[nagdu] Preventing escapes

[Linda Gwizdak]

Hi,
I also live in an apartment building where my apartment door opens into a 
hallway. If people are coming in and out of my apartment, I put Landon 
either in his crate and zip its door shut or put him on a tie down.

One of my friends had trouble with her dog bolting outside her mobile home 
to run around the mobile home park. She just couldn't break the dog from 
this habit.  Well, an instructor from her guide dog school finally broke the 
dog of the habit of bolting.

My friend has a washing machine right next to her back dooor - the one the 
dog would bolt out of.  The instructor tied a long nylon line to the heavy 
washing machine and clipped the other end on the dog's collar.  There was 
enough line for the dog to clear the steps. The door was opened and the dog 
bolted out... to administer to itself a HUGE leash correction!  A couple of 
this treatment later, the dog no longer bolts out the door.  So, that dog 
has lived to actually retire this summer.

Most of my dogs would go out my door to greet a friend and prompty come back 
in like he was escorting my friend inside. I don't let him do this much 
because I don't want door bolting to become a part of his behavior.  Landon 
likes to hang around with me.

Linda and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2009 5:21 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Preventing escapes


> The unfortunate situation in Indianapolis got me thinking and so I'll ask
> folks here this question.
>
> What steps do you take to prevent your dog from escaping out an open door?
>
> If the dog has gotten out, what did you do to get him/her back?
>
> I really do try to enforce the policy that the dog only goes through a 
> door
> outside when I give it the command to do so, in or out of harness. If a 
> dog
> starts barging through doorways, even ones inside buildings, I'll go back 
> to
> the class method and have the dog sit once it's stopped for the doorway, 
> or
> bring it back to heel and then sit.
>
> This doesn't always make the dog door-proof, but it does help.
>
> After shutting one of my dogs outside because I'd removed his leash and
> harness on the porch while I opened the door, and obviously didn't give 
> him
> enough time to get in, I keep them leashed until they get inside.
>
> Of course, most instructors will tell you that daily obedience is critical
> for just these situations. Do we do it though? No comment. <grin>
>
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
>
>
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