# Is it a common GSD trait to bolt?



## RockstersMama (Apr 8, 2014)

First time poster here. Please have patience with me. I am at my wits end. 

I love my boy. He is amazing. He is 4 years old, friendly with all people and animals, super amazing with my 3 youngish boys and has never once bared his teeth at anyone or anything. But there is one thing I hate about him. I know it's a strong word but I am seriously just so done with him bolting out any open door or trying to break the fence pickets to get out.

We solved the problem at our last house by tethering him every time we let him out to do his business but I hated that solution and we have moved to a new house recently and need to find a new solution. 

I know I need to teach him a better recall. I know we need to exercise him more and keep him busy. We do have a trainer but she's very expensive. 

I am looking for answers as to whether this is a common GSD trait or not. I thought they were supposed to be protective and loyal but this joker runs away at any opportunity and it bothers me so much. We are first time GSD parents but we have had a sheltie, collie, goldie, and a rescue. The rescue is the only one who would run out but I chalked it up to her living in the streets. 

Please no rude comments. I'm so afraid he'll get hurt one of these days by running into a car or rattler.


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## truckola (Nov 3, 2013)

Nope, Pepper likes to go out in the morning to sniff the front yard for "intruders" but never goes far. She also helps me put the trash barrel out and bring the milk in. One day she was out, forgot about her looked out and she was looking in the door with "the you forgot me" look.


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## RockstersMama (Apr 8, 2014)

truckola said:


> One day she was out, forgot about her looked out and she was looking in the door with "the you forgot me" look.


My other pups were just like that but not this guy. This is unexpected and very distressing.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

Yeah, this is really a training (and maybe exercise?) issue...

You need to work on obedience. Bolting out the door, any door, is just a learned behavior that you've worked around via tethering, but it sounds like never really addressed via training. 

No amount of money or training will make an under-exercised dog behave! So figure out a way to meet his needs, then train him to meet yours.

There is no SILVER BULLET that will fix this problem. Change your routine...and teach him some boundaries!


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

The more a behavior is practiced or gets a band aid as a solution, the more ingrained it becomes. 4yrs in the making can take awhile to break depending the training technique, ability and consistency.

I would not say it’s a GSD trait.... breed aside, it’s a young, untrained, under exercised dog trait. I think you’re already aware of what needs to be done. Training and exercise...a lot of both.

Outside of isolated events (chasing a squirrel, etc), clearly something out there has become way more reinforcing to him than being at home.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

I vote no, it is not a GSD trait. As the others say, up the exercise, put some training on him, and give him opportunity to be a dog doing what he wants to do at his pace.

I am sure he adores your three boys but are you sure he really is amazing with them or does he tolerate all the activity? Does he have a quiet place to go when he needs a break where he won't be disturbed?


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## RockstersMama (Apr 8, 2014)

Fodder said:


> . breed aside, it’s a young, untrained, under exercised dog trait. I think you’re already aware of what needs to be done. Training and exercise...a lot of both.
> 
> Outside of isolated events (chasing a squirrel, etc), clearly something out there has become way more reinforcing to him than being at home.


I agree that in general, my guy needs more exercise. However, when I train to walk the half marathon, I take him with me. He's done eight and 10 milers with me and still likes to dart afterwards if given the opportunity. 

I think your last statement rings true the most. I think he thinks of it as a game somehow. Especially since I freak out. Obviously after four years, we've gotten him back every time. Sometimes he would even just come back on his own while we were running after him. 


Thanks for your kind response!


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## RockstersMama (Apr 8, 2014)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> I am sure he adores your three boys but are you sure he really is amazing with them or does he tolerate all the activity?
> 
> Does he have a quiet place to go when he needs a break where he won't be disturbed?


What is a good way to tell? He always wants to be around them and is very affectionate with them. We also have 2 kitties and he always tries to love on them too. You are right that we have a very active household but he is a very happy go lucky boy. 

Yep, he has his bed or he could go upstairs or the study to be alone but he seems to always want to be where the action is. He has the house to himself and the kitties for the better part of the day with us working and the kids in school. 

I appreciate your thoughtful response.


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

Definitely an individual thing! Since I moved to my current property, my dogs have gotten out twice, both times when a really bad wind storm blew the gate ajar.

The younger one will just sniff around the front yard, then come back and lie on the back deck. The older one goes off exploring!

