Dog Training: Teach Your Dog to Shut Doors Part 1 Clicker

[jrach1818]

@supernaturalbc2008 great video! I can get my dog to target the tape on the door like a pro, but she will not push on it to close it. And if I wait for the behavior before she gets the treat she will just stand there or walk away. She has a very short attention span. It doesn't seem to matter what treat I use either. Any ideas?

[supernaturalbc2009]

@jrach1818 How is your dog about extinction generally? Does she have a low threshold for it? If so, you have to break your criteria even smaller. Don't wait for a full on push, open the door just a crack and if she moves it at all, jackpot and have a party! Keep working her up that way until you get the harder push you want. Or try pushing a ball with her nose or nudge your leg? If she can't or doesn't like to, she may prefer a paw, especially on heavy doors so that may be an alternative too.

[Soda241]

She close it pretty well even without treat, but she wont do it unless we are watching her, How do i get her to do it, without me standing over her?

[supernaturalbc2008]

@Soda241 Start retraining back where she can do it and slowly take a step back each training session (say set of 10 reps). If she can't do it at any point, work just below that distance for awhile until she can. Keep asking for more. Proof it by sitting in a chair nearby, then move the chair further away. Stand sideways to the door, changing your position a little every 10 reps until you have your back to the door. Be creative. You can have some fun with this one!

[thrunderstorm]

this is coolllllllll

[supernaturalbc2009]

Keeping the doors closed will also prevent this from happening.

[LeynaN]

My dog learned this on his own and won't stop shutting himself in rooms. Then he cries and cries until someone lets him out. All doors must be kept shut or he does it over and over again. How about a video on how to stop the dog from shutting doors! AH!

[supernaturalbc2009]

@LeynaN This means you haven't trained it to stimulus control: the only time he would do it was when you gave the cue. Or there is some sort of reinforcement in it for him. What might that be? If you can figure it out and remove it, the behaviour will stop.

[BluntLoveXx]

I do that but my dog just licks my hand :|

[supernaturalbc2008]

@BluntLoveXx Try it with a cleanly washed hand and mark just before he touches your hand. That way you are capturing the nose touch instead of the lick. Timing of your marker is key for this! You can also restart by turning your hand around and have him nose target the back of your hand. He is less likely to lick that, especially at the beginning. Later once he understands what you want, you can alternate turning your hand around (or not). Donna

[eapenkoot]

I have seen many random videos on clicker training on Youtube, but yours is very well structured. Hats off to you ! I am a big big fan of R+ training. Keep up the good work !

[supernaturalbc2008]

@eapenkoot Thank you! Donna, Jessie & Lucy

[bynamearose]

Hi. I've gotten my dog to close the door on command, but he doesn't like getting in behind the door, and refuses. Any suggestions on how to fix this?

[supernaturalbc2008]

@bynamearose Shape the behavior in small increments. If he is afraid, you may need to counter condition by starting with the door half open, marking and rewarding when he goes near, then partway, then mostly, then all the way behind it. Then open it more and more. Repeat the shaping. Good luck!

[bynamearose]

@supernaturalbc2008 Thank you so much! :)

[memyso12]

my dog name is jessie too!

[akyramoto]

Love this vid, I taught it to my pup, she learned it very quickly. She's great at targeting at your hand, so I used a post it note as a bridge ( first holding it in my hand, then putting it on the cupboard door) , then eventually got rid of it. She does this trick pretty reliably, and even did it in a different house with different color/material doors. I was impressed. What was REALLY funny is when I asked her to close a door that swung the opposite way!!

[akyramoto]

@akyramoto

she kept opening it more, then I reminded her to push the other side the she got it. I then had her closing cupboard doors all over the kitchen! LOL

[supernaturalbc2009]

@akyramoto Yes, since I have made this video, I suggest that people use a cue (like push), rather than a functional cue (like shut) to cue their dog since doors open different ways. For a dog that always used to 'open' meaning 'pull' it is confusing when they are presented with a door that 'push' actually closes it.

