Running out the front door issues
 

Ok, everytime we open the front door, Sadie runs out of it. She doesnt just run out the front door and stay in the yard; she takes off down the street or into a neighbors yard. I know that its something I need to teach her not to do because she can get hit by a car (or get attacked by another dog or something) and thats why I'm here asking for advice on what to do about it. I know it seems like we could just be aware of her before opening the door, but thats easier said than done when you've got a 12-yr old and a 7-yr old and their friends coming and going all day long. So are there any suggestions on how to teach her to not just bolt out of the front door when its opened?? If its me going out, I can stop before I go out and tell her "No, Sadie" and she wont go out. Help!!

We had the same problem with Pebbles when we brought her home at 5 months. That first weekend she bolted out the front and back door and nearly gave me a heart attack since we are on a busy street. She ran like a nut job toward the street with everyone running behind her. Very scary!:eek:

This is how we fixed our problem.
1. We kept her leash on her all the time so we could catch her it necessary.
2. Every time we opened the door we did sit/stay treat.

It took a little work but she now sits whenever we open the door. FedEx, the pizza delivery guy, kids down the street, I no longer have to worry about her bolting. I also never let her out the door in front of me either. Hope this helps.:)

Can you put a baby gate in front of the door? We have a plastic exercise pen that comes apart, spread out in zig zag pattern so it blocks the opening on our front porch[large porch] so they can be on the porch but can't reach the steps like a gate. Or use lattice or something like that to block off the porch.Or you could make a gate. Good luck I know how scary it is when they get loose.And I don't think I could ever feel confident enough in training her to stay to not have some sort of barrier.I have been thinking about invisible fencing though.:)

I'm having the same problem with Tiki, so I have a baby gate there. I plan to replace it soon with something a little shorter, so we can step over it but it will slow her down. These little buggers are fast!

Yes, I have one of those Xpens too. The only reason putting a gate is hard is because we've had the air on and if we put the gate in the doorway of the front door, we'd have to leave the front door open because it wont stay closed with a gate there. Im glad that my Yorkie isnt the only one doing this! She is SUPER FAST too and will usually come back to when the kids call her but NEVER for me! I like the leash idea and maybe we'll try that because atleast if she does get out, we can catch her easier! LOL!! When we had a dachshund, we bought one of those shock collars for her and it worked wonderfully! We didnt use it for the front door, but for going down the hallway. We didnt want him going down the hallway because he peed on everything down there (LOL) so the shock collar was put on and the device was plugged in in the hallway and he never crossed it until it got to where we didnt even need the shock collar anymore. He just wouldnt go! Im thinking of getting that for Sadie for the front door! Its the same idea to the invisible fencing.....Thanks guys!

talking about getting hit by a car...yesterday was the first day it was not too hot so I thought i would be nice and let MeiLing, Yoshi and Kioko go outside for a bit since they been couped up inside due to it be over 100 degrees everyday...well everyone had their harness on and was on a lease that extended 25 feet or so...well somehow MeiLing got out of her harness...and took off across the street...then a car happen to be coming down the street and MeiLing was too occupy to move...and i was screaming her name while holding the other 2...well the car attempted to go around right about the same time MeiLing decided she would like to run back...and my heart about dropped... i was so scared and worried...i dunno how this little girl can break out of any xpen, crate, kennel and harness...but from now on when i take her out i am going to be sure that she is limited inside an xpen to do her business...and right back in she goes...no more playtime for her outside...

oh, Wow, thank God she's ok. They are so fast & it's scary!!

yes it is...i was shaking...so i guess i need to tighten the step in harness...because i rather have it tight then for something like that to happen again...and i don't know why cars even attempt to manuever around the dog know that the dog can dart off any second...