I had to retrieve her from the Humane society once. She's also the one who figured out how to let herself out of the house by opening the screen door! Got up one morning: where's my dog??

As the lock on the screen door was broken, I had to close the inner door every night after that, and when I left her alone in the house. As long as I was home, she'd stay put.


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## Shepdad (Oct 24, 2017)

It's more of a male dog trait than a breed trait. Especially if there are interesting things and smells around the neighborhood such as other dogs and he feels a need to mark his presence everywhere. Some dogs are also just more curious and adventurous than others. You may have to go back to your old solution of tethering or spend the money for a really secure fence and be careful about leaving any door open unattended. To me these are just standard practices for any person that owns a dog.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

All wonderful answers here that cover many possibilities. Let me add one more. My first GSD was adopted from the local humane society and we hit the jack-pot with him. As a pet GSD he was everything we wanted. The lady who had to surrender him must have been heartbroken. 

One day we had a house fire. Everyone got out but the house was ruined. We went to go live with some friends while we looked for a new place. After we moved into a spot on the other side of town, our boy bolted out of the door. He was gone all day. That evening he was by the door asking to be let in. Friends asked if we had been missing our dog because they thought they had seen him at the old burnt out house. It may be that he went all the way across town (and we've never taken a route from that burnt house to the new place) to see why we hadn't gone home yet. Satisfied with what he found, he didn't bolt again. 

So who knows why your guy takes off. The answer is still the same. Some consistent exercise. Some intelligence games. Some training even if it means looking at some good video trainers. I think we have a thread of decent online trainers here somewhere.


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## McGloomy (Mar 13, 2018)

Agreed, not a breed trait. I've heard a lot about dogs just bolting out the door soon as he's unsupervised with the door open, so from day 1, I've trained him to sit before any door is open, AND to stay sitting down even AFTER the door is open, and only when I release, he may go through the door.

I do it everyday, everytime. There was a period where I keep my apartment door open while I sit at a sofa near the door, and whenever he got close to the door, I correct. Now everytime we go into the house, out the house, or whenever he wants to get out of his crate, he sits down before and after the door is opened, and will only go through the door on my release command. 

If your dog learns that kind of routine, he might feel the need to 'ask for your permission' first whenever he sees a door open.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

I would say indvidual dog trait. Some enjoy the adrenaline rush. With many years practicing that behavior it will be a challenge but possible. I’m pretty sure this was my first question on this forum.

When max was an adolescent he would dash out the door chasing and hopping through the woods after several feral cats. We already practiced much obedience but not without majors distractions off leash. Every time the front door was open a cat would be in his view. Max found out to many times how fun this was. One time one of the kids did not shut the door right and the wind left blew open the door open. In the middle of the cat run. I saw max trying to charge the bus head on as the bus was pulling down the road in front of our house to pick up the kids. The bus driver stopped but did not see the dog but just happened to stop in time. Max’s head and the bus bumper were 2 inches apart.

We did ago to your spot or place training if someone was visiting and the door was to be opened or max was to be leashed. I practiced with long leads and the front door open and practicing impulse control exercises like throwing the ball and having him wait to get it. We practiced recalls on long leads with out distraction and with distraction around the feral cats. I was able to walk to pass the cats without any pulling on leashes or bolting if I was at the door but it was all challenging as there were a few people in the house. 
With all the wildlife around us and wanting to have max off of the leash during certain outings I went to a trainer to help me use the e collar to proof for recalling with off leash distractions like deer and wild cats etc. All of the training helped and when the front door now opens max has and does not take off- it took continuous time and effort and good timing. Linking some of the sites I learned from. 
https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2010/06/recall-collapse/
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=O75dyWITP1s


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## Aly (May 26, 2011)

I agree with everyone else. This isn't a breed trait, it's an _untrained _dog trait and it's dangerous. But, you know that, so you're halfway there towards solving the problemS. Note the plural. IMO there are several different things going on, so, to be effective, over the long term, you've got to breakdown and tailor your training/management to address each component separately. 

