I like amspoelstra's advice. In addition to teaching him stay and come also teach him a command that means its ok to go outside and use it everytime he's allowed out. I can't say that I've been successful at that with Reagan but my big dog does great when it comes to his fenced in area. He sits right at the opening to the gate until I tell him ok. One other thing to try after you've gotten that done is a command that means to go back inside. I can tell my lab to your pen and he heads for the fence. If I haven't praticed it in a while he is a bit reluctant but always manages to eventually go back in. How I taught him is basically just telling him to your pen and leading him up there closing the gate and praising him, then letting him out after a short time(usually less than a minute, just long enough for him to sit and calm down) and repeating it all over again.
I have also heard of a lot of people using a baby gate or some type of blockade at the front door. It would be a bit harder for him to sneak out of something people have to step over.
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Courtney |