Doggy door practices

Dear Fisher,

I love to bolt out the door when we have visitors. I always manage to come back when called, but first I wander out around our street. I also bark at visitors, too, which sometimes wakes up the baby. That gets me into a lot of hot water.

So, here I am at 4 years old, writing to a cat for useful ideas on how to curb my bad behaviors. Can you help?

Satch

Dear Satch,

It seems you are testing your housemates to the limit and have developed a rather frustrating habit many dogs have given into. Take a few moments to consider why you seem compelled to go bolting through the door as soon as it opens. Do you love the excitement of discovering what is going on out in your neighborhood? Are you impressed with yourself when you can get your humans running about and flailing their arms in anxious pursuit? Maybe you have some control issues to examine. If you are planning on chasing the squirrel you saw run by the house a few days ago, you may be too late.

You are lucky to have a familiar neighborhood in which to carry out your escape. Consider what might happen if your family takes you on vacation and after a long car ride, your penchant to bolt comes into play. There you go again, but this time where did you go and how do you get back and what dangers lurk while you are trying to figure it out? Do not even think of pulling off such capers when the pet sitter is in charge. Bad habits tend to have a way of backfiring.

Always wear an I.D. tag. Even when you show your people that you are indeed a good dog and have changed your ways, your tag should always be on your collar. Microchips (ouch) and tattoos (oucher) are good identifiers, but the tag is essential

The Dumb Friends League advises, “If your dog escapes, never scold him when you finally get him. Dogs associate reactions to what they just did in the last few seconds. If you scold a dog when you catch him, you are actually teaching him not to let you catch him.”

Simply start now. All of you! It is important for all members of the household to be in on the plan and to carry out the agreed upon tactics. If company is coming, you should stay in another room with the door closed. Of course your penchant for barking and making a ruckus will come into play, the baby will cry, and guests will likely be put off, but that training can come later.

A few tips and tactics for your humans include:
* Teach the Doggie Doorknob Rule. All children, adults, pet sitters and visitors should know not to turn the doorknob until they know where you are and are sure you cannot run out the door.
* Do daily practice sessions to impress upon you that you can never go out the door without their express permission. (This is where you will know for sure your problem arises from control issues!)
* They should train you to assume the “Sit” position far back from the door and tell you to “Stay!”
* During training sessions, guests or other distractions should not be present.
* Your people should keep you on a leash and at their side when guests arrive.
* You must all practice until they can open the door slowly without you breaking the stay.

Hopefully you are a fast learner and the baby will not have grown into a teenager by the time you solve your first problem. Then, we can discuss the barking issue.

Your friend,

Fisher

published in tbt Tampa Bay Out There weekend edition