First, there's the bolting which is a relatively easy fix (all things considered) but takes many repetitions, commitment and _time_. Teach the dog to Sit and Wait. You can do this inside (at doorways), entering/exiting a crate, at house entrances/exits, at gates, curbs at street crossings --- pretty much anywhere there's a natural division or boundary. Start with the dog/puppy leashed, approach a doorway, tell the dog to Sit (reward), then tell the dog to Wait. (Hand gestures help with this). You step back, count to 5, return to the dog, take up the lead and walk on. IME having the dog to come to you is too similar to the bolting you're trying to stop, so I wouldn't. I'd go back to the dog, stand in position, reward for waiting and then move out _together._ Repeat this All Over the House. I've found it's easiest to train Wait in a crate, at a gate, or in a doorway with an easily closed door. If the dog tries bolting there, Hey Presto, the door/gate closes in their face. (You have to be somewhat ruthless about this with a confirmed bolter. Make them think that the door's gonna smash their noses, if necessary). The point is that nothing good happens until they Sit and Wait quietly. They get the point. Rinse and repeat, multiple times daily. Then teach it at the door to the outside, and at the gate. Rinse and repeat, multiple times daily. Keep him on a long line so you've got some control whilst teaching him new/different behavior.

Second, there's the running off component; I think of it as the extended portion of bolting. The tricky part is that, in very short order, running off can quickly become self-reinforcing --- there's always some new smell, object or animal to investigate. _This _is where the assistance of a good GSD trainer would be most helpful. Until then, I simply wouldn't open the door and let the dog go outside unleashed --- no matter what the purpose is. Building on what you're training inside, leash the dog, have him Sit and Wait quietly at the door, and then the two of you walk quietly outside together. And, I wouldn't let him offleash outside unless and until he's quiet and then only in a fully secured (fenced) yard --- with a locked gate. Until you get a trainer on board, you can teach/practice Recall with him on a long line in your yard. If/when he improves, you can began to teach/practice Recall (still on a long line) on walks, in fields, etc. Keep in mind that some dogs will never be reliable offlead and, at this point, he may have become one of those. If so, it's a question of management.

Third, up his exercise, being careful to include mental as well as physical exercise. Running/jogging is enjoyable, but may not be enough for him compared to the excitement of exploring new smells/places (aka bolting). So, an important thing to do is to expand YOUR approach so that it's fun and interesting for him, being careful to include activities that make him _think_. Try simple nosework games (search the forum for suggestions) or teaching him new stuff. 

Finally, I agree with others who note that at 4 years, he's had a lot of time to practice and consolidate this behavior. Changing it is possible, but will take time and utter consistency. Then too, you've got to get everyone in the family on board (especially any children). That may be more difficult than actually retraining the dog. Knowing that going in is half the battle. 

Good luck.


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

Couple of videos:


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

Looks like you got all good answers here. I agree, not a breed trait. In fact the opposite would be more the norm..unlikely to "bolt"

I have had sneaky ones though. Well, my dad did I was just a teen. We had Petey and Pax and they use to sneak off the farm to go hunt no matter what my dad did. New fencing, electric fencing with collars..at one point it was such a mystery. They would NEVER do it in front of him. Well he was patiently watching out the window one night and it turned out they were getting out through the window hole in the barn slider door....that was 7 feet up. Stealth, quiet, a nice jump and right through that opening, through the barn into the horse field then through the wide spaced electric horse fence (army crawl). They were obsessed with hunting and would on a regular basis come back with a deer hock, rabbits. So wasn't bolting, it was going out with purpose, without permission lol. Once he put chicken wire over that hole it was game over and they were contained. 

So while all that was also untrained, probably bored behavior..I think it was more breed typical manifestation of said boredom. They were leaving their people and post in a controlled fashion and absolutely with purpose, with a task they felt they had to do. They also came back after hunting. Sometimes with pet bunnies...ugh. Dad, seriously?


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

My pup used to rush out doors because I let her. 2 months of leash and prong, sit and wait solved that.


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## unfortunatefoster (Dec 17, 2017)

3 small boys and a job and a dog that requires more exercise, that's a conundrum. May I suggest a flirt pole? If your dog has any kind of prey drive, he will love it and you will get daily exercise done in half the time. Now, if you are particular about a nice lawn, you may have to give that up. There are, literally, divots of my grass/weeds in the neighbor's yard. Well worth it to make sure my dog gets the exercise he needs as well as the excitement. His eyes light up the minute I touch that thing. You can make your own, customized, with pvc and paracord. Google it, you'll find plenty of diy flirt poles.

