Train your Dog to Shut The Door!

Teaching your pup to do fun tricks like closing a door or the refrigerator is rewarding for both you and the dog. If you allow for a fun and positive training environment then your dog will not see the training as work, but as fun learning and play. Most dogs love being with their pack, or family, and they get enjoyment out of thinking and problem solving which is why training can be so fun for them. They are eager to use up their energy and to please you, the pack leader.

In order for your dog to learn to close the door, they first need to know how to sit. For the purpose of this article we will assume your dog already knows his name and the sit command. Follow the steps below, performing them for around 15 minutes each day or until the dog gets bored or stops listening.

1) Give your dog the sit command and make sure you are standing directly in front of him.

2) With a small treat in your hand, I use small pieces of Pupperoni, close your hand into a fist with the treat inside your clenched fist where the pup can smell it, but not get it from you.

3) Hold your closed fist several inches away from your pups nose and when he starts to sniff it and push on your fist with his nose, say your command word. I use the word Target, but you can say close, door, whatever you want. Say it several times while his nose is against your fist and then give him the treat and do it again.

4) Do this for about 5 days. Now that he is sniffing your hand and associates it with the command word, you can start to control when he touches your hand with his nose. Make the pup sit and take a step back this time so that he cannot reach your nose without leaving the sit position. Make him sit and keep the treat in your fist without letting him sniff it.

5) Now say your command word in a happy voice and let him come sniff and touch your hand with his nose, continue to repeat the command word until you give him the treat.

6) Do this for another 5 days or so, and only use a treat every other time and work your way down until he knows that the command word means to touch your hand with his nose with or without a treat.

7) Now that your pup knows the command, we will add another layer. Use a flat object, like a yogurt lid and place that in your hand. Now you are holding a yogurt lid instead of a clenched fist. Continue to do the same exercise: make the pup sit and stay until you give the command, then allow them to come sniff and push their nose against the yogurt lid and your hand. Do this for at least 10 days. The goal is to get the dog to go after and concentrate on the yogurt lid, not your hand!

8) Once you are confident with the above steps, open a door slightly and hold the yogurt lid like normal, but in front of the opened door. Give your pup the command and when he puts his nose against the yogurt lid, allow your hand and the lid to be pushed back into the door until it closes. Do this quite a few times over several days.

9) Now you can tape the yogurt lid to the door and give the command. The goal is to get your dog to push the yogurt lid and the door closed when he hears the command. Once the pup is comfortable with this you can work on removing the lid and getting your pup to simply push the door shut!