Bolting Out the Door

Bolting out the door. If you've seen my flash cards, this is week-one work: before a dog goes outside, the dog sits. You open the door, you go out first, then you release the dog.

Why? You're the leader of the pack. You walk through every door first. If the dog runs out, it can come and go whenever it wants, barking at the neighbors — and that's never going to make a happy neighborhood.

The progressive build. Day one, walk three feet out the door, dog stays inside. Day three, six feet. Day five, ten feet. Day seven, fifteen feet. When the dog runs out to you at the new distance, treat and reward. The dog learns to stay inside until you release it.

It's an easy thing to fix — you just have to be consistent.