For mental stimulation, I have given names to his stuffed toys (he finally stopped shredding them) and ask him to get *whichever. He brings it to me and I tell him to 'make it cry like a little girl' and he squeaks it nonstop until I tell him to get me a different toy. Presently working on getting to 'clean this mess up', meaning to put his toys in the basket. That is not going as well, for the moment. I also hide things, especially his favorite ball, in the yard and ask him to find it. He has quite a nose on him and starts sniffing. Sometimes it takes him a few to find it, but he is working the entire time trying to get the scent. 

As for the fence. I had a foster Husky here, who took forever to get on transport. This breed is the quintessential escape artist. They go over, under and through. I simply bought 2 foot wire fencing and installed it one foot inside my fence. If he manged to dig under or hop over, he had no room to take on the outer fence. After about a week, I was confident that he could no longer get out and was able to leave him out there if I had something to take care of, like going to the bathroom or answering the phone. Never for an extended period, but I don't do that with any of my dogs. 

Training not to bolt the door is essential. Simon was an adult when I got him, with zero manners or training. I taught him right away that we do not go on an adventure without the lead. He will not go through the front door until I leash him, but knows when I open the door to the fenced yard, it's game on. Pretty smart guy. So sit/stay at the front door and no exiting without the lead. That way you can retrieve the UPS delivery, without have to run after your dog. He only goes out the door with the lead (you can give a command, but I think my actions speak with my guy. It is now a given.)

Make your fenced yard a fun place to be. If you are out there throwing a ball or using the flirt pole, he will likely find that good enough and the outside world won't be quite so enticing. (unless he's got a girl friend in the neighborhood


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## IllinoisNative (Feb 2, 2010)

I agree with the others - not a breed trait. If fact, their loyalty makes them less likely to bolt. I can't even peel my dog off me to go to the bathroom by myself.

There were two times I was walking my dog outside and dropped the leash (by accident). All I had to do was head in the direction of my house and my dog beat me there. No way was he being left behind. LOL



> May I suggest a flirt pole? If your dog has any kind of prey drive, he will love it and you will get daily exercise done in half the time. Now, if you are particular about a nice lawn, you may have to give that up. There are, literally, divots of my grass/weeds in the neighbor's yard. Well worth it to make sure my dog gets the exercise he needs as well as the excitement. His eyes light up the minute I touch that thing. You can make your own, customized, with pvc and paracord. Google it, you'll find plenty of diy flirt poles.


I agree with unfortunatefoster. A flirt pole does wonders for my dog...and he LOVES it! I also work in training while using it. It's literally his favorite thing in the world...aside from me. :wink2:

Of course, I've had huskies so I feel your pain. Nothing worked on them. It's why I have a GSD now and not a Husky...lol.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Shepdad said:


> It's more of a male dog trait than a breed trait. Especially if there are interesting things and smells around the neighborhood such as other dogs and he feels a need to mark his presence everywhere. Some dogs are also just more curious and adventurous than others. You may have to go back to your old solution of tethering or spend the money for a really secure fence and be careful about leaving any door open unattended. To me these are just standard practices for any person that owns a dog.


My intact male sits at the door staring in looking for me hoping I come out if I put him out and don't go with. And he loves to mark. 

If I were you OP, find a trainer that is good with e collars...and build a good fence. Unless the dog gets an influx of exercise, mental stimulation, sound management and training, this will continue.

appeasement behaviors can sometimes look like affection, so the dog might still not be as happy as you think even if licking kids a lot or wagging etc... 

I definitely don't think it's a GSD trait. More hunting breeds in my experience take off- pointers, setters, hounds. I had a hunting breed mix who was a bad bolter when I got her and fixed with e collar recall followed by daily offleash walks, training, new job, and it was over. She no longer needed to evade humans to run free, get exercise, or have fun. She did all that WITH me


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

unfortunatefoster said:


> 3 small boys and a job and a dog that requires more exercise, that's a conundrum. May I suggest a flirt pole? If your dog has any kind of prey drive, he will love it and you will get daily exercise done in half the time. Now, if you are particular about a nice lawn, you may have to give that up. There are, literally, divots of my grass/weeds in the neighbor's yard. Well worth it to make sure my dog gets the exercise he needs as well as the excitement. His eyes light up the minute I touch that thing. You can make your own, customized, with pvc and paracord. Google it, you'll find plenty of diy flirt poles.
> 
> For mental stimulation, I have given names to his stuffed toys (he finally stopped shredding them) and ask him to get *whichever. He brings it to me and I tell him to 'make it cry like a little girl' and he squeaks it nonstop until I tell him to get me a different toy. Presently working on getting to 'clean this mess up', meaning to put his toys in the basket. That is not going as well, for the moment. I also hide things, especially his favorite ball, in the yard and ask him to find it. He has quite a nose on him and starts sniffing. Sometimes it takes him a few to find it, but he is working the entire time trying to get the scent.
> 
> ...


