[jbsmomto1]

Ruby is 6.5 months old. For the most part she is an amazing poodle, she is intellegient, sneaky, loving, and hyper and happy. She has great recall in the house and in a fenced in yard, we play at the kindergarten playground at night, its fenced in and she will come back to me when called, in the house her recall is fantastic and she will come trotting to me from wherever she might be, unless of course she is sleeping.

The issue: Ruby is an escaper, if someone opens the door, she is quick and will sneak out also. Once she is out she is gone, it isn't unheard of for me to be chasing this poodle down the street, in yards, etc etc at absurde hrs of teh day and yes even in my underwear on early morning (I didn't realize it til I got home). He recall outside is terrible, I end up chasing her and the more I chase the more she runs, but she is small and even if she wasn't, running around teh neighbourhood just isn't safe. If there are people she will run right to them same as another dog, but if there is nothing she will just run and run. How do I teach her to come when she is called no matter what or when? Right now I have been taking her into an enclosed space letting her run, than calling her and rewarding her with a slice of hotdog, this as I said works great until she is in the open. Even if I offer that hotdog when she is running, she won't come for it, not at all.

I need a way to teach her to come back to me no matter what. Quincy is 5 and I never really had to teach him, he just comes when he is called, no matter what.

She also gets me up at between 4:45 and 5:30am every single morning, she gets up to pee and then figures that she is up for the day. Is there a way to encourage her to sleep just a little longer...say til 6:30?

 

[TooneyDogs]

For the bolting, teach her what to do when someone puts their hand on the doorknob. Most people use a mat or a rug that the dog has to go to (away from the door) and lay down/stay. Others use the top of the stairs, hallway off the foyer, etc. If you need to practice this on leash, that's fine.

The chasing has become a game to her. Don't run after her...run AWAY from her...make her chase you back to the house/yard. Practice recalls outside while on leash or a long line. Go to the park or the shopping center and practice around distractions.

For the early morning, try keeping her up later and increase the daily exercise.

 

[chrisn6104]

The issue: Ruby is an escaper, if someone opens the door, she is quick and will sneak out also. Once she is out she is gone, it isn't unheard of for me to be chasing this poodle down the street, in yards, etc etc at absurde hrs of teh day and yes even in my underwear on early morning (I didn't realize it til I got home).

First you need to stop her from getting out. That is the most important issue to deal with here. One day she may run out and get run over. Walking her on a leash is probably more important now then taking her to a park and calling her to you. This is all free play time to her she is running back to you to play not because you called her. When she escapes she is telling you it's play time. Should be the other way around. More time on the leash and not running free in a fenced area will do wonders with the running away problem.

A good start on the door it's quick and effective is is to open the door let her put her whole head threw and trap her with the door (on the neck between the head and shoulders). Not hard to hurt her but to hold her a few sec. She will naturally pull back. Pull her back and have her sit. After a few of these she will start to learn not to go out first. When she stops going threw an open door then you can work on having her sit while you walk out first. Next is to have her come to you on command after you exit the doorway always looking for your signals. The trap teaches her that you do not want her to go out until you say so.
The next day you will have to do this process again but each day will become less and less and she will get better about sitting and waiting.

Everyone will have their own opinion on this. This has always worked for me for doors inside the house and ones going out. Have never injured a dog nor have any become scared to of the door.

She also gets me up at between 4:45 and 5:30am every single morning, she gets up to pee and then figures that she is up for the day. Is there a way to encourage her to sleep just a little longer...say til 6:30?

Puppies. Pain in the butt just like a baby.

 

[hulkamaniac]

I had a similar problem with Zero darting out of the door. I fixed it by playing a variation of the "It's yer choice" game.

We went to the door with him on a leash. I made him sit. I grabbed the door knob. He jumped up and went to the door. I pulled him back and made him sit. He quickly realized that his jumping up made me not open the door (which was not what he wanted). Eventually, he sat and I was able to open the door. Then he jumped up and stuck his nose in the door. I made him sit, closed the door and we started over. It took several tries, but he did realize that sitting on his butt was what caused the front door and the screen door to open.

Now (several months down the road) I can go outside and he will sit quietly by the door. He will not go out unless I give him the outside command. Otherwise he will simply sit there and watch me. Or, he'll get bored watching me and go lay down in the kitchen.

 

[Dog Tracks]

It was easy to train your dog to "come" indoors. You are the most interesting thing indoors, so she came readily when called. So easy, that it didn't even seem like training (although it was).

