How to train a dog to let you leave the house
Dear Cathy: When our 10-year-old Shih Tzu sees my wife and I approach the front door, he tries to prevent us from leaving. I have tried picking him up, and sometimes can get him into his kennel, but he often snaps at me. Any suggestions?
— Norman, Plainview, New York
Dear Norman: First, train your dog to go into his kennel on command. When he does, say a reward word, like “bingo,” give him a treat, and close the door for about 20 minutes. Second, tell him “kennel,” then “down” and give him a treat only after he lays down in the kennel. Then, close the door for about 20 minutes. Third, repeat these commands, but ask him to “stay.” Close the door again for 20 minutes. When you open the door each time, say “release,” so he knows he is free to go.
When he has learned these commands, you can now manage him as you approach the front door. Give all three commands, but this time, leave a highvalue treat inside his kennel that he doesn’t get at any other time. Reinforce “stay” and walk to the door.
As you leave, say “release” so he knows he can leave the kennel when ready.
Training improves overall behavior, and keeps a dog’s mind busy, so he is not focused on you leaving the house.
Dear Cathy: For the past seven years, we’ve been feeding a cat that showed up in our backyard. He lives outdoors year-round and acts terrified of us. I taught him to come in through a cat door (in the laundry room), where I provide dry food and water. He never expresses interest in the rest of the house or even the food bag if his bowl is full. He eats and leaves. I’ve tried several times to trap him with no luck. Lately, he looks thin and scruffy. I am afraid he will die under the deck. I want to catch him, but I am afraid of getting scratched. Any ideas?
— J., Columbia, Maryland
Dear J: If this cat has been comfortable coming into your home to eat but is too scared to stay, trapping and keeping him in the house will make him miserable. While you could trap him with a humane trap and take him to the vet, the vet would likely have to anesthetize him to examine him or take bloodwork.
I don’t know if you ever fixed this cat or got his rabies vaccine, but cats also can get diseases like panleukopenia, distemper and leukemia if unvaccinated. He may be sick. Talk to your vet to see if he can do anything if you bring him in.
If you want to bring him into the house because you think he’s friendly but just scared, get a humane trap to catch him and give him a room that is all his own, complete with a bed, food and litter box. Then, leave him alone and let him be the one to venture out when he is ready.
He may never adjust to life inside if he is feral, though. If that’s the case, return him to the outside and take care of him the best you can. You have done an admirable job looking out for him all these years. Sadly, outdoor/community/feral cats leave our lives much sooner than indoor cats.
Dear Cathy: We recently rescued a 9-year-old puli, part of a five-dog pack. They were all let outside three times daily, and never walked on a leash to eliminate.
My dog urinates on a leash, but does not know that she needs to poop outside. Any suggestions?
— Irene, Massapequa Park, New York
Dear Irene: Begin training her as if she is a puppy. Take her outside to relieve herself immediately after she eats, plays and wakes up.
Dogs pee before they poop, so give her plenty of time to sniff out a place to relieve herself. When she does poop, say a reward word, like “bingo,” and give her a treat, so she can begin learning what you want her to do.
Next, if you feed her the same amount of food at the same time every day, she will likely poop at predictable times, and you can estimate when this will happen and take her outside at those times as well.
You also can scoop up some of her “accidents” and put them outside where you want her to go. Sometimes, if a dog smells their poop in the yard, they will want to relieve themselves in that area.