"Make it cry like a little girl"? why is that kind of disturbing? just sayn


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## GSDchoice (Jul 26, 2016)

I have a shepherd/husky and if there was ever a breed stereotyped to bolt --i t's Huskies! Very few husky owners let their dogs off leash, and they have some very clever methods to proof normal fencing, i.e. hotwiring the fence, adding back-tilted panels to top of fencing, adding a second inner fence (as mentioned), etc. So physical adjustments to your fencing is one thought.

Mine used to bolt for the door if he saw that I was going out. Squeezing by my legs, he would run to the car! I put a stop to that by walking to the door and when I opened it, I would stand right near the opening. When he ran for the opening, I body-blocked him with my legs/body and said "Stay Home" sternly and gave a hand signal. That worked and now when he notices me going out, our eyes meet...I say "Stay Home" and give hand signal...his ears and tail droop, and he walks away and lays down. (Of course at other times I say "Let's go for a walk!" and clip his leash on, so his life is not all bad. 

On the Leerburg forum, I read his method of closing the door and catching the dog's neck in door (firmly but not hard) so the dog felt stuck. He says he rarely had to do it more than once. I thought his method seemed kind of harsh though! I like the other methods mentioned here better.

I agree with Aly that the tricky thing is with your boys perhaps opening the door at various times and running outside...it might be hard to be consistent with the training! If your dog gets away with it sometimes, it will set the training back a lot.


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## unfortunatefoster (Dec 17, 2017)

"Make it cry like a little girl"? why is that kind of disturbing? just sayn

It's an inside joke from when my son was little. He and his friends used that term for every action that involved breaking something. It didn't originate with me, but became a saying around here for when things got noisy. 

No harm intended to little girls


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

unfortunatefoster said:


> "Make it cry like a little girl"? why is that kind of disturbing? just sayn
> 
> It's an inside joke from when my son was little. He and his friends used that term for every action that involved breaking something. It didn't originate with me, but became a saying around here for when things got noisy.
> 
> No harm intended to little girls


If you don't know why this is disturbing, I doubt it could be explained to you.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Anywhooo....back to the OP. Because your dog is 4, and the behavior has been self rewarding, you will have to use a combination of training a new behavior AND a correction.

Door dashing is training and impulse control. I would start by teaching him to 'go to a place' Put bed, towel, etc down and teach your dog to go there. There has to be a HIGH value on his place. A lot of positive reinforcement and it has to be proofed so he understands coming off is not an option. Once he knows that, then start opening the door. If he breaks from his place, you shut the door and help him back. This is the simplified version of what I would do. There are many small steps along the way but it really doesn't take that long.

https://www.facebook.com/completecanine10/videos/792452877813264/

As far as the fence, you need to teach boundaries. At this point, I would use a correction. It's been self rewarded to long. You can get and underground fence or you can mark the boundary with flags and use a correction collar you control. Walk that line and if he crosses, he gets a correction. If he corrects himself to stay on the right side, he gets a reward (again simplified version)

You need to teach a solid Down, and a recall. The Down is my emergency command. Drop. NOW. Then I can determine if it's safe for them to come back to me or if I need to go get them. 

Your expensive trainer should be teaching you this. If not, find a different expensive trainer. You shouldn't need weekly lessons to do this. Have the trainer come in and teach you, you work on it and have them come back when you are ready for the next step.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Lots of good advice already given. I would like to mention that working with him diligently through training, play, and exercise you'll will build a better bond with your dog and your "value" in his eyes will increase. He can learn that an open door is an opportunity to engage with you vs running off to roam. 

My girl Tuke would try to slip through doors past our kids when she was younger, however she would not take off. Instead she would start grabbing toys from a basket on our porch and try to "will us" into playing. Engagement and fun games > running off.


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## clipke (Nov 14, 2017)

I don't know if I'd consider it common exactly. My dogs are trained to sit and wait for a command before going outside, so they don't try to bolt out regardless if I go out the door by myself. They listen to my command for wait. I suggest teaching your dog a few basic commands like wait, go, etc, and make it routine that he has to perform these commands in order to go out any doors.