But outdoors there are lots of more interesting things (you're not as interesting as that dog down the street). So the training is harder, but it can be done. I can't explain the whole training process better than has already been written here and elsewhere, so I suggest a search for "dog recall" "dog outdoor recall" etc. Look for authors like Pat Miller, Patricia McConnell, Ian Dunbar, and others.

Previous posters are right: the first order of business is training "Sit" whenever the door is open. You (the dog) wait for Me to tell you it's okay to go outside. (For my dog the "sit" is on her living room pillow about 15 feet from the door; it's the same place she has to sit whenever we're eating. Since she almost always gets a treat for sitting there, she's pretty amenable to it).

 

[jbsmomto1]

Agree with everything said...she knows how to sit, but sometimes the kids are quicker to get outside then I am. They open the door and really don't have a clue about her getting out. even my own 6yr old who has been around my other dog is clueless, but yet when Ruby runs she panics and crys and gets really scared, she is getting better but not good enough yet (she is only 6). I do walk her 2x a day, the first morning walk is a quick 15 - 20 min walk due to my daycare kids arrving at weird hrs. her night walk is about 30-45 mins, than we go to the fenced yard and play there off leash until she or I are tired out. As for trapping her head or neck in the door, I just don't think I could do this to her, I understand it would teach her a lesson but at what cost? I can see that hurting her, I want to teach her but not make her fearful or hurt her.
I can totally see that me chasing her is a game and your right I do play right along with it, I will try to run away and see if she responds that way.

I wondered if maybe she was crashing to early at night which is why she was up so early....Tonight we will walk at 8pm as opposed to 7pm and play in the fenced area after that.

As I said she is a pretty good girl, the bolting is my only real issue with her and the getting up early but I think that might be an easier fix. I live in a school zone so cars don't typically go fast but of course we have people who choose to race down the street and in all honesty she is only 7lbs and 11inches tall she would be hard to see and even harder for a car to stop suddenly. My goal is to avoid this and teach her before she gets hurt.

 

[BetterDog4U]

I have just a few questions.

How often and how far do you walk Ruby?
How much time each day do you spend training the basics?

At 6.5 months old she wants to explore! If you dont provide her with access to the outside world in a controled walk, she'll take every opportunity to do it for herself.

It sounds like you need to work with her on here recall, sit and stay and come. I work with my dogs 3-4 times each day for just 3-5 minutes. It works well and they dont get board or tired of the training b/c it doesn't last that long!

 

[jbsmomto1]

I have just a few questions.

How often and how far do you walk Ruby?
How much time each day do you spend training the basics?

At 6.5 months old she wants to explore! If you dont provide her with access to the outside world in a controled walk, she'll take every opportunity to do it for herself.

It sounds like you need to work with her on here recall, sit and stay and come. I work with my dogs 3-4 times each day for just 3-5 minutes. It works well and they dont get board or tired of the training b/c it doesn't last that long!

We walk 2x at least each day, the morning walk is only about 15-20 mins the 2nd walk is 30-45 mins steady walking. We can pretty much walk our entire town in that time. At night we also go to teh school kindergarten yard since its fenced and we work on her recall, and her sit, we are working on stay but she is just to hyper to get it it. She does sit on command but only when she wants to and only on her leash or in the house. When you say controlled walk you mean leashed right? There is no way at this point she can ever be off leash outside unless she is fenced in.

I work with her several times a day until she is done, sometimes she last 2 mins sometimes she will last an entire 5 lol. She does know to come when called, she just chooses not to when we are outside ....even in teh fenced yard she comes each and everytime you call her. I treat her each time, but when she is running up teh street the last thing on my mind is to grab the hotdogs kwim?

She took off again tonight and as someone suggested I ran away from her....she ran the other way little bugger....She just woudln't come, she would sit when I said sit but as soon as I got close enough to grab her she would take off in a sprint. I ended up asking my neighbours to see if she would come to them and she did right away...its just me and my daughter she won't come to when she is running away like that. Not sure why as I always treat her for coming if I don't have treats than I praise her like mad, scoop her up and bring her home, put her in the house. I do scold but have never and will never smack her, I serioulsy doubt she would get the connection anyway and yes I think it's cruel to hit her. Doesn't mean though that I am not cursing her in my mind lol. Tonight was so bad, i was ready to just give up and go home, but I couldn't just leave her out there by herself, my 6 year old was terrified that Ruby was gone forever, my daycare kids screaming b/c I had to leave them unattended for a short spell to chase her....If she ever fell into the wrong hands, I doubt they would think twice to even see if she was chipped (she is) and keep her, she just has that really outgoing loveable personality.

