When you open a door, is it a race between you and your dog who gets out first? Or if in the car, does your dog barrel over or through you to hit the pavement first? Do you feel angst when you’re about to open a door because your dog may get loose and you’ll be unable to catch him? That thought is a dog parent’s worst nightmare, especially when the worst case scenario is the outcome.
This behavior of dogs charging the door is called door dashing and it isn’t because your dog is trying to dominate you and the world. Your dog is doing what makes him happy! Think about how we dream about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence. Well, to your dog, the grass IS greener on the other side of the door. It’s exciting for him to move from one place to the other, and unless he’s taught to stay put until his owner releases him, a dog is going to take advantage of the situation and dart or push his way from one side to the other.
Take heart, though. Waiting at the door is a behavior that can be taught to a dog quite readily, and with consistent maintenance after the dog is taught, can become a staple among your dog’s impulse control behaviors.
If you’d like to have peace of mind that when the door opens your dog doesn’t stride through the opening like a horse that’s heard the starting bell at the races, contact me. Together, we’ll decide on a more appropriate behavior to train such as your dog sitting at the door and waiting until he hears the release cue. This behavior will work for you and your dog for the lifetime of your dog and is worth the investment now. Waiting to train your dog to sit stay at the door will only strengthen his current door-dashing behavior and every time a door opens there will be one more chance of the worst case scenario. The sooner the training starts, the sooner you’ll have peace of mind.
Please visit the Investment in Dog Training page as well.
By Helen Verte
Certified Pet Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed, Certified Trick Dog Instructor
Training Door Dashing Dogs in South Florida, Broward County
