Dog running away

Question
We have a 3yr old Malti-poo and I can't seem to get him to quite making a run for it any time the door opens.  He will not return or stop or obey any command once he's gone.  I had a personal dog trainer with my last dog but we didn't address this issue. Also he gets caged when we aren't home but continuously barks once he's in the cage.  The barking collars are too heavy so it didn't work.  He has also growled a little when he's surprised or handled by my kids which concerns me.  I am always devoted to my animals so any help from you so I don't lose him in some awful way would be helpful.  Thanks.

Answer
Hello, Cynthia! K-mart sells a bark collar made by PetSafe that emits a high-pitched beep when the dog barks. It is very small and weighs almost nothing. I think it costs $19 or $25 (sorry I'm not sure exactly). You may want to try that for his barking, or look into the devices that plug into a wall outlet and emit a noise when the dog barks. (Ebay often has bark collars and bark inhibiting devices cheaper than you can buy them in stores)


Do you know for a fact that his barking is continuous, or do you only know that he barks from the time you put him in the crate until you go out the door? Have your neighbors told you he keeps on barking even after you've left? You may need to provide him with something to keep him occupied in the crate, such as a kong filled with cream cheese or peanut butter, or a medium-sized nylabone. You may want to try covering his crate with a sheet (unless he would pull it through the bars and rip it or chew at it). You could also try leaving a radio on for him while you're gone.


As for his bolting out the door and refusing to obey once outside, I would suggest teaching him the "wait" command and working with his basic commands more. Before I go into how to teach the "wait" command, I need to know a few things:
1. Does he know and obey his commands reliably in every other situation except for when he runs out the door?
2. Do you have to repeat the command two or more times before he'll obey?
3. Does he ever flat out refuse to obey (as if he is ignoring what you're saying), other than when he runs out the door?
4. Do you have a 4 foot leash and at least 10min. each day to work with him on the "wait" command.



From what you've told me, it sounds as if he perceives himself to be higher in ranking than you and your children (the growling issue especially). Have you ever heard of the "Nothing In Life Is Free" program? If not, I highly suggest you visit the following websites and apply it to your dog. Everyone in the family must follow the program, or it will only serve to confuse the dog and could make his behavior worse. The concept is very simple: Before the dog gets <i>anything</i>, be it petting, food, being allowed on the furniture, etc.; he must obey a command first. This helps to reinforce his place in the pack (your family). He must learn that you and the children are above him - not the other way around.

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/nilif.htm
http://www.k9deb.com/nilif.htm
http://www.nomorehomelesspets.org/behavior/dog/nilif.htm
http://www.sspca.org/Dogs_TANSTAAFL.html
http://www.greyhoundlist.org/nothing_is_free.htm

If you do a search on www.google.com on "Nothing in life is free" you should come up with lots of sites on the subject.

Please get back to me with the answers to my questions and I'll do my best to help you work through the issues you and your dog have been having!

Kristen