[iheartmyboxer]

Beaux has recently figured out how to open doors.... Even the ones at my house with round knobs. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to keep him out of rooms (baby gates don't work- he jumps right over them)?

I'm trying to figure out an alternative to putting doors with locks on both sides throughout my entire house.

Help help help!

 

[Diesel-and-Kira]

wish I had an answer for you, but Diesel can open the round doorknobs too. it's a pain, isn't it?

 

[iheartmyboxer]

YES! I thought Beaux just figured out the lever ones (my boyfriend's house has those)... But now he's figured out the round knobs too- man it is irritating!

 

[DUKE01]

Duke does this to, its always nice of him to open the door when I'm going potty  On the rooms we really don't want him in we got a hook lock and put that on the door.  Or you can just change your door knobs to ones with locks.  He almost knows how to unlock the hook locks.  He is really smart.  I would say just put locks on your doors.  There is no privacy in my house

 

[HannaBanana]

They have those white child protector knows for round door knobs.  Kash is a level man, knows how to open them and we also have latches on doors so they cannot open rooms that contain danger.

 

[15842]

Catch the behavior and shape it into something else?

 

[iheartmyboxer]

He bites through the white child protectors.  I had the same thought on those!

There is danger everywhere in a house... I'm just trying to keep him out of the bathroom because he has a tendency to turn on the cold water faucet  for a drink (but doesn't turn it off, lol). He has figured out how to get the faucet locks off now.... And I'm at my wits end.

I guess a key lock is my only option at this point... Sometimes I wish my dog was a little less intelligent, lol.

 

[iheartmyboxer]

Catch the behavior and shape it into something else?

The "behavior" happens when I am not home. When I am home, he's allowed in those rooms.

 

[DUKE01]

I would say locks.  That might be your best bet.    Good lock, I'm sure he will figure that out too  :lol:

 

[sully]

Oggie climbed over baby gates, so I just stack them on top of each other.  So far, so good.

 

[iheartmyboxer]

I would say locks.  That might be your best bet.    Good lock, I'm sure he will figure that out too  :lol:

ahahaha. My boyfriend was like "you're gonna have to carry around a key to the doors in your house when all is said and done".

...He might have been correct.

 

[iheartmyboxer]

Oggie climbed over baby gates, so I just stack them on top of each other.  So far, so good.

I'm pretty sure Beaux would ram into them until they break. He's a persistent bugger. He used to ram into doors until I opened them before he figured out how to use door knobs.

 

[sully]

Wow, I see what you mean....that could be a problem.  Can you just crate him when you're not around?

 

[iheartmyboxer]

I do... But I work long hours, and I feel pretty bad leaving him in the crate all day. I wouldn't want to be cooped up for 9 hours a day.

 

[15842]

You can stage your leaving and wait until Beaux tries to open the doors.  Then you have your teaching moment.  You should be able to use the same rules with this as you would with crate training.  Or you could just crate him or give him something else to do that is better than opening the doors and exploring.

 

[sully]

I know what you mean.  I'm not a fan of crating for long hours either, so I appreciate that you don't do that.  I'm actually working on building a kennel in my basement with chain link kennel panels.  Its basically just a much bigger crate.  Short of doing something like that, you're just at the mercy of the lay-out of your house.  My next house is going to have a big garage that I'll make dog proof for when I'm not home!

 

[iheartmyboxer]

I don't really think it has anything to do with exploring- my dog has a thing about doors being closed.... He just doesn't like it. I've watched him from a window open up a door, look inside, and walk back out again.

That behavior isn't going to change- I just need to remedy him opening doors.

 

[DUKE01]

It doesn't really sound like he is exploring though, Duke likes running water better then standing water.  It sounds like he is going into the bathroom just to get the water that he wants.  You may have to get him a different water bowl one that has more of a fountain then a plain water dish.  Duke won't usually drink the water if the fountain isn't going.

 

[HannaBanana]

The "behavior" happens when I am not home

Pefect reason to use a crate  :wink:

 

[iheartmyboxer]

Hanna. I have a crate. I don't agree with crating a dog for 9 or 10 hours a day.

Hmmm maybe I should try the fountain duke- that's a good idea.