Running Out The Door!!

[Brittney & Cally]

Cally has come along way in her training and really has been a dream come true puppy, for the most part! My only issue that I have is that when ever someone opens our back door she bolts out. I do the sit and stay every time before we go out the door whether she is on the leash or not. But if someone is not paying attention or someone who comes to the door opens it (I have an open door policy with my neighbors) , she runs to my neighbors whose house backs up to our 4 acres. I feel it is a safety concern with her just running out the door to go to my neighbors to play with their dog. Does anyone have any advice on how to stop this? She will soon be getting trained for our electric fence but I want to be able to fix this problem. Am I doing something wrong? I did a search in the discussions but could not find anything, maybe I am not using the right wording?

Side note: We usually have her on a leash outside but sometimes let her off the leash and she never leaves our side then whether or not she sees the neighbors dog.

[Bob Johnston]

 am not sure how your house is set up but we put a pet gate from our living room to the front door so Sophie couldn't bolt if the door was opened. this is the type of  pet gateI we got. they have a ton of types if that style wouldn't work for you. I would do that until she understands she cant bolt when door is opened. the hassle of the gate for a short time far out weights a lost dog to me.

[Brittney & Cally]

My house is a little weird. The back door separates the kitchen and the dining room and it is an open concept. I may look into a gate but I would basically have to attach it into an almost square and attach it to the walls.

[BG and Gavin]

I think this is a good question and I do not recall it being addressed before.  I would begin (if you have not already) training the wait and release command.  Each and every time you take/let your dog out, have him wait at the open door and give him a release word to go through the door.  We did this type of training for our gate as well.  It has worked really well, because even if the gate is left open, Gavin does not cross the line until give the "ok."  You of course will have to start this training on leash so that you can control his movements and start with a sit in front of the door open a crack, then wider, then wide open, reward for waiting, extend the time of the wait etc.  Be consistent and never let him out until you say okay. We do it for going out the door, leaving the yard, jumping out of the car - everything requires a release.   Let us know how it goes!

[Brittney & Cally]

She does have a release word and does great at it when I tell her. The problem is when people open the door when I am not near the back door and she is gone. I think my problem is those darn untrainers! Would you maybe suggest I let my neighbors know that I am holding off that open door policy for a while until she is completely reliable? Should I have them ring my door bell and let me handle her before they come and go? I obviously need to work with her more so that she understands the boundaries like Gavin. I am going to work really hard on this for the next two weeks and I will keep you all updated! I think I may set some more boundaries like the yard and so on like you have for Gavin. I know the electric fence will help a lot but that is a "quick" and momentary fix to our problem but it would only fix it for my house and I want to have a technique and tools for wherever I go! I do have a release word so I will have to reinforce that as well, I use free.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I would definitely stop the "open door" policy for now. Every time she is given the opportunity to bolt out the door without permission, it reinforces the behavior. 

[Brittney & Cally]

That is what I was figuring after writing it all out! I have already talked to most of them as most of them stopped by tonight. I love that they want to see her and we are that close with our neighbors but they will now have to ring the bell or knock like every other normal neighbor, lol!

[BG and Gavin]

I would definitely get the boundary (door, gate, car) training in place now as the training for the invisible fence is an extension of this boundary training (with higher consequences).  While you are at it, make one room in your house off limits and train him not to cross the line into that room (laundry room is ours). You can close the door so he can't go in unless you are there so it is always enforceable.  Any boundary training you do now will pay off in all kinds of situations.  You will see with not too much trouble you will be able to set boundaries for him where every you go.  It is totally worth the time investment.

[Brittney & Cally]

I love this idea! My back room has a drawer that has all thing dogs with tier treats and such so I think I will make that room off limits! I hate being stormed when I go in that room, lol!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think there are a few things at play here, and I agree with BG's advice.  First I think you need to reinforce the "wait" command.  I use this all day with my guys.  They wait for everything, and they ALWAYS wait at the door...and I take my time releasing them to come out.  This may seem silly but I watch their "mindset" before letting them out the door....they only get to go out if they're calm.  Leaving can be very exciting and an opportunity for them to forget all their manners, so I just wait until they settle.  Now they just know....no going out until I'm calm.  You will have to curtail the open door policy in order to be consistent, or she'll just be confused about the expectations.  I also agree with everyone's advice on boundary training.  It is so valuable and it can be applied in so many different situations.

[Debbie Daniels]

Well said, I know nothing about boundary training .. I'll read up on that I have been thinking about something new to work on with Miss Bea ! 

[Debbie Daniels]

I agree and you can do Sit Stay at any time and make him wait for a OK release , to teach this I started out just making Miss Beasley wait a minute or to and I'd say Ok in a manner that was exciting, each time I made it longer and I would hand her the treat saying , that's it, I did not treat her when I said Ok, only for the staying part, little by little I would go to a different room, come back and hand her the treat. I also make her wait until I put food in her dish, she sit's and stays until I say OK.. and like you for the car also, which could safe their life ! It's a great  question I wish you luck!

[Gwyndolyn Morasko]

I'm curious about the training techniques as well. I have a little 17 inch dog who disappeared for 30 minutes this weekend from my completely fenced in back yard (5 feet tall).  She eventually came to the fence when she heard me jingling her walking leash.  She had jumped over the 5 ft tall fence to go play with the neighbor dog. Scary stuff!  I adopted her in July and this is the first time she has done that, so I have to move some items she must have used as a launching pad.