Runaway Doodle!

[Leslie J]

Cocoa has been doing so well in the house lately that we have pretty much stopped confining her or tethering her.  Well, yesterday morning as I was leaving to drop my twins off she ran out the front door.  She ran down the block (the direction we usually take our walks) with my five year old boys running after her screaming "Cocoa... Cocoa... come back!!!". 

Then as I turned the corner she was in the middle of the street debating whether to approach two large agitated snarling dogs (who were on leashes).  The poor woman with the dogs was walking them and pushing a stroller at the same time.

After a couple of tense minutes I was able to get Cocoa to sit down so that I could approach her.  It turns out that these two dogs do not like other dogs at all and the woman was very relieved when I had gained control of Cocoa.

So... how to train Cocoa not to run out the door again?  She doesn't typically approach the door as we enter and exit so it is easy to have a false sense of security- until she suddenly appears and is underfoot.  Having young children running around doesn't make it any easier :)

[Leslie J]

I think that this is now allowing replies!

[Karen P]

Teach Cocoa the Wait command. Whenever I take Chewie out or let him in I have him Sit and Wait until I give him the OK command. This way he is not used to walking out of the house until he is released to. Thank goodness you were able to get to Cocoa before anything happened !! Hope this works for you.

[BG and Gavin]

We have been working on the "stop" command with our guy. Several times during walks I will give him lots of leash and allow him to drift ahead of me, then yell "stop" when he turns around to look I have him sit and follow with a reward. After working on this a bit, the stop command now produces a stop, turn back and sit. I then use the "come" command with lots of praise and a treat to bring him back to me. We have a long way to go to get him reliable off leash (with distractions) with this, but he's off to a good start.

[Sheri & Murphy]

Keep the replies coming...I struggle with this one too.

[Lorraine Bromley]

You could use an electronic fence collar. They do have some that put up a field in a circle so large to encompass the front yard if you can't dig a trench for the underground one. This has worked for us as we are on a busy road and just don't want to take the chance. Even though we have a fenced back yard.
I find it is harder to teach the kids than the dogs though. If they help be consistent with the wait or stop it will help as he won't think its just the little kid near the door I can do what ever I want.

[Camilla and Darwin]

We also make Darwin wait in a sit-stay as we open the door. We have eventually worked up to the point where I can walk outside with the door wide open and he won't cross the threshold until I release him. I think with enough training, he would become used to waiting enough that he wouldn't run outside on his own.

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

Don't leave the door open.... seriously, all the training in the world won't stop her from running if she sees something she really wants. After many years of owning and training dogs, I have come to the conclusion that instinct always wins. This statement also applies to those of my dogs that have achieved advance level obedience titles, diplomas, and ongoing training, including my current - very smart - dog Lilo, who received her UDX title when she was 3 years old. Nothing will stop her if she decides to pursue a prey or an interesting target. She completely ignores me and every command she so perfectly obeys in a controlled environment. So... there you go... dogs are wild and unpredictable animals, and you - the human owner - have to take the necessary precautions to keep them out of trouble :)

[Kyoko]

Every time when Cocoa have to go through the door, have her sit and begin openning the door. If she gets up and go for the door, close the door and have her sit again. Keep doing this until she would stay sit until you release her by saying "OK", "Let's go" etc.... Charlie picked this up really quickly as a puppy. Now I don't have to worry about her going out of the door at all even when I go back and forth to the car to get groceries and stuff. She would not go out unless she was told "OK" It's not hard to teach at all!!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I use Kyoko's method. Use it at various doors also. We use it at the front, side, and garage door. We only have a fence in the back but we use the front and garage to enter. Spud is always at the door so if they know they must sit-stay at all the doors in the home it would be better.

It is something that has to be worked on everyday! Not just teaching and letting it go. It only takes a minute but I think I work on this command the most--still to be perfected. :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree completely. It is important to train them to sit, stay, wait, etc., and that helps a lot. But they are dogs, and part retriever to boot, and you never know when a squirrel will run across the lawn just at the moment the door is opened.
If it isn't possible to restrain Cocoa from all entrance-ways with baby gates, as Jane suggested, you have to make sure your children understand that they must never open the door...only Mom is allowed to open the door. Then you put yourself between the door and Cocoa, ushering your children out first, one at a time, and you exit last.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Yep--anything is the yard will make them break commands. My husbands dog went through plate glass for the mailman. Oww

[Leslie J]

Thank you so much for the suggestions! I think I need to go with the two-tiered approach- training to wait at the door and putting a gate up. The training is the ultimate solution, but reality is that just as I can't always rely on a dog to resist running outside I can't rely on young children not to open the door. My kids are good about not opening the door because I don't let them, but if a friend knocks on the door and calls hello to them sometimes they forget in their excitement.

We have an entry porch outside of our front door and I'll just install a gate there so that if she goes out the door she can't leave the porch. We'll also work on having her sit and wait at the door when we go for walks, etc. so that perhaps the day will come when she is reliable about staying in.