My daughter has this same Big Problem with hers. She bought a new townhouse which only had the one wooden front door. He got out probably half a doz times!:eek: One day she/friend called & tried to catch him forever!! He's so fast:doghop: & would stop to look @her, but wouldn't come back. Her friend had gone back inside....my daughter was crying, didn't know what else to do....she was crying, screaming, til she went back inside to tell her friend "I've lost Cole....she was exhausted!! She left her front door open. Guess who came trotting inside when he couldn't see his Mommy in sight?? She was too happy to be MAD! BUT she has been working on this issue & I'm happy to report: she taught him on command when she's @the door to run back up the stairs away from the door. Well, on command to stay & in his frustration, I think, he would run back up the stairs. lol ps....Gran-ma-ma (that would be me:p) purchased a glass door to go in front of the wooden door, just in case. It makes it easier for him not to get out. I wish you the best of luck with your little fast one!!

I would place the xpen in front of your door sort of like half moon like that you're still able to open your door.

Just had 2 more thoughts since it is very scary when they run.

We NEVER take either of them out the front door. It's always in and out the back door no matter what. The same thing with the car. I only allow them to get out of the driver side passanger door.

I have a book about training that really helped and the author talks about letting the dog think it's making their decision and he trains on a leash and steps on it to stop them from going too far. Don't pull the leash or even touch it~just step on the end and have the kids open the door. It was very interesting and I was already doing some of this on my own and didn't even know it. When you open the door stand on the leash and say sit stay and give a treat if he doesn't bolt. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Try it and report back with the results. I guarantee it will work! It worked with Pebbles and when we brought her home she was a crazy, crazy, 5 month old rescue that had NO manner what so ever. :grin2:

maybe you could put treats by the door, when the kids come in, they can give the treat so she will know she is gonna get one if she stays in.
You will also have them to grab fast if she gets out.
Koda ran out in a snow storm once, i wish i had a camera- he slid down the street!:p

which book do you have?

Let the Dog Decide. It's really pretty good and works excellent for Pebbles. She was AWFUL when we got her and she is much better.

Thank you everyone!

We dont "let" her out the front door either but she escapes! I will try the leash idea.....Thanks again!

We have that problem with Roxy - even if we stand in the doorway and block it with our legs. She's like a mouse and can fit thru the smallest space before we can catch her. Then she's like a bullet up the street and into traffic. We solved that problem by making a V-shape out of 2 pieces of the white coated-wire closet shelves. We can open the door and just step over the "wall" and the pups have no clue they can jump over it. But even if they did, we would have a few seconds to react and catch them. It has worked great.

people talk about training,,,,,blah blah blah. Thats what it sounds like to Otis when I try to train him not to run out the door. I've resorted to 2 panels of an ex pen that barricade the door off. Works like a charm! Otis is a smart dog, but his wild side takes over when he see's an open door!

Sadie is becoming such a big girl now! The treats are working wonderfully with her! She is learning to stop now when someone opens the front door from the inside instead of just bolting out of it. I had the side gate opened today and she didnt try to run past me at all. When she got close, I just told her "No, Sadie" and she turned around and ran off to play in the backyard like a good girl! She loves Honey Nut Cheerios so I use them as treats for her. Im so proud of her - now if I could only get her potty trained to let me know when she needs to go outside!! :)

Thanks everyone for your advice.

Custom Gate
 

We would be having the same problem if my husband hadn't built a gate. He made it to match the picket garden fence in the front yard. If the placement of the gate you have, won't allow you to close the door, maybe a custom one would work. I tried to add a photo but it's over the 200 limit. If you'd like I can email it to you. It's been a life saver, especially my life, saving me from having a heart attack, watching Honeybee bolt up the street.:aimeeyork

You can get a doggie gate. That will definitely stop your baby from running out of the door. ;)

Maybe you can get a Baby Gate and put it up ...... :thumbup:

YEAH! :clapsmile:cheer::yay_jump::woof:I'm so glad this worked for Sadie! I just bought some Captian Crunch PB to mix it up a little!:p

xpen
 

This is what I have done for years. I have an xpen in a half moon configuration inside my front door. The door can be opened and people can get inside and close the door and the dogs cannot get to the door. Yes, it takes me a second longer to get to the door, but the dogs are safe. It's well worth the trouble.

