Dogs get seriously psyched to get out, whether outside for a walk or just out of the crate. Besides driving you crazy, their eagerness can be unsafe if, for instance, they rush right into your knees or pull you over because you’re on the other end of the leash. Even worse, a really excited dog can rush straight for the street, convinced that the squirrel he was chasing last time is still waiting there.
“Sit at door” is a useful “pause” mechanism to contain this energy so nobody goes nuts and nobody gets hurt. For outdoor walks, the door experience is a defining moment for the rest of the walk. We always start the walk with a quiet time that ranges from a few seconds to a few minutes before we go out. In fact, our dogs have gotten so used to this procedure that they do it on their own without prompting. When the door opens, they sit on the front step for a minute to investigate the smells and sights before going on.
To see how I have taught “sit at door” using hand signals, download this PDF of using “sit at door” when letting a dog out of the crate.
There are all sorts of useful applications for this basic behavior:
- Sit at door to “ask” to be let out. Our dogs don’t engage in any of that scratching or whining that so annoys humans. We’ve taught them that the reward for sitting nicely at the door is …an open door!
- Sit at door when getting ready to go out. Isn’t it nicer to put the harness or leash on a sitting dog than on one who is jumping or running in circles?
- Sit at door after the door opens. This prevents the bolting behavior I described above.
You’ll probably think of other uses for this all-purpose cue. I even use it on outdoor hikes when we encounter a gate and I want the dog to wait while I come to see whether we should open that gate or go a different way.
Here are the steps:
1. “Look” Tip of finger to tip of nose
2. “Sit” 2 fingers out, over dog’s head
3. Reward In Position
4. Reward by Opening Door!
1a. “Look” Tip of finger to tip of nose
1b. “Look” Tip of finger to tip of nose
2a. “Sit” 2 fingers out, over dog’s head
2b. “Sit” 2 fingers out, over dog’s head
3. Reward In Position
4. Reward by Opening Door!
