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Teach Your Dog to Wait at the Door – Video

Waiting.

Waiting is a good skill for any dog to have in his repertoire. Wait at the door. Wait at the gate. Wait while I put your food bowl down. Wait to get into the car. Wait to get out of the crate. Wait is primarily a safety behavior, but it’s also a polite behavior, too.

We teach wait at the door (or gate, as in this video) pretty much the same way we taught wait at the food bowl:

  1. With clicker and treats, put your hand on the door knob (or gate handle). Click and treat if your dog stays still. Repeat two or three times.
  2. Put your hand on the door/gate and just turn (or lift) the handle. If the dog is still, click and treat. Repeat two or three times.
  3. Put your hand on the door/gate and open slightly (just a crack). If the dog is still, click and treat. Repeat two or three times.
  4. Gradually at each successive trial, open the door/gate an inch further. If the dog is still, click and treat. Repeat two or three times.
  5. If the dog moves forward at any time, simply and swiftly close the door. Be careful not to catch your dog in the door, however.

Troubleshoot

  • If your dog has a hard time doing this at the main door, use a bedroom or closet door to practice.
  • If your dog is having a hard time getting it right (if you’re clicking and treating only 1 time a minute, let’s say), make it easier for your dog to get it right. Instead of going for opening the door an inch, for instance, go for opening the door 1/8″. Find a way for your dog to get it right.
  • While a clicker isn’t required, you’ll find faster progress using one as it helps clarify to the dog what needs to be done to earn the goodie.

Uses for Wait

I find wait useful in so many situations. Levi has to wait as I open his crate door so he doesn’t knock me over. All the dogs need to wait before going out our garage door into my open vehicle to prevent chaos as the door opens. All dogs have to wait for me to release them to get out of the car so I can be sure I have all the leashes in my hand. All four dogs wait for me to put their food bowls and/or food stuffed toys on the floor to avoid knocking the items out of my hand.

Talk back.

How do you use wait? Leave a comment and let me know!

 

Teach Your Dog to Wait for His Food

Patience is a virtue.

Self control doesn’t come naturally to dogs. We need to teach them how to wait politely. One of the first things I teach dogs that come through our house is to wait nicely. Wait for me to put their food bowl down, wait to go out the door, wait to jump into the car, wait to exit their crate, wait at a curb…you get the picture.

I like to teach dogs to wait at the food bowl first. Most dogs are quite interested in their meals and are quite invested in learning how to get to their meal in the fastest manner.

Here’s how I teach wait at the food bowl.

  1. Start with a food bowl filled with about 40 pieces of food.
  2. Lower the food bowl slowly toward the floor.
  3. Your goal is to get the food bowl to your knee without the dog moving toward the bowl.
  4. If your dog moves toward the bowl, pull the bowl directly back up to at least waist height.
  5. If you reach your knee without the dog moving toward the bowl, click, give your dog a piece of food and start over at your waist.
  6. Repeat two or three times.
  7. Your new goal is to get 1″ – 2″ lower than your knee. Click and give your dog a treat if you get to your goal.
  8. Pull the food bowl straight up if the dog dives in for the food.
  9. Continue until you’re able to put the food bowl on the floor without your dog diving in to the bowl.

Watch the video to see exactly how to teach your dog to wait until you release him to move toward the bowl.

Talk back.

What has worked for you when teaching your dog to wait for his food?

 

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