So Frustrated With My Dog!

[Snoopy21]

Sigh.....I'm just so frustrated with my dog. Willow is a 21 month old cross breed (bull arab type) dog (that's her in my avatar) who is just lovely. She is intelligent and loving and very happy. She has fitted in well with the family since we rescued her at 5 months old. But she has one shocking habit - she bolts whenever she gets out the front. She just runs off careening wildly down the street, back and forth across the road, up and down people's driveways etc and no amount of calling or whistling or running or waving of arms will attract her attention or get her back. It is scary!

We do try hard not to let her out of course and our yard is secure, but we have little kids and often she just gets out. Her recall is excellent in the yard and house and good at training (on lead). If she is calm and attentive (in a down stay e.g.) her recall is also good. I take her to obedience training weekly with our local club, so she knows her commands. We have tried improving her recall using a long line, but TBH it is very difficult with either her or I getting yanked off our feet when she hits the end of it at a run.

HELP!! It is making our lives miserable.

[Ons]

the freedom but it doesn't help at all

have you thought about fencing off part of your yard so that Willow doesn't have access to the side gate so if the kids do leave the gate open she is safe?

Also if my Tilly gets out on the rare occassion she does the same thing, lucky i live on a very quiet road but what I do is call her in a very very exc ited tone and she normally comes running to see what mum has coz she sounds more exciting than anything else, yes you sound like an idiot but it is more than worth it.

[Erny]

It is possible to train for this to not .... or at least be less likely .... to happen. It takes work and it depends on how serious you are about it though. However, if you want more a foolproof system, what about a 'buffer zone' area. Not sure what the proper word for it would be, but kind of like a two gate system where one gate auto closes before the next gate is opened?

Edited June 11, 2009 by Erny

[WildatHeart]

It is possible to train for this to not .... or at least be less likely .... to happen. It takes work and it depends on how serious you are about it though. However, if you want more a foolproof system, what about a 'buffer zone' area. Not sure what the proper word for it would be, but kind of like a two gate system where one gate auto closes before the next gate is opened?

like an air lock

[Erny]

like an air lock

That's what I was trying to think of - thanks WAH. I am so tired tonight I can't think properly .

Edited June 11, 2009 by Erny

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

You do need some sort of system to prevent this, I've had a dog like this and appreciate how hard it is, esp when you have children but there'd be nothing worse than her having a terrible accident or causing one.

WOuld it be possible to install a baby gate in a hall way cutting off her access to the front door?

Is your front yard fenced/gated?

[Snoopy21]

She never escapes out the gate - just the front door. Our front yard is not gated and cannot be (council regulation). It would be possible to gate the front door off, but difficult and expensive (there are 2 access points). I would prefer to train her. Do you think it is possible? Even if she had good recall otherwise, would she still do this?

[Nekhbet]

completely possible I have trained it with a few notorious bolters before. Dont let obedience be your trap this is a manners and habit problem

I will PM you tomorrow as I should be studying for my human physiology exam

Edited June 11, 2009 by Nekhbet

[Snoopy21]

Thanks Nekhbet! Good luck with your exam.

[dee lee]

Hey Nekhbet, do you think you cold post an answer on here too? Pretty please?!

Evie never bolts our front door- we have very strict rules and she knows that when I tell her to get away from the door she is to do just that. The only time she accidently got out I was cleaning the car right out the front and she just walked up to me and stood there looking at me! This is my silly no-recall dog!

However, at my parents house its a different story- my dad has mistakenly let her out several times (stubborn old coot refuses to adjust his habits when we visit :p ) she bolts and its taken about 15 mins for me to get her back each time. Luckily there have been no animals or cars around.

It would be good to hear your advice to Snoopy21, maybe I can work out what Im doing wrong there.

Edited June 12, 2009 by ✽deelee

[Diva]

It is possible to train for this to not .... or at least be less likely .... to happen. It takes work and it depends on how serious you are about it though. However, if you want more a foolproof system, what about a 'buffer zone' area. Not sure what the proper word for it would be, but kind of like a two gate system where one gate auto closes before the next gate is opened?

This buffer zone - I call it the 'air lock' - is what I use with 3 sighthounds and a very busy street only a block away.

They are suprisingly good about not going through open gates and doors, but this gives me comfort just in case. The front verandah has a gate, which makes the verandah the buffer zone for the front door, and the driveway has both the main gate to the street and an inner gate into the garden/dog run main part of the back yard. You always have to have left two gates/doors at my place open for the dogs to get out. (If I could fence the front yard I would but not allowed in the ACT.)

IMHO, I think there are two parts to training her out of this, one is a good recall in case she does get out, but the first step is training respect for the front door so she knows she never goes through it off lead. Easy to teach to a dog that doesn't already have experience of bolting, but with good advice (like Erny's and Nekhbet's) should be possible?

Edited June 12, 2009 by Diva

[Kelly_Louise]

I have the same problem with Sasha... she has slowly gotten better and has learned respect for the garage roller door. However, if we are out the front doing something or talking to neighbours and she is out the back and can hear us, she gets all excited or anxious and this is when she is most likely to zoom out the roller door if we come in that way. Normally, now we have taught her to sit on the mat about 2 metres away whenever the door is being opened or closed, and then we praise her when she stays.