That is GREAT news! :yay_jump:
We had the same problems w/ LilyGrace when we brought her home...we worked w/ her on the leash and w/ treats....then gradually, she would sit until I went out and Mojo went out (because she normally plows him over running out the door)...and w/ that training, she is now the first one back to the door ready to go in (ready for a treat)!:thumbup:

btw...I have family in Susanville!!!

It is great! My friend has it set up like that because she's got a runner. Mine are pretty good about not running out the door. I tell them to back away and they do. Also my entire house is fenced in so if they do run out they cannot get passed the fence and everytime someone knocks and they have my storm door open I crack open the door and tell them to close the storm door and then I'll open the door. My babies do get a little excited when ppl come over so I have to watch them sometimes. My kids know that no one is allowed in a out the house and if they want to play they need to go out and stay out...lol I personally would keep the door lock if I had kids coming in and out:D If they need something they will knock.

This seems like great advice as I have heard something like it elsewhere. :thumbup:I am glad it worked for you and will work on it with Louie - he just started trying to run out.

Our trainer made us teach Winston to sit and stay at every door and before we ever cross the street. Once Winston sits and stays, than we say 'lets go' and we exit the door or cross the street FIRST; before Winston. With lots of treats and positive reinforcement he caught on right away.

So slowly your yorkie will learn that he/she must sit and stay prior to EVER crossing the street or exiting a door. and that you (the human) always goes first.

to teach stay:

- first tell your dog to sit by using your voice and hand command (once they do give a treat and say good boy/girl);
- than say 'stay' and put your hand out like a stop signal;
- than count (in your head 3-5 secs);
- if they move, say engeng (it's a noise we learned in class) or say 'no', which ever you use;
- If your dog doesn't move give a treat and say good boy/girl

Your dog MUST learn sit and stay before they can learn not to run out the front door.

And REMEMBER your treat and/or positive reinforcement MUST be more exciting than what's outside!!

Exactly how we had to do it. Now that they are laying wood flooring we had to buy a different type that wouldn't scratch the wood.
Excuse the REAL mess, but here is the picture of our safty zone. :D

Where did you find that?? That is a good idea!! I have a gate across the front porch but Lily does the same thing and she runs like crazy and scares me to death!!
I am having a real problem getting her to "come" to me or anyone?? She will NOT let you catch her to pick her up and she runs from you even to take her out to potty in her xpen or whatever I have to play CATCH to pick her up....she is 5+ months old??? She is a very stubborn little girl but she is afraid of newspaper if I get it out and make noise w/it she will get scared and I can get her like that in the house sometimes. Sit and Stay doesn't do a thing and she doesn't care about the "treat" no matter what it is??? I am at my wits end!!!!!

She is still a baby so please don't give up on the treats and training her to sit. :) Pebbles was known as DEVELDOG for quite a while when we first brought her home. :( She was bolting out the door, running when called, not listening at all when she was 5 1/5 months old. It took a while (months) before we got this under control. Go slow and work with her maybe 3-5 minutes at a time when she is not distracted and work your way up. Sit on the floor and work on just sit and treat and praise. Then get her do it in different places and keep her leash on her so that she cannot bolt or run from you until she listens. Pebbles walked around for months with her leash dragging behind her. I would call her and she would run under the bed and the only way to get her out was to pull her out by the leash. I was at my wits end too, that is why I am so positive this will work for everyone. Believe me it will work! Use something really good to get her attention, cheerios, cheese, lunch meat, chicken, liver sausage it has to be something she thinks is sooooo yummy she will do anything for it. :yay_jump:
For her safety block the door temporarily but I guarantee she will do it if you have her attention and lots of patience and consistency.
As much as I love her, if Pebbles would have continued to be out of control I don't know if she would still be with us, that is just how frustrated I was until I started doing this with her. But I was also very determined to not let her control me with her out of control behaviors.

*In the middle of me replying to the message, the girl that had Pebbles before me stopped by. She has not seen her in months~when she was still Devildog. She was amazed how different she is now compared to the way she use to be when Pebbles lived with her. All of her bad behaviors were part of the reason that she was given up.:(:(:(:(