Stop Your Dog from Rushing the Door.

Do you have five minutes a day to work with your dog? It’s a common misconception that you must train your dog for hours to be obedient. Actually, in this case, less is more! Making training fun and short will leave your dog hungry for more training. This will cause your dog to work harder at being obedient the next time you train. Don’t believe us? Keep reading to find out how you can nip door rushing in the bud!

What Motivates Your Dog?

Get out some tasty treats; we’re talkin’ top-shelf high-value rewards. If you need some, check out Brookside Barkery + Bath they have the best raw treats in town.

Door Manners

Let’s work on something “simple” like getting your dog to stop rushing out of the door. I say this is simple, but I know many people struggle with this one, and I get it! It’s frustrating being yanked out of the door. This behavior is also linked to poor loose-leash walking skills, but we’ll save that topic for another time. First, let’s work on the understanding that we don’t rush through doors. You can practice this inside your home with any entry. Have your dog on a leash, your treats ready, your clicker in hand, and most importantly, remember to make mistakes and have fun!

The rules of the game: Rushing the door means the door closes. 

Staying back or sitting means the door opens.

Just 5 minutes a day of training will get you closer to your dream dog!

Let’s get Started!

Session One (5 Minutes) - The first step is communicating to our dog that we are looking for a SIT at the closed door. We are trying to capture the moment your dog decides to follow through with the command “SIT”, not when its butt is already on the floor. With your dog on a leash and the door closed, use your terminal marker (Click or Yes), then reward your dog for the action of sitting at a closed door. We need to move our dogs between repetitions of sitting. Move with your dog a couple of steps so they stand up again, and then ask them to sit again at the closed door. For this session, we’re going to keep the door closed. Pro tip: Get a treat pouch! It’s critical to mark and offer the reward within one and a half seconds of following through with the command. That one and a half seconds is the moment the dog makes the connection between “My butt touched the ground, my human made a sound, and food went into my mouth. Maybe I should do that again!”

Time To Open The Door

Session Two (5 minutes) - Now that we have shown our dogs what we're looking for, we need to help them understand what not to do. Before you move on, warm your dog up with a few reps of good “SIT” commands at the closed door. Set you and your dog up for success and have them on a leash with the leash in your hand; if they manage to sneak through the door, you will have the tool to stop them.

After a few reps, begin to open the door; gradually increase how far you open the door. If they move, use your negative marker (No); you can correct them by either closing the door or invading their personal space with your body to stop their advancement through the door. Use your leash to prevent them from crossing the threshold. The consequence is created by establishing the boundaries of the entry. If the dog goes back into the SIT, we continue to open the door; if they don't go back into the SIT, we can reset by moving around the room and then returning to the closed door. 

DO NOT GIVE THEM FOOD IF THEY MOVE.

The two times we will give them positive reinforcement is when they come to the door and SIT, just like we practiced in session one and if they remain seated while the door opens and closes. We are communicating that rushing through the door means the door closes. Sitting means the door opens with food as the reward.

As your dog starts to understand this concept, you can gradually open the door wider and leave the door open for extended periods of time. If your dog moves, the door must close.

I Go, You Stay

Session Three (5 Minutes) - Start with a warm-up, and return to what you practiced in sessions one and two. At this point, you should be able to open the door fully while your dog remains sitting. It’s time to walk through the open door, leash in hand. If your dog remains seated, we can add a continuation marker (Good). Now, return through the doorway while your dog continues to sit. Use your terminal marker (Click or Yes), and reward them for sitting after you’ve returned to the dog’s side of the door. If they start to rush the door, we need to punish them for breaking position. Correct them the same way you did during session two by closing the door or by using your body to block their way. Having your dog on a leash is critical because it is your last-ditch effort to stop them. If they make it through the door and are free to do something else, they have rewarded themselves and will try to blow you off in the future.

Pro tip: Be forgiving to yourself and your dog. This may take a few tries. Know that you will make mistakes, and it will be okay, but don’t give up! 

The Home Stretch

Session Four (5 Minutes) - Set your dog up for success by warming up and doing reps from our previous sessions. Once you are back to where you ended on session three, it is time to add in our release command. Have your dog sit at the door, walk through the door with the leash in hand, and remember to use your Continuation Marker (Good) if they remain seated.

When you have passed through the doorway, pause; use your release command (OK or Break) and immediately follow it with a pop from the leash. Think of it like starting the smallest lawn mower in the world. You can move backward while adding pressure with the leash if your dog doesn’t move to encourage them through the door. When they move towards you, use your Terminal Marker (Click or Yes) and reward your dog on your side of the door. Remember we’re clicking our clicker or saying “Yes” the moment they decide to follow through with the command rather than marking the behavior after they have already passed through.

At this point, rewarding your dog on both sides of the door is essential. Reward them when they come through the door after you’ve released them and on the side where they are seated. Once your dog is understanding the game, mix it up! Reward with food every two reps of coming through the door or every other time they sit at the entry. This will keep them hungry for more training when they are not exactly sure when the reward is coming. Always use your markers to indicate to your dog that they are doing right or wrong regardless of whether you’re treating them.

Proofing the Behavior

YOU DID IT! Now that your dog has this new skill, it’s time to proof the behavior (that’s fancy dog trainer lingo for practicing this skill in different areas and situations).

You are testing your dog and showing them that these rules and boundaries apply to all doorways, not just the back door to the yard. Always start on leash, and begin adding new doors!

Remember to break these sessions apart, so they’re not all in a row.

We want your dog hungry for the next session. You can practice each session once a day for a week.

Quality vs. Quantity 

Dogs think in pictures. By breaking down each component of what we want into smaller parts, we can more effectively teach our dog new skills. End each session once they’ve completed the task you’ve set for them. We want clear examples for your dog. We don’t need many.

Balanced Training

Remember that consistent and balanced training creates a healthy, trusting relationship with your dog. Daily positive reinforcement and proper corrections will teach your furry friend to take cues from you in any situation! 

Feeling Overwhelmed?

No worries, friends! We’ve got your back. If you’re dealing with behavioral issues or are struggling with finding the time to get your training done each day - we can help! Click here to learn more about our services.