Prevent Dashing and Running Out the Door

Tips and Tricks to Stop Your Dog from Running Out the Door

One of the fears that many dog lovers and owners have for their four legged family members is their dog dashing and running out the door. This is especially dreadful if you live in an area where a lot of vehicles pass every day. Even when there are not a lot of cars around, the idea of your dog running out of control in the streets can fill you with dread because this can lead to him chasing people or animals. Other people who are not familiar with your dog might report him to the authorities and this will really be a big problem.

One mistake that some dog owners have when dealing with their dog running wildly out of the door is not to look further into why they do this. Maybe you are too busy to find out and just want the easy solution of locking up your dog or tie him up. While these work (he certainly won’t be running out now!), they could open up another set of problems. Dogs that are tied up or locked in kennels all their lives tend to be aggressive and have issues. These solutions can also be a hassle for you because you will forever be cleaning up the mess they leave behind and you will not be able to take your dog out for a sedate walk when you want to.

Possible Reasons

There are a number of reasons why your dog always runs out of the door every chance he gets. One reason is because he may be full of pent up energy and needs to run around. Dogs, whether big or small, need to exercise daily. Experts recommend an hour long walk every day, or the play equivalent of this, in order to get rid of the boundless energy that dogs usually have. This recommendation is for big and small dogs.

Another possibility why he usually dashes out the door when he can is the instinct to look for a mate. Dogs, especially those that are not neutered of spayed, often want to associate with other dogs of the opposite sex. When your dog matures, the urge to mate is stronger and you may not be able to control your dog. Some owners will have to neuter or spay their dogs because some dogs become aggressive when they are frustrated. Neutering or spaying can help calm your dog’s hormonal urges but can also help to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Your dog might also have been conditioned into thinking that you chase it whenever it goes out the door. He might think that it is a game of chase in which you chase him and he runs off.

How To Prevent Dashing and Running Out the Door

The best thing to prevent your dog from developing the habit of dashing and running out the door is to find out why he does this. You need to look into the possibility of neutering or spaying your dog if you think this may cause a problem in the future. Another way of preventing this habit is to allot exercise time for your dog. As mentioned above, an hour or so of daily exercise will help to get rid of the boundless energy that dogs usually have. If you are too busy for this, you might like to invest in a dog walker.

In order to prevent your dog from thinking that going out the door in top speed is a game of chase, you need to prepare everything before you take your puppy out for a walk. Sit him down in front of the door, before putting him on the leash. Make sure he is seated and does not try to lunge out. Say “no” firmly if he tries to lunge at the door and get him to sit again. You should be relaxed when you take him out so that he won’t pick up on any nervous vibes or energy from you. The first time you go out with your dog or puppy, take him on a calm walk where there are not too many people and cars. Get him used to the idea of a calm, sedate walk several times before venturing out to heavily trafficked areas. If you have no choice with regards to traffic, try to walk during the times when there is less traffic.

Correcting the Behavior

If your mature dog gets too excited and unruly when you try to open the door, there are a few ways to correct him. One thing to do is to keep him calm and get him to sit before putting on the leash. If he is still a bit too excited, you might try to distract him with a toy or a noise maker to get his attention away from the door. When he is calm, put on the leash and then try to open the door. It is important that you are also calm and stable when you do this. If your dog races to the door and tries to get out whenever someone goes near it, you can try to ask the members of your family to be careful when they go out. The person going out can also try to command the dog to sit or say “no’ in a firm voice. Consistency in being firm will yield better results than punishing the dog for his unruly behavior. Always put your dog on a leash while training him not to dash out of the door because he just might be able to elude you and make a break for it. Preventing accidents while training is a priority.

Another aspect of correcting this behavior is when you want to bring your dog out without a leash. The best thing that you can do is to socialize your dog before going out without a leash. While it is advisable to socialize a puppy early compared to a mature dog, you can still get your mature or old dog to behave better in society. It just takes some patience and perseverance. Rewarding your dog for good behavior is the best way to teach him how to behave outside. Some states have laws against bringing dogs out in public without leads and this is for the protection of everybody, including your four legged buddy.

Get your dog to trust you and to bond with you so he will enjoy going out with you. When your dog bonds with you, he will not run away from you out of fear. When the walk with your dog is enjoyable, your dog will behave better and learn to be patient while waiting to go out of the door.

The aspect of discipline is tricky when it comes to dogs. Some trainers reason out that the dogs needs to be snapped out of his focus of going out the door by some form of physical contact. While a lot of trainers are successful in this, owners may not have control over the intensity of the contact and may actually hurt the dog or give him a negative impression. Positive reinforcement is still the best way to teach a dog how to behave.

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