Teaching Your Puppy To Wait When You Move Toward The Door

Once you have trained your puppy to “Go to the door”, you can start adding diversions, making it more challenging for them each time. This is the perfect time to practice putting on your coat while your puppy waits at the door - they will be learning a new pattern while you teach them to be patient.

If they start to move away, step on the lead to stop them from getting too far away and guide them back to the Sit position. As they sit, give the Wait command in a firm tone of voice. This desensitizes your puppy so they won't associate putting on your coat as a sign they're going out with you.

This exercise also cuts down on separation anxiety - they won't react in a negative manner every time you reach for your coat.

For door exercises, don't use a door leading outside the house. Use your bedroom or bathroom door and place a mat by the door. Have your puppy sit at the door on the mat and then start touching the door knob, because you want to add this distraction to see if they'll continue to sit. If your puppy jumps up, put them back into the Sit position and give the Wait command firmly.

After they're able to sit through this diversion, add another one and have them sit as you open the door. If they does this successfully, give them a reward. You want your puppy to process the pattern that an open door is not an invitation to go outside. This exercise will be beneficial down the road when you want your dog to sit at the door while greeting guests and taking their coats.

Having Your Puppy Follow You

When you want your puppy to follow you through the door, use a motivator to lead them through the doorway. To do this, straddle the doorway and guide your puppy to go out with the hand holding the motivator. Guide your hand over the threshold and give them the Out command. They will follow your hand over the threshold.

When they gets to the other side of the door, continue to use your hand and place them in the Sit position but this time facing the door. You want them focusing on you, not what's behind them. If there is something on the stairs your puppy wants to get to, they need to rotate their body around before heading down the stairs and this gives you a few precious seconds to keep them from running away. This creates a good in-between step.

Add More Time

When your puppy is focused at sitting on the other side of the door, add sa little time by walking back over the threshold - but have them wait for you. Slowly add five and then ten seconds to habe them Sit until they can sit at the door for 30 seconds. If they jump up to follow you, gently lead them with the motivator back across the threshold to the other side and give the Wait command.

You want to train your puppy to wait for you because there will come times when you'll need to go inside to answer the phone or get your keys. This way, you avoid having to lead them back into the house and then back out again.

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