Here's how it works in my house. I walk to the door by myself, I say "Bleib(stay/wait)" and they typically don't move from where they are.

or

I say "Potty" or "Outside" they go to the door. I say "Back up"(I haven't learned any german commands for this so English for now), they back away from the door. "Sitz", "Bleib", Open the door, "Bleib" with my hand up, "Voraus(Go)" and I let them out. Similar process for letting them back in. They must sit and wait before I let them in.


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## brucebourdon (Jun 2, 2010)

I apologize if this point has already been addressed, I didn’t read everything in this thread...

I’m on my third GSD, and I’d say that bolting as you describe is not a trait to them anymore than it is to any other breed.

My first GSD did run from me twice over several years, the first time because several deer came out of the trees and then darted and she ran after them. The second time she took off to visit a neighbors dog.

After that we tried a radio controlled shock collar, it was a lower priced brand that didn’t last long but was effective.

With my last two I’ve invested in a much higher quality unit; a Garmin Pro 550 Dog Training System

The radio can control up to three collars, I’ve got two. It’s pricey at around $350 for the control and one collar (the second was about $100), but over the long run it’s saved me money as I had gone through several cheap units and I’m now still using the same Garmin I bought years ago. 

But more importantly, it is very effective at training the dogs to behave/respond appropriately. These allow a tone or vibration or a shock of many levels. This model is rugged, isn’t ruined by rain, and has a very long range.

I rarely need to use the shock settings, as they know that after ignoring my commands a tone is the final warning. It would probably be better if I worked a little more to have my tone be the final warning (in case I ever need to get their attention when they aren’t wearing the collar), these tools make that practical even for a non trainer like me.

So I’d urge you to consider getting one, and using it inside at first, then in controlled environments outside (where they can’t go far, a fenced property or perhaps a dog park when empty) to build up the behavior you want.

There’s a chance that you could stimulate your dog into running faster, which is why you must begin using it where you can’t lose him.

Use the longer prongs that these come with, and be sure to be tight enough that the prongs get through all the fur and make contact with the skin and or it won’t be felt, and the beep won’t be of much use until they’ve associated it with the uncomfortable shock that might follow.

If you are worried that a shock is inhumane, you can imagine the things that could happen which are far worse if the bolting continues.

Best of luck to you!
Bruce.


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## Parkers (Jan 15, 2011)

RockstersMama, this is a very important thing to fix and fix now! I am not a certified trainer, but I have had very VERY good success with my GSD. STARTING TODAY put the dog (and other pets) behind a closed door. Open the front door. Go get and put a leash (a real leash, not a extending kind) on your pup with about 1 foot of lead between your dog and his collar. With a tight grip on the leash casually walk towards the open door with your handsome pup at your side. Walk with speed as if you are going right out. When you get to the door frame slam on the brakes and issue a sharp and loud, NO! Your dog will think "what the ****? I always walk right through that thing!" Get him to sit. After about a minute YOU step out but extend your arm back so he cannot follow. When he tries, pull the lead away from you (into the house) and give him another sharp "NO!" Finally, after about 30 seconds give him the command "Okay! Out you go!" (or any other specific set of words that are only for him to know when he can go out that door frame). Take him outside and give him the best time of his life! Play, treats, the works! Do this twice a day everyday for about two weeks and your GSD, smart as they all are, will learn: A. I cannot just go through that thing like I used to. B. I cannot go through even if Mama goes through. C. When I wait for Mama to say "Okay! Out you go!" I have a GREAT TIME. Because you have years of self-training it may take longer, but if you and your family do this consistently, it should solve the problem. You can then modify this technique for gates, cars, etc. You have a beautiful pup that's depending on you for a long and healthy life. Again, not a certified trainer, just sharing what worked PERFECTLY for us. Our dog could sit alone on the porch for hours, not leaving even if a cat walked by the on the sidewalk.


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## Malibu (Jul 27, 2017)

Well how about an electric fence or a shock collar. Something has to be done for the dogs safety. I don't know if this works but a thousand years ago a breeder told me to take dog outside with collar and leash. Then release the leash and when the dog bolts hang on to an additional long rope and when your dog reaches the end and is stopped cold you run up to them as if you have no idea what happened. Again I never did it but perhaps it can work.


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