# Crossing the line, literally..



## CoverTune (Dec 20, 2011)

I work in a vet clinic and, lucky for me, I get to take George to work with me. I'm a receptionist/assistant, so I spend the majority of my time up front at the desk, but I do move around the clinic and sometimes need to be in the treatment area in the back.

George is Mr Separation Anxiety, and wants to follow me 90% of the time and I'm just not comfortable with that. He is fine with other animals, but obviously there's no guarantee that every cat & dog that comes through our door is fine with HIM, and we don't need to be putting any more stress on our patients.

So.. the reception desk/area is sort of like a hallway, with one end closed off by a wall, and the other end open into the waiting room. I would really like to teach George to not come out of that "hallway", or from behind the desk, unless I give him permission.

Help!?


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

We've always taught our pups not to go out doors/up hallways. Don't know if this will work for you but... First thing we do is "mark" the "stopping place" (for the hall it was the "doorway", the front door has tile in front so the carpetted area). The next thing is to always stop them at the spot, always give your "command" before letting him pass the area. Next, stop in the spot, drop a treat, and take a step away from him. You might need to step in front to prevent him taking a step forward. You just keep repeating, walking farther away each time. You will have to "correct" him for going pass the "spot" and make sure that he doesn't get a chance to pass the "spot" without being told to. It will take a while before he'll be "completely trustworthy". With young pups, it can take up to 2 yrs before you can leave the door open and not have to keep an eye out (of course, if you have a "slow learner" it can take longer). Don't know if I explained it very well. Hope it helps.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I use the "back" command as multipurpose and one way I use it is to keep Rebel from following me. I tell him to stay back. But for the life of me I can't remember training him for it; I think he either knew it already or I just said it so much he figured it out.

Can you restrict him to an area until you get him trained to stay within his boundaries?


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

We do this between the kitchen and the living room. There is a break where it goes from wood to tile so its an easy mark. 

I give "sit" and "stay".

Then if they move, I give "back", they sit and stay again. 

Then I don't give them what they want until they stay for a good amount of time. It is always rewarded with dinner or a treat.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

CoverTune said:


> I work in a vet clinic and, lucky for me, I get to take George to work with me. I'm a receptionist/assistant, so I spend the majority of my time up front at the desk, but I do move around the clinic and sometimes need to be in the treatment area in the back.
> 
> George is Mr Separation Anxiety, and wants to follow me 90% of the time and I'm just not comfortable with that. He is fine with other animals, but obviously there's no guarantee that every cat & dog that comes through our door is fine with HIM, and we don't need to be putting any more stress on our patients.
> 
> ...


The first thing I would teach is a reliable stay whether it be sit/stay or down/stay or stand/stay. I find down/stay the easiest to start with. We don't actually use the word stay very often here. We use a release word instead so sit means "Sit until I give you the release word", down means "lie down right there until I give you the release word", etc. That way, I don't need to keep saying "stay". It has been much easier to train a reliable stay now that I have abandoned the actual word. We use "Ok" as our release word. Start with teaching him the release word. Make him sit, then tell him "Ok" (or whatever word you choose). Do this until he understands that "ok" means that he can get up. Just take baby steps from there. Stay close to him but walk around a bit until he is reliable. Then get him to the point where you can put him in the middle of the room and he will stay no matter where you are in the room. Leaving his sight will take a little longer but start with just a few seconds of being "gone" and come back, praise, and release. Once you can leave the room for a few minutes and he will reliably stay until released, THEN I would add the boundaries.

We don't allow our boys into the kitchen. The kitchen floor is linoleum and is divided with a thin metal band from the carpet. Easy to see divider (although Buck insists on sneaking his front feet into the kitchen when we aren't looking) that the dogs understand. What I would suggest is to maybe ask if you could put some blue painters tape, black electrical tape, or green frog tape (all found at Home Depot) on the floor in the doorways you don't want him to cross. If you get the ok from work then go buy the tape and start practicing at home. Make sure he has permission to cross the taped doorways before he does cross them. 

This is where the sit/stay, etc will come in handy. He already knows how to stay so now you can make him stay behind the line while you work in the "restricted area". Again, stay close to him so you can correct him if he crosses the line without permission. As he gets more and more reliable you can work further and further away from him and eventually make brief trips out of sight. 

Now, take all of this to work and teach him that the same rules apply there too. Because he is "Mr Separation Anxiety" it might take a bit longer than a dog who isn't that way but if MY Mr Separation Anxiety can handle it, yours can too! Hahaha. It sounds like a lot of work but it's pretty simple. It's just a matter of repetition. It is easier to start at home where he is most comfortable and establish it as part of a daily routine so he already understands the whole idea. That way, when you take it to work, all he has to learn is that the same rules apply even though you are in a new environment.


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