My dog is a bolter

[Bacon&Eggs]

Hi, this is my first post on this forum. My dog, Hoku, is a bolter and we can never leave the door open or she'll be gone and we'll be spending hours trying to get her back. Other than that she's a great dog and always listens to us. Only when she's outside does she lose control. I'll be getting her back soon (I live in Hawaii and she's coming back from Colorado, so we have to go through all the quarantine stuff) and I want to be able to take her to the park and let her leash off. Is there a way I can train her not to bolt and to stay with me when we're outside? Thanks for all the help ^_^

More info: She's about 5-6 years old and part Basenji, we think the other part is German Shepard but we're not entirely sure (we got her from the pound). Indoors she always obeys commands as if she understands English. She loves to play and fetch but since I'm now living in a small apartment, the park is the only place I can play fetch with her.

[MicksMom]

First thing I'd do is teach "door manners"- she must stay in a desiginated place whenever the an exteriro door is opened, and can only go through it with permission. I prefer having them sit, but the important thing is the stay/wait. As for the park- put a long leash or piece of clothes line on her and let her drag it (my experience has been no longer than 15 foot works best). That way, if she starts to take off, you can step on the rope and stop her. You can also do "radom recalls" and use the rope to encourage her to come back to you. Make sure to have plenty of treats! Everytime she comes to you, give her a small piece (both when you call her, and when/if she "checks in" with you on her own).

Basenjis are considered sight hounds, so you may never be able to let her totaly off lead in unfenced areas.

[Maura]

Agree with Mick's Mom. Train her to sit at the door, behind you, but so she can see the door. Use treats, and just keep going to the door, luring her into a sit or pointing at the spot, praise and treat. Repeat every couple of minutes, she's smart she'll get it. After she gets the idea of sitting in a certain spot, knock on the door, she runs to door, she must sit in her spot for treat and praise. Have someone help you with door knocking and bell ringing. Then work up to putting your hand on the doorknob, opening the door slightly, opening wider, etc. She can only go through the door when you tell her "out" and of course you will have a leash on her.

[Bacon&Eggs]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I did some research and found that trusting a Basenji off leash is really risky, but as she doesn't seem to be full Basenji and that long-leash method seems like it would work, I'm going to try ^_^ Thanks again!

[Renee750il]

I'm going to let Smkie know this thread is here. Her little Pepper was a champion bolter. Was.

She can take you through it step by step

[smkie]

First we started with every one in the house understanding that it was going to take some time to get out the door because it could only be opened if Pepper was in a sit stay. So to begin with, she had to learn sit and stay. Then the door would be a crack open and if her behind came up the door shut. She could be very determined but I can be even more so. Sometimes it took us up to 15 minutes to get out the door. Very trying on children, but I told them it won't last forever. I had to get everyone to stop grabbing her collar. THat only cemented the idea to her that if she wasn't being held she had a chance to get away. The only way she was getting out that door was to remain in a sit (with leash laying flat on the floor, not held or tied) until she had the go ahead and the cue word to go. Eventually I would back up out the door up to 6 ft before I gave the cue word.. While all this is annoyingly going on, we worked hard on recall with long lines, and practice with my other two dogs, as well as twice daily walks that included all basic obedience. I tried an e collar to stop her but she was far to smart for that, even tho I followed the video and booklet to the letter. WE spent a lot of one summer learning where the boundaries were to the border of my yard since I do not have a fence. She was so stubborn that she would sit at the very far corner, put one foot over, be corrected, sit back at the corner put one foot over...but I never took my eyes off of her and she knew it. She was highly rewarded for good behavior with praise and good treats. I played games like hide and seek with cooked hamburger for whoever got to me first. SHe hands down became my best player. Good behavior got more time outside, and trips to the woods which was where she wanted to be anyway. AT first she had to be leashed while the other dogs were free, the day she got to run with them I felt like having a celebration.

In the beginning when I found her she was a door dodging pro. We tried tying her inside the first week and she chewed through the leash and hit the back of my knees like a brown bullet and was gone. SHe snuck out the back door when Hyia left it open a crack. She bolted out when my son came in. I had signs on the doors inside and out to be very careful. I went after her way too many times throwing my dinner out of the car one bite at a time, and what ever worked to catch her once, did not work twice. I really hated trying to call her out of people's back yards while she was looking for a way around me. Once I gave up...told her go, see if I care, i give up. I went home in tears. When I sat at my desk a few minutes later I saw her zip past the window. I got in the car and went after her again. I finally decided no one was claiming her, and no one was going to take her, and if I turned her over she would just be loose again from whoever adopted her. So we bit the bullet and started boot camp 101. She was 2 years old at that time, and terrier stubborn. She also had almost no need for people and didn't show any desire to form attachment. A house was a place to get a quick bite to eat and get away from. I would pick her up at night and carry her to bed with the rest of us. She would get up and go right back to the front room, curl in a tight ball on the cold floor and face the door. I ended up putting a blanket over her. It broke my heart.

SHe has come such a long way. Now she is the light of my life and I am the light of hers. I do not need a leash, she is my best off leash healer, never wavering from my side, no matter what cat, squirrel whatever runs across. YOu say stop, she stops on a dime. I can take her too the woods and her recall is fast and reliable. All in all I would say it took 6 months total to stop the door dodging once and for all with no slip ups, and a year to bond with us and show me what a grand little girl she is. Good luck. Be stubborn, and determined, and consistent.

[Bacon&Eggs]

Wow, thanks for all the great instructions smkie! I'll be sure to refer to your post when I start training Hoku

[Bubba Love]

my brother has a basengi and he has to keep him on a leash at all times.... or this happens