How to Stop Your Dog from Bolting Out the Front Door

Keeping a pet dog at home may be a great source of joy, entertainment and companionship. However, it is not an easy task. There are many problems you need to face and tackle. You are likely to face problems like dog aggressiveness, digging, biting, jumping, chewing etc. Bolting out the front door is also one of these major problems you have to face quite often. It is said that dogs that bolt, are often rewarded with unnaturally short life spans. Before you get in to any sort of anxiety or stress, we would like to tell that this problem is fairly easy to solve, as long as you understands that the key to the solution is to be persistent and consistent in pursuing the goal of training your dog properly.

You must practice certain obedience classes on your dog to make it more disciplined and well behaved. These classes will provide the tool you require to get your dog under control. Once your dog is brought under control, life with it would be quite easy and pleasant. These obedience classes include many command and actions that you can use towards the goal. For instance, there is a command “stay”. This single and simple command can be used towards dozens of uses in daily living with your dog, keeping your dog from bolting being one of them.

Your Dog bolting is a very natural, but destructive habit. Dogs that bolt out the front door usually try to out maneuver their families at other doors as well, there by endangering their safety. Hence, for safety’s sake, you must start the training with an interior doorway where your dog’s life won’t be at risk if it manages to slip past you.

You must start off this process carefully. You must be at the door and before opening it, your dog should be taken away by the collar and moved back a step from the doorway. Now, you are supposed to look in to you dog’s eye and tell her to “stay” in a deep and commanding voice. Remember that your dog will be right there in front, crowding you away from the door knob, as soon as he/she goes to the door to open it. You must keep your hands at on the side with the palm facing your dog. You are now supposed spread his/her fingers wide and sweep your hand towards your dogs’ face, stopping just a fraction of an inch from its’ nose as you says “stay”.

Remember that the command “stay” has to be put forward in an appropriate manner. This command is not meant to threaten or hit your dog; it only creates an imaginary barrier for it a virtual stop sign. Your hand should not come down at her from above, but directly at her face front on.

Now its time to open the door just a bit, and if your dog tries to move towards it, the door must be shut. Now your dog must be grabbed by her collar, & pushed back. You are now supposed to correct her with a firm “No!” This must be followed with the “stay” command and the hand motion once again.

This exercise must be repeated several times with your dog at least stop to think for a moment before changing toward day light. Practice praising it when it actually does stay.

It is necessary to train other family members too to practice the “stay” command. This will soon make you to get rid of the problem of your dog bolting out the front door.