to be on top of you, licking up your nose and in your ears; and Max is so freaked out, he would growl and snap at people...

We use baby gates, now just to keep the girls out of the garage when OH is in there working on bikes etc.. they can lie in the utility and watch him, or he can have the door open and hear any mischief going on

I think you will find with Zena (because she is such a good girl) she will realise she is there for a reason and won't try to jump it, Tilly will lie and cry as she hates to be left out, Daisy just watches us and then goes and lies on her bed.

If you leave her with her bed, Kong and Georgie I am sure once the initial excitement of other people being in the house she will settle down and being able to see you will really help.

I am so pleased we had the gates, it makes it so much easier when I need to put them somewhere but don't want to be shutting the door on them.

I don't think any of that is any help at all

Kiki jumps the gate with ease, despite it being a tall one, so I've had to stack another on top of it. Casper doesn't bother though, even though he could (he easily climbs 6' fencing so a babygate would be easypeasy) so it's hard to say whether she would or not.

Can you not just shut her in your kitchen or wherever out of the way while you eat lunch? I shut mine in a different room on the odd occasion we have people over and find it the easiest thing to do TBH.

We have a baby gate to stop ours going upstairs. They don't jump it but Bo can open it (by paw or mouth) and Tilly can get through the gaps so it isn't exactly amazing!

We have baby gates but not to use when people come in.....only when people go out as Bruce barks at the door closing....and it drives me bloody mad

However both he and Tess can jump it with the greatest of ease so we shut the door when people leave, and the gate is used if I just want them in the kitchen for any reason, ie if a non doggy person comes or I am vacc'ing that way they can see us without bothering anyone or me

I find ours useful but its more for my purpose rather than a safeguard, and have a very clever soul here that can not only open doors but has worked out how the lift the gate catch Tess isn't all thick

We use gates in our house as we board dogs sometimes. We have one that is over 4' for the dog-guest room.

We also have a stable door from the kitchen through the back. The dogs could jump it if they wish. Tara, is the likely one but you can always tell she is thinking about it and tell her to get on her bed.

When we have visitors and want peace, I just tell the dogs to go to their beds, armed with a biscuit or something and they happily do so.

The terriers started a habit of squealing when MIL visited (mirroring MIL's greeting voice, I think )Now when she visits, I have tripe sticks ready and send them to their beds and they happily ignore MIL to eat tripe sticks!

I have a 'gate style' room divider and have used it since my dogs were 8 weeks so that we can eat in peace etc etc. Their beds are in that area together with water. The gate is open all day and they are only 'shut in' if we go out and at night. However, last Sunday we had over 30 people here for a party. My dogs are 10 months and use the house as a race track.
What I did was put them behind the divider as people arrived and then I let them out. I let them out with trepidation and they were absolutely fine, perhaps a little in awe of so many people. They wandered round and said hello of everyone and then just chilled out when they realised that nothing exciting was going to happen.
If you do a similar thing your dogs will realise that your guests are friends and will see and hear the new people so that when they come out and everyone ignores them that they are no threat.
Good luck and I hope enjoy your lunch.