newly adopted Chow bolting out door

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ChewbaccaRoxxx

newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by ChewbaccaRoxxx »

Ok so we got Chewbacca last week and we have been trying to work with him on bolting out the front door. I can get him to listen most of the time but it takes a few backs and stays to get the point across. What have you guys done that has gotten through these fuzzy thick skulls? He accually got out on my hubby last weekend scared us to death!! He was gone like none other and was in anouther city in a matter of mins. I had 2 animal control officers helping us and when we finally found him he had gone back to our house and was sitting on the doorstep like "hey guys where have you been?" Animal control just looked at him laughed and said well he looks thirsty.

Seems like he takes advantage of the situation of when you have your hands full or he knows when you are weak lol!! :mrgreen:

Thanks
Tiff
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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by Tippsy'smom »

This is all too common. :lol: I was NEVER able to get through to my last chow girl. Whenever she saw the chance, she was gone. :? There were a few times that I either wasn't home when she got out or I was kept too busy by my parents to notice and she ALWAYS came back home on her own. But when I was here and KNEW she was loose, I just followed her. NEVER chased her 'cause it just made her run faster. But what I did do, was keep her leash on her if the doors were gonna be opened.

Sorry I can't be much help. :lol: This was always something I had a problem with. :lol:
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ChewbaccaRoxxx

Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by ChewbaccaRoxxx »

Thanks for the reply, I felt like such a horriable dog owner!!! We have been working with making him stay far away from the door and saying stay and when we come in the house we open the door a crack and tell him back and stay.

Tiff
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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by Loha'sDad »

My 4 year old Loha has never been one to bolt for freedom like I know that most dogs will do. My theory is that I take him on so many walks that his natural instinct to thoroughly check out his surrounding neighborhood is thereby satisfied. He knows that we will get to wherever he wants to go and that if he is off on his own he won't have me there to pull out his stickers and share his adventures. If he is after a critter, however, all bets are off.

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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by Ursa's daddy »

What have you guys done that has gotten through these fuzzy thick skulls?
The fuzzy thick skulls are difficult to get through. And mine like to do it at home and not out in public. I go to the vet, tell them to sit and wait while I open the door, and they act so nice. I get home, and they stomp all over my feet trying to bust through the smallest crack in the door. We are doing remedial sit and wait. When I lived in the city, and I had to put the leads on them all the time to go out, they were pretty good about it. Now they mostly go out into the fenced yard, so they think they can just rush the door.

I have been doing the "sit" thing every time we go to the door, either in or out. I take my time opening the door. If the dogs get up, I close the door and we start all over. I will do this for however long it takes. We had a husky, and chows are not as hard headed as huskies.
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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by Sarahloo »

Loha'sDad wrote:My theory is that I take him on so many walks that his natural instinct to thoroughly check out his surrounding neighborhood is thereby satisfied.
Nice indirect way of accusing the people in this thread of not walking their dogs enough!
Loo gets lots of exercise, but still wouldn't resist an open door if it presented itself to him. I make sure it doesn't.
I've had a certain amount of success with sometimes putting a baby gate a couple of feet behind the door as a sort of second "porch" door (can't really explain it). That way he learned that running through the door doesn't automatically mean he can get away. It has made his attitude towards the front door more relaxed.
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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by Loha'sDad »

Sarahloo wrote:Nice indirect way of accusing the people in this thread of not walking their dogs enough!
Only a person with a guilty mind would perceive my comment as such.

