Teach your dog to close a door gently on command, helping them learn to push a door shut without using their paws or teeth aggressively.

Introduce the "Boop It" Behavior:

Take a piece of paper or a post-it note and stick it in the palm of your hand.
Encourage your dog to nose (or "boop") the post-it note by holding it close to their nose.
As soon as your dog touches the post-it note with their nose, mark the behavior (using a clicker or verbal cue like "Yes!") and immediately reward with a treat.
Repeat this step until your dog is comfortable with the "boop it" behavior.

Move the Post-it to the Door:

Once your dog is reliably booping the post-it note, move it to the door at your dog's eye level.
Crack the door open slightly and point to the post-it note, saying the command "boop it".
As soon as your dog touches the post-it note on the door, mark the behavior and reward.
Repeat this step until your dog is consistently touching the post-it on the door.

Introduce the "Close It" Command:

Once your dog is comfortable booping the post-it on the door, slowly begin to open the door further.
As you point to the door, say the new verbal command, "close it". This will help your dog transition from the "boop it" to the "close it" cue.
Mark and reward once the door is fully closed. Start with the door only slightly cracked open and gradually work up to a fully open door.
Ensure you are marking and rewarding the door closing (not the post-it being touched) at this stage.

Remove the Post-it and Reinforce the Behavior:

Once your dog is confident in closing the door with the post-it, remove the paper completely.
Start again with the door slightly cracked open and mark and reward when they close the door on their own.
Repeat this process, ensuring they associate the command "close it" with the action of closing the door.

If your dog isn’t booping the post-it: Go back to Step 1 and practice the "boop it" behavior in a more controlled, familiar environment before moving to the door. You can even reward them for touching the paper with any part of their face, not just their nose.
If your dog doesn’t touch the post-it on the door: Start with the door more cracked so that the post-it is easier for your dog to access. Once they start touching the post-it, you can increase the door's angle gradually.
If your dog gets confused between "boop it" and "close it": Go back to a cracked door to avoid confusion and reset the process. The door needs to be at an angle where your dog is comfortable enough to reach the post-it with their nose and understand the task.
If your dog struggles with the door opening further: Slowly reintroduce a cracked door and make sure your dog has mastered the behavior with the door slightly open. Once they confidently close it with a small crack, you can increase the door's opening.
If your dog doesn’t seem to understand the "close it" command: Use the "boop it" behavior for a few steps after you switch commands to reinforce the action. You can continue pointing at the door and saying "close it" to guide them.
If your dog stops after closing the door: Be patient and always reward for the door closing itself, not just the post-it interaction. This helps reinforce that the goal is to shut the door, not just touch the paper.

Email me at kevin@pawsitivetraining.org your questions and I will help in any way that I can!

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Pawsitive Training