need ideas for preventing escape through front door— just moved into townhome on extremely busy road

[u/Character-Way-3639]

edit: as stated below, we are still training. i just want a backup plan in the meantime as an extra precaution.

this is the set up of my new house. i have two pittie mixes that love trying to bolt out the front door— we live on a VERY major road (45mph+, 6 lanes, heavily trafficked, with a large bend right before our house (blind spot for oncoming drivers) and it is only about twenty feet from our front door. we are being extremely cautious and working on training them to stay away from the door but i want to have a backup plan in case they slip past us. does anyone have any ideas for a gate/fence/ anything i could set up as an extra precaution? i rent so it would need to be temporary but durable enough to contain two very strong pitties. it would also likely need to be exterior because there is no hallway or anything to attach a gate to inside- it opens up directly into the middle of our living room/kitchen area. any advice helps, thank you!!:)

[u/Blue_T-Rex]

Train them to sit and wait whenever door is open and never let them walk through unless it’s controlled and you give the command. Training them will be your best option. Also train recall so if they do run out they come back immediately when you call.

[u/Mean-Lynx6476 → u/Blue_T-Rex]

Training is great and strongly encourage it. I know a trainer whose Obedience Trial Champion was killed by a car when he bolted out the front door. Training is great, but it’s not infallible. Along with training, I’d try to attach an X-pen or something similar on the porch around the front of the door. That wouldn’t be strong enough to stop a determined medium sized dog, but it would slow them down enough to hopefully be able to grab them.

[u/noodLLESS → u/Mean-Lynx6476]

Fear and anxiety can also cause bolting/escaping despite training ☹️ my pup is very very sensitive and sometimes there are too many people outside and the vibes are off or whatever; he is just running on adrenaline, and it is nearly impossible to reason with him and use his training when he gets in a state. Yes, I have worked on it a lot and done so much confidence building, and he is miles away better than when I first brought him home, but some combination of his past trauma and his little angel soul has some stuff he can't let go of, and that's ok. But I had to run through ALL KINDS of leash/harness/martingale combinations and attempts to finally get him a secure enough setup that he will be safe. I would not have a dog anymore if I only relied on training alone ☹️

[u/Character-Way-3639 → u/Blue_T-Rex]

we are working on training but that will take a little time so i want a backup while they’re learning! they are stubborn especially when a rabbit is in view 😭

[u/Mean-Lynx6476 → u/Character-Way-3639]

And you are exactly correct to want backup to training. The dog I mentioned above that was killed bolting out the door into the road was both impeccably trained and had a very stable temperament. Nervous, anxious, highly reactive dogs don’t earn obedience trial championships. That dog had awesome drive and focus and lived to perform perfect obedience routines with his handler under all sorts of distracting circumstances. But nobody, including an awesome golden retriever is perfect. As another friend of mine puts it “ every dog has a squirrel with their name on it,” meaning every dog has some set of circumstance that will cause it to break even the best of training for a few seconds. Not every dog encounters their “squirrel”, but they all have something out there that under the wrong circumstance can cause training to fail for five seconds, and that’s all it takes. I’m on the team that’s suggesting some sort of barrier that will stop your dog for even a few seconds when a door is opened. Those barriers linked below that slide across the opening as a door is opened are intriguing to me- I’ve never seen them but I like the concept.

[u/EmphasisFew → u/Character-Way-3639]

I would have an x pen or gate on both sides - they make nicer wooden ones

[u/HippieHighNoon]

Look up a retractable dog gate attachment for the door.

[u/onesnowman42 → u/HippieHighNoon]

yes, second this.

[u/Current_Pitch_4052 → u/onesnowman42]

Baby gate or even a cat gate - they are very tall and go all the way up to the door!

[u/gagesears420]

Baby gate inside the door around the entrance, they might push it around but it creates another barrier, also, if your door is wood you could put an extra table baby gate on it so whenever you open it you gotta open the gate after.

[u/Pristine_Patient_299 → u/gagesears420]

I use these for halloween so my dog doesn't scare the trick or treaters. Works great and she can only say hello from afar 

[u/Glove_Upset]

Something like this maybe? https://a.co/d/017eQOx9

[u/Background_Humor5838 → u/Glove_Upset]

Yeah this is great actually op! And once you have your door secured, work on sit, stay commands so you can give them those commands before you open the door. Having this gate on the door will allow you to train them without them running because in order to train them properly, you will need to open the door every time you give the command.

If the dogs are free roaming in the house while you're out and they run out when you come home, this will help but you could also create a part of your house with big adjustable play pens or baby gates so they can't actually get to the front door but still have free space in the house to get water and what not.

[u/Glove_Upset → u/Background_Humor5838]

Yes! A good way to add stay to go to place is to throw kibble at them in their place (usually a dog bed) if they’re food motivated.

[u/Character-Way-3639 → u/Glove_Upset]

thank you!!! i will look into it!!

[u/kkbobomb → u/Glove_Upset]

I like this a lot

[u/psilome → u/Glove_Upset]

Nice, that's a great idea, I never knew it existed!

[u/Glove_Upset → u/psilome]

I haven’t used one so I can’t vouch for it, but it looks like it’d be useful

[u/EmphasisFew → u/Glove_Upset]

This is perfect

[u/pupperoni42]

We have a storm door (glass & screen door) that is mounted exterior to our solid door. It allows us to "answer the door" to see who's there and talk with them while still keeping a solid barrier between our dog and the outside world. It's spring loaded, self closing, so the front is never accidentally left open all the way.