[EliteQ80]

Your dog is going to lock you out on day xD

[rosieposie7777]

wow our dog is amazing! i am trying to each mt dog to shut a door and she can already touch my hand but i am having a very hard time getting her to touch the tape on the door. every time i say touch she goes for my hand even when i point to the door. what can i do? plaese respond so my doggie can be awesome at this just like yours.

[supernaturalbc2009]

Right now she thinks that touch means touch only your hand. She hasn't generalized it yet. Try placing the tape on your hand, then transition it to the door. I'd stop using the cue, just put out your hand as the cue, then she will think about offering something different for you. Hopefully that something different is targeting the tape near your hand. Then away from your hand, then on the door. Only add the cue (if you want to ) back in after she is reliably targeting the tape.

[rosieposie7777]

@supernaturalbc2009 that sounds like it will work, thanks!

[chevymom53]

HOw to do get the dog to learn touch?

[supernaturalbc2008]

@chevymom53 See the video response above from our other channel.

[rosieposie7777]

@supernaturalbc2008 i can get my dog to touch my hnd but when i say touch and point to the door she still goes for my hand. how can i get her to touch the tape on the door and not my hand?

[AKGInspiration]

@rosieposie7777

I like the idea of putting the post it or tape on the hand. I had the same problem with luna and had not read these responses yet.. So I taped a piece of kibble to the spot, and this got Luna to touch it. I will eventually wean off that.

[AKGInspiration]

@rosieposie7777

I like the idea of putting the post it or tape on the hand. I had the same problem with luna and had not read these responses yet.. So I taped a piece of kibble to the spot, and this got Luna to touch it. I will eventually wean off that.

[ZuipenKutHoer]

@supernaturalbc2008 if you got your treat just put the smell of it into ur hand and he will touth it

[dorothee98]

well im of to teachg my yorkie to do this hopefully it will be succeessful but with a doubt :D

[akyramoto]

very nice, I used post it notes with my pup, starting out by putting it in my hand ( she already knows hand targeting), then I stuck it to the door. lol. only had one session so far. but nice to see another video for further ideas. love your vids!

[shelbyfav1]

OMG I love you so much lol i talked to u a couple of days ago and today in my 10 min training with my lab, he has learing how to open from both sides after my lab really does know it im goin to do the closing part. Also the touch command is going great for my dog! thank you so much!!!!!

[CPTrident194]

what's that clicker type thing your using?

my dog could use one!

[HosteDenis]

i'm surprised the dog isn't any fatter

[supernaturalbc2008]

Hi Denise,

Have a look at another video '9 Habits of Effective Clicker Trainers-Rewards" and you will see that once the dog understands the basic behavior you can switch over to other (non-food) rewards. During training, subtract the amount of food that you use for training from the dog's meal. This way you keep your dog in great shape.

[eri105]

u can buy the clicker in a pet shop or something :)

[sexysurfchick]

Wow this is amazing stuff, it really helps with my canine psychology course. Thanks very much for the help! This is a brilliant way to show everybody the correct way to train the dog how to do this neat little trick.

What a lovely dog you have! Thanks Vancouver Assistance dogs!

Great work

Sarah

-UK-

[SweetRock09]

where did you get that clicker?

[shelbyfav1]

you may get from a pet store nearby you??

[kikopup]

Sweet! Lovely job!

[zsianz1]

great video, cool trick and you go through it so as it's really easy to understand. 5*

[shahou88]

wooooooooow you are a cool trainer

smart cool dog :D

[supernaturalbc2008]

Thanks! It's actually easy to do. Jessie is a 'by the book' kind of dog when it comes to learning and I have had more biddable dogs. But she has learned how to work with me and offer behaviors to see what gets rewarded. Having some terrier in her, she had what some would call a stubborn streak in her when we got her. That has almost all disappeared by using clicker training.

[supernaturalbc2008]

If you have other ideas of assistance/service type tasks you'd like to see in a step by step training format like this, please pass them along!