She has become really good at this and it's been AGES since the last bolt, but it has taken time and patience. However, we were doing the storm water drains out the front last weekend, and on Friday when I was at work Sasha took off while OH was bringing the wheel barrow back in. She had been quite stressed at lunchtime as we had been out the front talking to the neighbours about the drain. But I thought she had calmed down after we came inside and I spent some time with her. Some time in the afternoon though, OH opened the roller door and she was off like a rocket. She actually ran a VERY long way this time, OH apparently chased her for 40minutes. At one point he caught her, but because he didn't have a lead or anything (just dropped everything to go after her) she got out of his grasp and ran away again. The only time she stopped and let him grab her was when she was just plain tuckered out. But she went near main roads this time... and I am afraid for her safety 'just in case' she should ever get out again.

So if any hints or tips that could help could be posted we'd very much like to hear them too!!!

[dak07]

Try a child safe gate at your front door, works for my mum and her dogs..

[Nekhbet]

I sent a PM last night I hope it made sense

you can post it on here if it does

[Rex]

Ultimately the dog needs to be trained not to bolt at the opportunity of an open door/gate which requires exercises purposely introducing her to an opened door/gate on leash and teach her what she is to do in those circumstances. I would assume when taking her out for a walk, she probably excitingly pulls like mad on the leash as you exit the door which if so, that behaviour is the first thing I would correct that will greatly assist the present bolting problem off leash.

When opening the door/gate to go for a walk, command the dog to sit then open the door. If she gets up to bolt, the moment her backside lifts off the floor, give a firm NO command and a sharp crack on the leash and make her sit again. Continue the exercise until she remains seated whilst the door is opened and praise her for good behaviour. The same applies when moving forward through the door and she begins to pull and surge fowards with excitement, NO and a crack on the leash and go back inside and close the door and repeat the exercise until she sits at the open door and proceeds in an orderly fashion. She needs to learn that bolting and pulling will result in going back inside not out to investigate the other side of the fence. With persistance and repetition she will learn what is required of her, but it takes time.

The other thing that works well with bolters is to set them up and catch them in the act. Have someone hide around the corner out front and leave the door open tempting her to bolt. The moment she makes a move out the door, have the assistant front her and chase her back inside with harsh NO GRRRRRR and give her a fright of what happens if she tries on a bolter!!!.

Hope this helps.

[raydon26]

We too have this problem. We have a female (desexed, approx 3 - 4 yr old) mastiff that when she gets out of the yard, whether it be out the gate (accidentally left open) or over the back fence (property is under development in the next few years), she takes the bolt - but only when we realise she is out. Once she wandered around the front yard (not fenced) from when our daughter left at 7.30 until i noticed her through the fence at 9 o'clock. As soon as we call her she's off down the street, never the same one, just in the direction she is facing at the time of discovery. She will run for a little while and waits, smelling or going to the toilet, until we are about 2 metres away then off she goes again, once i chased her for over an hour and it took all of my patience to not go balisitic at her when i caught her. I do realise she thinks this is just a game but i am absolutely petrified that she may be hit by a car or go for another dog that is roaming (she is quite social, but still a fear of mine), so i won't risk it and just turn away to bluff her. She is quite well behaved in the yard and does come when she's called & will sit but i have not really instilled in her these 'rules'. She is booked in for dog obedience but this does not start until the end of July. I will try some of your suggestion but any more would be greatly appreciated.

[Snoopy21]

Thanks everyone. I now have a plan.

Here is what Nekhbet sent to me (it makes perfect sense - thank you!)

first if you dont have a different floor surface near the door grab some masking tape and make a 'zone' around the front door, a couple of meters max.

start with breaking the pattern - she will watch you for signals and get excited so do what you would do when you are about to leave.

walk to the door ignoring her. Wait till she settles and then get her to sit at the line. take one step back, if she breaks the sit go 'AAAGH BACK' and use your body to block her back to the line. Repeat until she doesnt move when you take a step back and reward her.

THe trick is to do this in increments. The turn the door handle, then open the door a crack, then a little more etc until she doesnt bolt and learns the line is the limit unless told otherwise.

HAVE HER ON LEAD WHEN YOU START THE DOOR EXERCISE unless you have a screen door you can shut

Everytime she makes a move to that line "ARRGGHHH BACK" loudly. This is serious and even clap your hands at her to give her a fright. Even intent should be discouraged as you want her to completely forget about the door unless you tell her otherwise.

Reward her for patience and waiting. I would also introduce an 'outside' command like my dogs have. When on the leash and up to the door open a bit stage open it and 'outside!' and walk out encouraging her to follow. She should pick this up in no time

I am going to give it a go. Willow doesn't bolt every time the door is opened, she does it when she sees an opportunity of a good escape (usually one of the kids standing just inside or outside the door distracted by something else). I really like the idea of an outside command and will use that at both the front and back door each time she goes out or we go out together. I will enforce sitting at the edge of the carpet for opening the door too.

[lovemesideways]

Try a child safe gate at your front door, works for my mum and her dogs..

OT For a second I though you child gated your door so your Mum couldn't get out

[Parkeyre]

Try a child safe gate at your front door, works for my mum and her dogs..

OT For a second I though you child gated your door so your Mum couldn't get out

that's how i read it too instead of "my mother's dogs" lol