Training The Dogs Not To Bolt Out The Door To The Backyard, Advice?

[Guest snowmo18]

So the 2 dogs have gotten in a bad habit of racing out the back door down the 4 steps, sprinting across a cement slab and leaping over a 3 foot section of floor bed/bricks (We plan on making this more dog friendly this summer..just bought the house) to see who can get to the pooing grounds first...this has led to a few small injuries over the last few weeks...nicks and cuts here and there, torn webbing on foot and today it was a torn pad.

 

so, how do I train them to nicely "walk/trot outside"..this sounds impossible to me..and maybe I have to start letting them out by themself.

 

 

any suggestions?

[Guest june]

Just a couple ideas that come to mind.

 

You might try letting them out 1 at a time. I sometimes do this when my yard is muddy and I don't want them running and bringing mud back in the house. If there is only one going out at a time mine are less likely to do their crazy running dog act.

 

Also, You could put leashes on them and walk them down the steps and then let them go one at a time.

 

I'm sure others will come up with more ideas.

Good luck!

[JenniferS]

My two do the same thing. I try to walk them out by their tag collars, but even then, when I let them go they take off like crazy. We've also been trying to train the "wait" command which is much easier when they are on leash. Good luck!

[Guest wylie_coyote]

What do you mean you can keep them from bolting out the back door!!!!!!!!

 

 

This is an option!!!!

[Guest DragonflyDM]

I would just practice the stay command over and over and over and over and over. Have them know they can’t go out without being released. That is what I do with Boomer from the car and the house.

[JJNg]

Teaching them to stay and waiting until they are released won't help with the OP's problem of the dogs racing each other over obstacles in the yard and hurting themselves. For that, I agree with the suggestion of letting them out one at a time - not necessarily separately, but just let one dog out the door, wait for him to reach the 'pooing grounds' and settle down, then let the other one out. They will probably be less likely to run as hard when they are let out one at a time.

 

For potty trips outside, often the only running my dogs do is immediately after they're released out the door, and they sprint to the back corner of the yard (looking for rabbits and deer). Once that initial sprint is done, they settle down to do their business. So if I have a dog who is on moderately restricted activity for a mild injury (not full restriction for anything major), I often hold that dog back, let the others out first, then let that dog out after everyone else is done running.

[Guest snowmo18]

Thank you all for your input, this afternoon Ill try letting out my boy first (the instigator) and then Polly, she is more of a trotter if she is by herself

 

They dont bolt out on my husband in the morning because they are still sleepy..its just when I get home and they are so excited to see me.. Second step if that doesnt work is the leash, the only problem with that is they both get ridiculous when I take out the leashes..jumping and twirlling, I have been trying to turn my back to them until they calm down before I greet them or let them out..that doesnt seem to be making too much progress they just jump and scratch up my back...ugh.

[TheFullHouse]

I let mine out one at a time. Works like a charm for me. While one is headed for the yard I muzzle the next one and let that one out and so on.

[JAJ2010]

The girls do the same thing. They have an awesome wait, but as soon as they get that release word they bolt off. The only thing that will probably stop it is to only do turn out one at a time

[a_daerr]

Agree with Jen... This is probably going to be a matter of making accomodations vs. training. However, the "wait" command and door training are both still immensely helpful. Put your hand on the door, and reward the dog for being in a sit or down stay. Turn the handle, open the door a little piece. If the dog breaks the stay, the door closes and you start over. Eventually, the idea is to be able to walk in or out of the door without the dog bolting out. This one took a lot of practice for my guys because they know an open door usually means going somewhere fun.

 

ETA: Josh, am I understanding you correctly? You let Boomer go from the car to the house by himself (i.e. no leash)?

Edited March 14, 2013 by a_daerr

[Guest DragonflyDM]

He would bolt out of the car if he didn't have a good stay command. So i have him stay while I hook up his leash from the car to the house. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

 

I also don't let him in and out of the house without me going through a door first. It is an alpha thing and also it stops him from getting hurt. The first month I had him, we had to have part of his tail amputated because he was wrestling with me through the door and he broke his tail on the storm door.

 

I am just saying a consitant protocol of discipline really seems to help keep him calm and in control of himself.

Edited March 14, 2013 by DragonflyDM

[a_daerr]

Okay, gotcha!