Loha's Dad
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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by ChewbaccaRoxxx »

I have been doing the "sit" thing every time we go to the door, either in or out. I take my time opening the door. If the dogs get up, I close the door and we start all over. I will do this for however long it takes. We had a husky, and chows are not as hard headed as huskies.[/quote]

We have started with the sit and taking our time with him. The big brat!! he seems to do a bit better with me than when my husband is going out the door. Go figure Momma rules \:D/ Thanks everyone for the input and help

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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by Ursa's daddy »

Let's keep the conversation on point. I got to thinking about my dogs, and the issue my wife and I have with the chows is that they just want to rush through the door both in and out of the house. Now with the leads, they don't do so. I guess this is learning that I had never considered. When I get the harnesses and leads, I get a lot of happy barks, and dogs what want to go along with the program. They have a little problem sitting while I dress them because they want to wag their tails, but we get it done. They recognize that this means they will get to explore and perhaps ride in the van. Perhaps they will get to see squirrels in trees! After the first few minutes of rushing around to smell all the bushes in the yard, they calm down and things go well. I don't have a big problem with them wanting to get free and run around. My wife's yorkiepoo, on the other hand, likes to slip out and run wild. It is difficult to keep that dog from trying to slip out. At least some of this is a dog human dynamic. I have not yet figured it out. This brings us to the question, what about "Chewbacca?" First, Tiff, are you unconsciously sending the wrong message to your dog? I am not saying that you are, rather I am saying that the dog is getting a message that is not the one you are trying to send. Secondly, is the dog trying to send you a message, which is not being perceived in human terms? [advice from the wife] "All you have to do is stand in front of the dog, hold your open hand in front of the dog and say wait." Me, "well what about Cleo?" Wife: "She's too little, but with the chows, they are big enough to do this." Hmmmmm....

Keep us posted with how Chowbacca is doing.
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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by Sarahloo »

Loha'sDad wrote:
Sarahloo wrote:Nice indirect way of accusing the people in this thread of not walking their dogs enough!
Only a person with a guilty mind would perceive my comment as such.
Your comment just shows me that I was right with my assessment.
I do not feel guilty about the 2 1/2 hours we walk every day! :D
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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by ChewbaccaRoxxx »

Ursa's daddy wrote: This brings us to the question, what about "Chewbacca?" First, Tiff, are you unconsciously sending the wrong message to your dog? I am not saying that you are, rather I am saying that the dog is getting a message that is not the one you are trying to send. Secondly, is the dog trying to send you a message, which is not being perceived in human terms? [advice from the wife] "All you have to do is stand in front of the dog, hold your open hand in front of the dog and say wait." Me, "well what about Cleo?" Wife: "She's too little, but with the chows, they are big enough to do this." Hmmmmm....

Keep us posted with how Chowbacca is doing.

Thank you, this is something that my hubby and I have been thinking as well what are we doing that might make him think wheee it's go time!!! When we adopted him he did not know to sit unless you had a treat and even then it took a bit. I think that he is testing the waters with us and we are not breaking for him. His foster mom was a HUGE pushover and prolly let him run all over her. Chewbacca is backing off the doors a bit more so we are making progress and we are doing the wait/stays for us to go through the door first. We got a leash that has the short handle as well as the one at the end so he can do his duty when needed. I think that the leash is helping as we walk him as close as we can so he is responding to us not just taking us where he wants to go.

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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by duncansdd@juno.com »

Loha'sDad wrote:My 4 year old Loha has never been one to bolt for freedom like I know that most dogs will do. My theory is that I take him on so many walks that his natural instinct to thoroughly check out his surrounding neighborhood is thereby satisfied. He knows that we will get to wherever he wants to go and that if he is off on his own he won't have me there to pull out his stickers and share his adventures. If he is after a critter, however, all bets are off.

Loha's Dad
That's definitely the hardest task for myself and Titus...especially first thing in the am....I am so pleased that the successes are beginning to outweigh the fails...this mornig for instance he was in hot pursuit of a jackrabbit (his Favorite!) in the wide-open desert. Yelled STOP! and then come....he did exeactly that. Pride and amazement came over me. Practice, prctice, practice
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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by ChewbaccaRoxxx »

CONGRATS!!!! Chewie is getting better and he is staying and backing when told. A few reminders here and there but otherwise doing well.
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Re: newly adopted Chow bolting out door

Post by babyaslan »

How old is your chow and is he neutered? My vet pointed out that if theres a female in heat in your area the chow can smell it and its a risky situation when they bolt out of the door. A lot of dogs get lost that way.
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