Some dogs get so excited at walk time that, as soon as the door opens, they dash out, overtaking their own owners. This situation can be dangerous both for owners, who may fall, and for dogs, who may be run over.
Here are some tips to change this behaviour — the "secret" is always positive reinforcement of the behaviours we want to encourage.
At doors leading to the street:
Start by working with your furry friend in areas near the exit door. Teach the "sit" command, making sure they obey.
Once your furry friend has learnt it, ask them to sit by the front door before taking them out for a walk.
Important note: do not ask your furry friend to sit by the door if you are not taking them with you. Leaving the house without them will be interpreted as punishment rather than a reward when they have done as asked.
Practise the following steps with the collar on your furry friend, keeping the lead short:
Walk to the closed door and ask them to sit; slowly begin to open the door.
If your furry friend gets up before the right moment, ignore them and close the door again.
While they remain seated, keep opening the door.
With the door open and your furry friend sitting, give a "release" command — something like "let's go" — and walk out through the door.
Other options:
If your furry friend cannot manage to sit by the door, keep them on a short lead and only then open the door.
Use good "rewards" (e.g. their favourite biscuits) whenever they do as asked.
Let them go to the end of the lead and call them back. If they return, even for a second, reward them!
If they do not come back, work on that moment indoors, with the door ajar, improving the reward every time they respond.
Golden rule: in dog training, consistency is key. Make sure everyone who interacts with your furry friend behaves in the same way.
