Deturring the escape artist

Country-Side Breeders · Post by **Country-Side Breeders** » Mon May 10, 2004 4:48 pm

Does anyone have any ideas as to how to keep the storm/screen door from being opened? I've got a boy here who's figured out to open the door and let himself out, and get out softly enough so that the door doesn't latch and allows the others to be free also.

I have the push button type on it now, I don't think I can put a door knob type style on it. Keep in mind, too, that I have younger kids, so putting a latch up high won't work. Thanks!

WildRose · Post by **WildRose** » Mon May 10, 2004 5:23 pm

Not sure if you mean an old fashioned plain screen wood frame type door or a more modern "storm door". Storm doors generally have a locable latch on the hanndle. I fyou are talkign about a wood franmed door, a simple sliding bolt on the inside would do very well, of course you'll have to get up to let people in but the kids can let themselves out. You could also put a smple bell on the door so you know when it's opened and closed. CR

Country-Side Breeders · Post by **Country-Side Breeders** » Mon May 10, 2004 8:40 pm

I do mean the storm doors, Charlie. I have used the latch lock on the inside of the handle...Hank has figured that one out. As for the bell, it's a good idea...however, he usually lets himself out when we are outside and he's not or when another dog has just been let out and he feels the need to chaperone the one out. I could just keep the inside door closed, but I get such a nice breeze coming through in the summer that I hate to do that.

Setter Man · Post by **Setter Man** » Mon May 10, 2004 9:19 pm

not trying to be a smart a.... , but as you know training a dog requires being one step ahead. Latching the door behind you from the outside is an option or finish the obedience training on the dog or dogs.. When they are told to stay inside they stay inside.

Post by **Ayres** » Mon May 10, 2004 10:42 pm

I doubt her dogs aren't well trained, they just have a strong will. That's actually desirable by many, as it's of the thought that a strong willed dog is a strong hunter as well. To break a dog of his will may take the hunt out of him. Conversely, if you've got a way to train a dog to stay inside, let's hear it. You can't use negative reinforcement if he goes through the door, because he goes through the door in perfectly acceptable times as well (also because it's been hard to catch him in the act). You can't expect the fella to just stay in one spot, and I doubt that she wants to regulate her dog to certain areas of the house either.

Also, she's said that she's used a lock, and the outside handle is the pushbutton type. Other than making a piece of hardware to hook the doorframe on the outside, there's no way to really latch it from the outside. And even with that piece of hardware there's no way to latch it from the outside if she's on the inside, unless she wanted to latch it and then go all the way around to a side or back door (and consequently exit the same way, since she'd be effectively locked in). So there goes that idea as well.

The idea is to curb the behavior, not the effect. What I'd suggest is to find out exactly how the dog is opening the door, and then put something in place to stop that particular action. If he's using his nose to bump the handle or inside latch lock, then spray it with some bitter apple and see if that doesn't make him recoil from the handle a bit. If he's using his paw, you could make a small rig with a battery, and lay a piece of live wire over the handle during a training session. That way, if he bumps the handle he gets a small shock, and it deterrs him from hitting the handle (but not going through the door when you open it for him).

I would suggest to start with a small battery on the rig before you upgrade... and I'd even test it myself, just to know the level of stimulation. You wouldn't want to use anything any stronger than an e-collar. Just a thought.. hope you get it fixed!

dakndug · Post by **dakndug** » Fri May 28, 2004 8:29 am

I agree with Setterman. I do believe she has well behaved dogs probably that are for the most part obedient. But this is a case of "breaking the dog". It won't take hunt drive out of the dog, the door has nothing to do with hunting. Its a matter of making the command/response effective. If the dog is not staying then it needs to learn that stay is stay. Just like whoa is whoa.

Its just a matter of a little obedience training. Once you have the dog understanding the command/response on lead then move to off lead and overlay with an ecollar if needed to. The electrifying the door isn't the answer either unless she doesn't want her kids to come home.

Sometimes obedience takes a little more working of the dog.

Doug

Country-Side Breeders · Post by **Country-Side Breeders** » Fri May 28, 2004 9:20 am

Hhhmmm, not wanting the kids to come home...now that's a thought!

In the case of him not being obedient trained, his is. He is whoa broke also, learned that in 2 days. It's just that he is a very intelligent dog that figures things out rather quickly...and his size and strength are also pulling for him. Not that he's out of standard guidelines, he's just a very muscular machine. I'm not afraid that I'll break his hunting spirit at all. The dog has no stop in the field. He is a very strong willed male, too. Getting back to him escaping, he does it when we are all outside and wants to be out with us...ok, mainly me.

And, when he gets out, he doesn't run, he just wants to hang with us in the yard. I have since found a knob that seems to be holding him in, although he's doing a lot of pouting over it. Thanks for all the input, I'll keep you posted if he should happen to figure this one out...