jericho

.... for a while, my dog has developed a rather annoying habit where he'll scratch at the door to go out, but if anyone but me gets up to let him out, he'll walk away. If I let him out, he goes out no problem.
Same goes for coming back in- he'll bark at the door, but if my wife/kids go to the door, he runs away. If I do it, he comes in first time.

This happens pretty much ALL the time, and I've no idea why it started or what it means. I've just come home from being away for a few days, and apparently he's been fine, but now I'm back, he's doing it again.

In the same theme, he spends a large part of the day/evening coming in out, in out, in out, in out. Sometimes he'll go out, and come straight back in before I've even closed the door. It's really rather annoying, especially as it's me that has to keep getting up every 2 minutes.


Any ideas?

mandymoochops

Just make sure its not you that lets him out, he's got used to running circles around you.

When he wants to go, get the wife or whoever to put his lead on - take him to the back door, and do the "quick out shut door behind him routine" and leave him there.

If he won't come in when anyone else opens the door - then tough titties - he'll soon learn that unless he wants to spend all night outside - he'll repent

We're training the puppy to go outside and stay there (granted not for a while in these temps!) but if he scratches at the door - we ignore it, as soon as he stops (if he's been out for a reasonable time) then we let him in. It seems your dog is being rewarded by getting his own way for his bad behaviour and he'll keep doing it.

Get the wife to give him a treat if he comes in / goes out for her.

I don't know how to stop him if he barks outside though thats the thing - maybe watch that dog whisperer guy on tv - he's good

jericho

Yeah we watch Cesar all the time.
When I say he barks at the door, it's just a single bark to let us know he wants to come in.
Thanks- we'll see how things go. He's doing it right now, so thought I'd see what people think...

mandymoochops

Like I said try getting Mrs Jericho to take him to the door, with maybe a small piece of cheese in her hand so he can smell it, walk outside with him, give him the cheese, pat him to death and run like buggery back in before he follows

Piff Poff

You just have to make sure you don't train the dog to expect a treat to go out

Henry will only let me let him out as he knows he will get a treat from me to go. He will do the stare, followed by the stamping of the feet with a famous chow huff, and them move closer and repeat. I will get fed up of being stared at - very off putting. I will check he has food and water (he does the same behaviour when his bowls are empty, he likes to know he has food when he wants it - a very chowish thing. If bowls are full then treat gets offered - sometimes more than one has to be presented before his majesty will take one and wander outside

He will stay out until he woofs once or scratches once at the door - he'll come in for anyone at the moment but very soon the weather will be warmer and he won't want to come in unless cheese is being offered He has us very well trained

I think Mandy has the right idea of leashing your dog and making him go out for other members of the family though.

mandymoochops

Oh yeah the real B Woodhouse of the prairies me eh (she says after ordering pupster out the house for peeing in the kitchen - I should go let him in now actually his dinkle may have frozen off).

joelsa

Does he shake it all about?

(sorry, i just couldn't resist)

spankysparkle

MMC is right, you need to show the dog who is boss. it is a game for him now.
our cat (yes, cat!) did the same thing to us, in out, in out all night long, until we left her out in the cold a couple of times and now she isn't doing it anymore

Bali2010

[QUOTE=jericho;8292078
This happens pretty much ALL the time, and I've no idea why it started or what it means. I've just come home from being away for a few days, and apparently he's been fine, but now I'm back, he's doing it again.

In the same theme, he spends a large part of the day/evening coming in out, in out, in out, in out. Sometimes he'll go out, and come straight back in before I've even closed the door. It's really rather annoying, especially as it's me that has to keep getting up every 2 minutes.

[/QUOTE]

We had a family lab who sometimes played these games - in the end we realised it was his punishment to us for lack of attention (i.e. if one of us had been away or if he had been left alone at home for too long).

We found that if we gave him plenty of playing attention - not related to when he was being annoying, but taking him out to play tug, race etc - he actually came out of his 'sulks' & was ok.

At least he never got truely naughty - I have seen the damage labs can do if they are really in the mind to!