Doorbell Rings, Giant Great Dane 'Unsure' Whether to Defend or Bring Toy

A giant dog reacting to the doorbell left viewers in stitches as he didn't know how he wanted to approach the situation.

The owner, known on TikTok as @thereal_scoobydoo, told Newsweek that her 1-year-old Great Dane, Scooby, typically has two set reactions when visitors come to the house.

"He usually sees someone is here and just barks!" she said. "If a person comes in the home, he will usually bring them a toy if he can find one fast enough. Not usually before they come in."

But, as shown in the December 23 video, Scooby recently decided to do both because he was "unsure" whether the visit warranted defending his home and family. The giant dog ran to the front door with a stuffed animal toy in his mouth and his tail wagging, prepared to welcome the visitor. But his guard dog instincts kicked in a few seconds later and he dropped the toy.

Alert, Scooby stood at the front door and waited to see if someone would eventually come in. He barked to let the person on the other side know he meant business. He finally let down his guard and returned to his owner when he determined the threat had passed.

The caption reads: "It was just doordash big guy."

Screenshots from a December 23 TikTok video of a giant Great Dane reacting to the doorbell. He was "unsure" whether to bark or bring his toy to greet the person. @thereal_scoobydoo/TikTok

When he finally concluded there was no threat at the house, he picked up his toy and brought it back to his owner. If there was no threat and no visitors to play with, he would have to settle for his mom instead.

The TikTok video amassed over 2.9 million views, 546,400 likes and 11,500 comments as of Monday.

"Scooby-doesn't-know-what-to-Doo," commented one viewer, while another added: "He's definitely ready for protection playtime."

A third demanded: "Let him out. Him and the gang got mysteries to solve."

Others couldn't get over how this giant dog looked exactly like the Scooby Doo: "I must applaud your choice of collar."

Dog Desensitization to Doorbells

Owners often feel frustrated if someone knocks or rings the doorbell, as it sends their dogs into a barking or jumping frenzy. Dogs become stressed because they want to protect the house, but other times, they're just excited about a new friend visiting. Either way, plenty of pet parents want a way to stop the chaos whenever the doorbell goes off.

To do this, the American Kennel Club recommends, retrain them to become used to the sound. Owners will want to use high-value treats like peanut butter or a lick mat and offer it to their dogs. While they're licking the treat in your hand, push the doorbell sound. Praise your dog only if they continue to lick. You'll need to be consistent and repeat this training process.

If you notice your dog becoming used to the sound, you can try teaching them to go to a certain spot, such as the bed. You will once again get their attention with a treat and once the doorbell sounds, praise your dog and use the treat to lure them to the specific spot you picked out. Reward them when they go to that spot. Repeat the process over several days. You can also introduce a cue like "go to bed" during the training.

You will eventually phase out the luring with the treat. You can say "Go to bed," and if they follow, reward them with a treat. Be sure to keep ringing the doorbell or playing a similar sound. The doorbell ringing will eventually be a dog's cue to go to their bed and wait for a treat.

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