# How to keep my dog from running out the door??



## clonewars222 (Oct 5, 2008)

Was just wondering because whenever I'm about to open the door, he's just already getting ready to bolt out the door :/


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## harrise (Jan 9, 2008)

¿Do you have one door or a screen door/regular door combo?


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## clonewars222 (Oct 5, 2008)

well we have both, mostly one door only.


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

I had the same problem a few years ago when we brought a young, previously stray dog into the household. She really didn't realize for quite a while that we were her forever home and that running out the door just wasn't acceptable in our household. I suspect she had not been trained as she was picked up as a stray dog many times. 

Initially, because her urge to run was so strong...(I try to use positive methods when I can but we were desperate with her in the beginning) I practiced slamming the door in her face a few times to get her to back off from the door. This is a bit adversive but it was effective to get her attention. At least she would look up at us like "hey, that door bites!" We practiced the slamming thing (had the kids go out and repeatedly ring the bell for 15 minutes or so each time) until she got out of the mental zone that the door was such a great attraction.

Once she could look at us when the doorbell rang or someone was going out the door (since she was now anticipating the slam) then we taught her to sit on a mat by the door when someone was coming or going. Just the usual obedience training of a food reward with the command in the beginning, gradually fading out the food. We just went to the local carpeting shop and asked for a handful of the carpet sample squares that they were ready to throw out and put one by each door as marker for the appropriate "wait" spot.

While training put a little note by your doorbell to ask people to be patient for you to answer the door as you are training your dog not to run out, as it may take you a few minutes longer to actually open the door.


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## Dogstar (May 11, 2007)

What I would do is first, is manage the problem. This is important- darting out a door could get your dog killed. Your pup should not have direct access to the front door or entrance area unless she(or he, but I'm going to use she since I don't know ) is 100% supervised- on a leash, in someone's arm, or being held by the collar. Got an exercise pen? (If not, they're cheap at PetEdge.com.) Pick up an exercise pen and set it up around the front door. (If you have a less open floorplan than I do, you can use a baby gate, but an exercise pen is easier to nudge out of the way when you're carrying stuff, too.)

Next, work on door manners someplace less exciting than the front door. I like the back door into the yard, if you have a fenced yard, but you can even start with an interior door in the house to keep the 'OMG EXCITING' level to a minimum. If your pup has a basic sit, ask her for a sit. Put your hand on the door knob. If she's like most zoomy excitable puppies, she'll pop up out of the sit. Take your hand off the door knob and ask her to sit again. Put your hand on the door knob. (This next part takes good timing.) If she pops up again, repeat the above step, but THIS time, hand over a treat when your hand is a few inches away from the door knob but still on the way there - JUST before she gets out of the sit. Repeat this 3-4 times, each time holding your hand closer to the door knob OR in position longer before giving her a treat. Don't even worry about opening the door yet. Just make it a goal to get your hand onto the door knob (maybe even turn it a little bit for a noise) without her bouncing up in expectation that soon, SHE will get to go through a DOOR!

What this is teaching her is self control - that in order for her to get this EXCITING reward (going into a new place! Oh boy! Even if it's not a new-new place, it's still SOMETHING DIFFERENT. ) she needs to WAIT for you to give her access to it.

The above steps should take you about 10 minutes- make TINY incremental increases in how long you ask her to sit and what you do to distract her while she's sitting. Then take a break and come back later.

In the next session, you're going to actually OPEN the door a crack- but first, start wherever you left off in the session before. If she breaks her sit, close the door, replace her, and make it a LITTLE eaiser, then work your way up to the door actually opening an inch or two. Spend 10 minutes on this. Continue to break it down into tiny, tiny steps. Most dogs can hold the sit long enough for you to grab their collar or clip a leash on them within a week, and sitting and staying long enough for someone to go out or come in within a few weeks. If your dog has an established history of getting out and playing a stimuluating game of "Get Chased By MOm before I run into the road!", it may take a bit longer, but these steps should still work. 

I'd focus on building self control in tiny increments and managing the problem in the mean time, rather than punishing her for what is very normal dog behavior.


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## Talynn (Sep 10, 2008)

Yes! I absolutely agree with Dogstar. I was going to post almost exactly that when I read the OP, then saw it was already posted. As said, the big trick is to get the dog to understand that the door is NOT opening, and s/he is NOT getting through it unless s/he is patiently waiting.

We taught this to Sadie almost the same way. Only difference is we didn't use treats, just kept backing up (removing hand, closing the door, whatever) and returning her to a Sit every time she popped up. (Similar to the way we taught her not to charge at her food dish when we set it down  )

We are, happily, at a point where people can be in and out, carrying groceries or whatever, and she never tries for the door. 

When she knows that she's about to go out, leash on or off, she never crosses the threshold until we say "OK!" We like to test her by going out on the deck, with the sliding door wide open. She'll sit and wait inside the door til we call her. The cutest thing is, if we take to long getting it together to go out, putting on shoes, etc. She will sit in front of the door and stare at us, like "Come on, I am Sitting! Hurry up!" But still waits for the OK.

It was tedious in the beginning, and takes a lot of patience to get it down, but it is SO worth the effort. You won't regret taking the time


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