Posts Tagged ‘how to prevent a dog from running through a doorway’
How to Stop Your Dog From Running Out the Door
If you are reading this you probably have a dog that wants to run ahead of you out the front door, right? If so, you will be glad to learn how to stop this problem. Fortunately it is pretty easy to train your dog to stop running through doorways until you give them an invitation. We’ve all known dogs like this, and I used to have one of those runners myself. It was easy to understand why a dog would want to get outside. In his mind the door opening means playtime (can’t blame him for that). As exciting as playtime is, that still didn’t make it right for him to rush past you and out the door. A dog that rushes outside through the door ahead of you is potentially at risk of running into the street and possibly getting hit by a car or perhaps getting into a fight with another dog.
Not only are there danger issues with your dog running out the door, but another real problem is that your dog is not showing the respect you need to earn to be the pack’s leader.It is up to you to show your pet that you are in charge-you are the Alpha Dog in other words. As the Alpha dog, you should always be in charge on who goes out that door, not him. Letting your dog get away with thinking you are not in charge just invites more behavior problems. I’ve written some good tips on stopping your dog from running through the door for you, and if you use them you should have good results.
As long as your dog has had his basic obedience training and can sit and stay, these tips should help you correct your dog’s problem. If you haven’t already obedience trained your dog, you will need to do so before these tips will work for you-so it is time to get going with the training.
1. You will want to start this type of training with one of the house’s inner doors-not the front door. Using the front door will make it harder to control your dog through the earlier stages of his training. As you approach a door within your house you’ll probably notice how your dog will position himself to get through it before you do. So, counter his move by first commanding him to sit and then command him to stay using your firm commanding voice along with the appropriate hand signals. When he gets in the desired position be sure to give him lots of praise. Wait a bit before opening the door, so he gets relaxed in the sit position, rather than just ready to spring up again the moment you reach for the doorknob. OK, when he relaxes, go ahead and open the door. He will probably get up and try to go through the door, once he sees it open. This will probably happen at first, but don’t let it upset you. This training is simple, but it will require lots of repetition before your dog stops running through the door to get out.
If this keeps happening, you will need ot go back and retrain you dog to sit and stay. You can use your legs and lower body to block your dog if he does try to go through the door ahead of you. Use a firm tone of voice and command him to sit and stay once again. After he once again has assumed the sit and stay posture, give him lots of praise and a reward. You’ll have to repeat this exercise for perhaps 15 or so minutes per session several times a day. It is not a bad idea to keep up the practice at the front door, even after your dog has learned his lesson. Remember not to get angry, and to praise him for going back into the sit and stay position.
2. Once you have retrained him to stay in the sit position when you open the door, try to open it just wide enough for you to pass through. You don’t want the dog to leaving the sit and stay position until you invite him to. By only opening the door a little bit, that opening will be less tempting for him to bolt through. If he again leaves his sit and stay position, just return him to his spot again and repeat the command him to sit and stay. Until he shows you he can stay in his sit position even after you have gone through the door, you will just keep repeating this stage of the training. Be patient, he will learn if you keep at it.
3. It is time to try a harder test-the front door. He knows this is the door that leads to the great outdoors and fun, so he may be more anxious to leave position and run out the front door than a bedroom door. Be sure you are ready by placing his leash on him before you go to the front door. If yours is a big dog a good idea is to attach his leash to the doorknob- instead of you having to yank on him. If he does lurch out the door before you can stop him, this will bring him to a quick stop, and give him something to think about. {The good thing is you won’t have to worry about him pulling your arm out of the socket}. If your dog has really learned his sit and stay lesson well from the previous indoor exercises, he might behave just fine. If he does charge out though, you know what to do. Keep repeating the exercise at the other doors in the house, and lavish him with praise and affection and a reward each time he refrains from trying to run through doorways ahead of you. He’ll learn that he still gets to go out, but he has to respect you as the Alpha dog, and wait for you to invite him through the doorway.
4. Besides just teaching your dog not to run through doorways, this is a good way to get your dog to understand boundary training. Putting your dog on his leash and commanding him to assume the sit and stay position, stand on the edge of the boundary you have designated (or the curb to the street). Next, step past the boundary, leaving your dog at the sit and stay position. If he has learned his lessons well, he won’t move. If your dog stays, be sure to positively reinforce his good behavior with plenty of praise and a reward.so you positively reinforce that good behavior. If he hasn’t truly learned his lessons he will try to cross the boundary or step into the street-just put him back in place, and keep repeating the exercise. Make sure you repeat this training daily several times, for perhaps 15 minutes per session. It is a good idea to continue this training even after he has show you he knows his boundaries-it certainly doesn’t hurt to keep reminding him.For some more tips on the topic of boundary training, please check out my article: Boundary Training Your Dog.
Well, now you know that it is a simple process to train your dog not to run through the doors ahead of you. If your dog hasn’t already been obedience trained, you really should take the time to do so, and get the most out of your relationship with your best friend.
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