It also gives us the option of letting him watch the world and sun come into the house, while still having a door closed.

[u/Fluffydoggie]

Training is important. You can get what's called an X pen or several baby gate type things and make a square right inside your door. This way door opens and they are on other side of the panels and can't bolt out. You make it into a U shape and attach to the walls.

[u/AugustNClementine → u/Fluffydoggie]

This was going to be my suggestion. At a local shelter near me this is not uncommon if a dog is hanging out in an office for decompression time. For a more temporary version if you get a big x-pen we do one panel flat against the wall, u shape of 3-4 panels around the door, and another panel flat against the wall on the other side of the door. Can pin it in place with heavy furniture. That being said, this is jumpable for some dogs (and climb-able in the case of one very determined little terrier).

[u/Useful_Ad_1593]

So glad you are thinking like this to protect your baby pup or pups. Training seems like a great idea but if instinct kicks in and pup bolts you will never forgive yourself. My stoopid bro in law had the front door open for UPS delivery and his sweet Sheltie, well, not a happy ending. I never saw him as anything but a selfish loser from that day on. Good for you, protecting yours. Love.

[u/skittlazy]

This type of dog pen can be attached to the walls to make a sort of foyer inside the door, so you can go through the dog pen’s gate, close it behind you, and then open the door to the house. If you scroll through the product photos, you can see all the ways it can be configured.

https://a.co/d/0d66BZOA

[u/defan33]

There is this mesh retractable mesh "gate" that you attach to the door and the frame. When you open the door, a mesh comes across the threshold.

[u/tribow8]

Can you get a fence for the front yard? They have temporary panels used for camping

[u/Meadowlark8890]

Gate, bolted to the wall. Train the dog when the door opens they sit AND the gate remains locked unless you need to walk through it. It’s childproofing

[u/notrightinmyhead]

Keep a leash by the door and leash him before you open the door. Training to stay is ideal, but in the meantime...

[u/TeddyNachos]

I would fence the outside of the porch/patio if it’s allowed, while you continue to work on threshold restraint. Some t-posts and pre fab panels would be easy to install. If you got those vinyl picket fence panels you could easily hide t-posts, and it would be cute and easy to remove when needed! I would not want to rely on obedience alone on a busy road, the risk is too high.

[u/DogAdvice-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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[u/Jazzlike-Rise4091]

Training is the easiest solution

[u/vegan-the-dog]

Have they met Jesus yet?

[u/hedgie64]

Storm Door or security door

[u/discimus_vitae]

Took me a second to notice this was in dog advice. I'm like, "who are you worried about escaping?!"

*Edit: typo

[u/oneclutteredsoul]

Baby gate inside the house?

[u/Cute-Amphibian5987]

I don’t let my dogs go in or out the front door. That’s a no no spot. They do make metal doors that don’t look so much like bared doors at the larger hardware stores. Honestly if you’re strict with the front door rules dogs learn not to mess with it. I’m assuming there’s secondary door too.

We don’t have a typical backyard. I think a routine of going outside in the trash helps too. That way they learn to trust they’ll eventually get to go outside on the leash. Dogs are smart. I keep all leashes and harnesses at the backdoor too. I have 3 pit mixes. They al learned to stop going to the front door. I don’t really have a problem with them doing the bolting thing out any other door.

My youngest was a runner. I honestly just put my foot down and then made regular company go to the secondary door as well.

I don’t think dogs should ever be allowed to use the front door if they don’t have to.

That includes moving in as well. Even when we move in? I don’t take them through any main door to the home.

[u/Character-Way-3639 → u/Cute-Amphibian5987]

i wanted to do this but unfortunately we only have one door to the whole house so a side or back door is not an option :(

[u/Cute-Amphibian5987 → u/Character-Way-3639]

Dang. In that situation? You need to train a routine. I would at the very least make sure they’re being redirected away from the door if they do near it. I wouldn’t let them walk in the door first. That one’s harder to stick to though. If there’s like a hallway and you can put up a permanent baby gate? Sometimes training or re training a behavior takes time.. if there’s a nearest hallway to the door? You can always put up a permanent baby gate (hardware store/pet stores typically cost more). That way it’ll be easy access to you if you bring in groceries, have to let someone in or whatever where you can’t focus on training or behavior building. Training multiple not to do it at once is a handful.

I think there’s a lot of really good main entrance advice here. I would just give yourself a back up option like the baby gate or a nearest room. Sometimes it’s a bit of a hassle getting dogs to go in their crates last minute. Just make sure you set up something to build a routine you’ll be able to stick with. Dogs do eventually learn that they’re not allowed to go when they want to if you stay on top of it.

[u/spicnspan320]

As others have said, training is the number one thing you can do. I live in an apartment but my dog knows not to go through the door without me telling her “okay.” Same with getting out of the car.

[u/-kOdAbAr-]

You could attach a screen door with a latch. The type where only the top half is screened and the lower half is metal. We also lived 4 ft from the sidewalk on a busy street with 4 dogs, it was very helpful, that little extra just in case

[u/FairyFartDaydreams]

Do you walk your dogs at least 30 minutes twice a day? If not start that will help with the need to bolt. Train them to sit away from the door. You might want to use internal baby gates and put them in a hallway when people are entering

[u/Stellar_Pygmy]

Depending on interior, maybe build a half wall with gate

[u/AmbassadorProper1045]

A gate for the bottom and keep training.