Mickey and Luna are two blue Pitbulls. They were 17 months when we started their training and were also from the same litter. That in and of itself can cause a lot of issues because they went through all their major life stages and phases at the same time. They went through the terrible twos together (up to 4-6 months) which their family survived, but now that they were in their teenage years, the family was at a loss!
Doorway Manners
Mickey and Luna’s parents called us because these dogs were out of control. They would get so excited that they would push and bolt at the door. Jumping on their guests and even running out the door and taking off down the street. But that wasn’t their worst problem. Because Mickey and Luna would get so hyped up, their energy would become too much for them to process and they would break out into fights. They had fought so badly, several times, that they would have puncture wounds all over over each other.
Walking On A Loose Leash
A big part of WHY Mickey and Luna were so crazy at the front door was that they were never walked. Not because their family didn’t want to walk them, but that THEY COULDN’T WALK THEM! They were big, powerful tanks. They couldn’t even walk them one at a time, let alone together, because they were so strong would pull the family down and aggressively lunge, bark, and try to attack dogs throughout the neighborhood.
After a few short lessons, we were able to not only get them to be respectful to guests, but also taught them how to manage their energy and to not attack each other. The family is also taking Mickey and Luna for daily walks that are calm, pleasant, and PEACEFUL!
Way to go Mickey and Luna!!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do dogs jump on guests and bolt out the front door?
As shown in Mickey and Luna's case study, door excitement usually comes from built-up, unmanaged energy. When dogs get over-aroused at the door, they push, bolt, and jump on arriving guests. Teaching calm doorway manners gives them a structured way to greet people instead.
Can two dogs from the same litter be trained together?
Mickey and Luna were littermates who went through every major life stage at the same time, which can create extra challenges. In their case, training addressed both dogs' energy and manners so they could be handled together without the over-arousal that led to fighting.
How does leash walking relate to behavior at the door?
In this case study, the family could not walk Mickey and Luna because the dogs were too strong and would pull, lunge, and bark. Daily calm walks became part of the solution, helping the dogs manage their energy so they were also more settled at the front door.
What happens when dogs get so hyped up that they fight each other?
Mickey and Luna's energy would build until they broke out into fights that left puncture wounds. Training focused on helping them manage that energy and stop attacking each other, alongside teaching respectful greetings for guests.
How long does it take to see improvement with door-greeting manners?
Every dog is different, but in Mickey and Luna's case the family saw results after a few short lessons: the dogs became respectful to guests, stopped fighting each other, and were able to go on daily calm, peaceful walks.