She is very playful and very social, so she will easily run to a human, or another dog. I am going to have to put a gate across my door I think, its gonna suck wind b/c I will be up lifting kids over the stupid thing probably 60 times and hr.

 

[BetterDog4U]

If i were you I'd get a long lead or just a 30 foot long peice of rope and put a pressure clip on one end and clip it to her collar. Then I hook the other end to you. Take her out in the yard and Every time she gets out to about 25 foot, call her back. I'd do this until she does it Everytime. Then try dropping the rope and stand on it. Repeat the training. Then step off of the rope. Repeat ... Once you have it. Start over with some common distractions. (Kids, etc).

I guess what I'm saying is "Start over with your training". Set yourself up to suceed.

For now, Always leave the dog on a leash or the rope when the door is going to be opened. Make sure someone has a grip on it before the door opens and make her SIT and STAY so you dont have to chase the dog. If the dog finds out that she CANT go out, she may learn not to even try.

 

[LoupGarouTFTs]

Is there a way to put up a baby gate or similar barrier that would prevent Ruby from bolting out the door while you are training her? You might also consider taking away her freedom by crating her or gating off a separate space for her until she has learned that charging the door is unacceptable.

 

[jbsmomto1]

If i were you I'd get a long lead or just a 30 foot long peice of rope and put a pressure clip on one end and clip it to her collar. Then I hook the other end to you. Take her out in the yard and Every time she gets out to about 25 foot, call her back. I'd do this until she does it Everytime. Then try dropping the rope and stand on it. Repeat the training. Then step off of the rope. Repeat ... Once you have it. Start over with some common distractions. (Kids, etc).

I guess what I'm saying is "Start over with your training". Set yourself up to suceed.

For now, Always leave the dog on a leash or the rope when the door is going to be opened. Make sure someone has a grip on it before the door opens and make her SIT and STAY so you dont have to chase the dog. If the dog finds out that she CANT go out, she may learn not to even try.

I am thinking this might be the best way to go. I just don't have it in me to shut the door on her neck like someone suggested. I don't want to hurt her, just want her to stay safe and quit bolting. She is stubborn and pig headed but so am I lol.

 

[chrisn6104]

You had said earlier that it was your kids fault for her getting out?
This has to be stopped the chasing her thing is not going to do you or her any good.
Teach your kids to be mindful and make sure she does not get out. The entire family has to be responsible for the dog.

Sorry but there is just no excuse for her getting out at all. This must be corrected before you can do anything else.
Is she crate trained? If not, why not?

 

[jbsmomto1]

You had said earlier that it was your kids fault for her getting out?
This has to be stopped the chasing her thing is not going to do you or her any good.
Teach your kids to be mindful and make sure she does not get out. The entire family has to be responsible for the dog.

Sorry but there is just no excuse for her getting out at all. This must be corrected before you can do anything else.
Is she crate trained? If not, why not?

Yes she is crate trained but I am not going to lock her up in there 24/7 just so she doesn't get free. yes my daughter let her out, it was a mistake and obvioulsy since I am asking for help i know it can't happen. My daughter is 6 and is developmentally delayed,(not that it matters, she has escaped with and others as well) it wasn't something she did on purpose, it was simply an accident and a very quick pup took advantage. She is mindful as I said it was an accident, and yes it probably will happen again which is why I asked for help in getting other ways or views on teaching recall.

 

[chrisn6104]

Yes she is crate trained but I am not going to lock her up in there 24/7 just so she doesn't get free.

No one was saying to lock her up 24/7 I was ony asking a simple question.

yes my daughter let her out, it was a mistake and obvioulsy since I am asking for help i know it can't happen. My daughter is 6 and is developmentally delayed,

I misunderstood and thought is was a couple of kids or a kid running in and out of the door and not being aware of the dog. Either way this is still a problem.

She is mindful as I said it was an accident, and yes it probably will happen again which is why I asked for help in getting other ways or views on teaching recall.

This is what bothers me the most. "It probably will happen again" Why?
You sent me a message because you where offended by things I've said. This door issue needs to be fixed first. Training recall and not to run out the door might take to long. The dog could be killed before she learns this.
Maybe lock the door so your daughter cant open it? There are many different things you can do.