Not only does a dog’s curiosity lead him to places he should not be, but his tendency to want to follow you everywhere can also lead him to off-limit areas. If you have ever left a window open or a door cracked, then you may have had to go searching for a curious pooch. You can always work on your forgetfulness to close the door, and you can also work on your pooch’s willingness to run out the door at every opportunity. Teaching your dog to stay inside not only helps with obedience, it also helps keep him out of danger.
It is normally easier to start training with a puppy. However, I recommend starting this training once the puppy is potty trained and has a basic understanding of “sit” and “stay.” My reasoning for this is that the dog will have to sit and wait at the door until you allow him to leave. A puppy that does not know how or why he should not “hold it” is likely to pee in your floor. But, it’s up to you to start the training when you feel it is necessary. For this training, you will need your pooch, a handful of treats, and a door that leads outside. You may also need a leash in the beginning stages of training, and a helper in the later stages. Remember to keep the sessions under fifteen minutes.
If your pooch likes to follow you out the door, then you won’t need to use the leash. However, if your pooch is preoccupied or isn’t too concerned with you leaving the home, then go ahead and place him on the leash. Walk toward the door. Visually mark a place a couple of feet in front of the door as the “stop zone.” It will help if you stop at this spot, and have your pooch stop at the spot, every time you head out the door. When you get to the spot, tell your pooch to “stop.” He probably won’t understand the command yet, so you should follow “stop” with “sit.” Open the door and close it. You don’t have to go outside, but the action of the door opening will help his associate the behavior. Give him a treat, a little praise, and repeat. Do this several times until your pet understands what you want him to do.
Now, have your pet “stop” and “sit.” This time, tell him to “stay” as you open the door. Walk out the door (to where your pooch can’t see you), and then immediately return. Give him a treat for staying. You may have to remind him to “stay” as you walk away. Once he stays without following you, begin to walk out farther and stay out a little longer. Now, when you exit, turn back toward your pooch and release him. You can release him by saying “release,” “okay,” or whatever you prefer. Give him a treat for coming to you. If you think your pooch has the “stay” part of the training down, then grab a helper. It’s time for the next part.
Have the helper head to the door, and make sure your dog is following. The helper may need to grab the dog’s favorite toy or another item to get his attention. You should be somewhere near the door where your dog can see you. Once the helper approaches the door, tell your pooch to “stop” and “sit.” Repeat the training from the beginning, having the helper exit and return. Once the helper makes it outside a few times, then start releasing your dog. Since you are the one training, it is important that you are the one giving the commands until your pooch gets the hang of things. Eventually, your pooch will learn to “stop,” so “sit” and “stay” may not have to be used.
If your dog darts outside at every opportunity, then it’s a good idea to teach him to wait on your approval. A loose dog can endanger himself and others. Training your dog not to go until you command him to will make him less likely to dart out the door without your permission, keeping him out of trouble!
Article provided by Jessica Taylor from pet-super-store.com a website featuring aluminum dog crates, dog doors and dog beds.