24/10/2025
Training Dogs to Wait at a Gate - Impulse Control Group Practice
https://youtu.be/xUjyk7PQ8f4
___________________________________________________________
An open fence gate is a common temptation with which dogs struggle. This can create a safety hazard if your dog isn’t off-leash or recall trained, as well as be generally frustrating to the human(s) trying to enter or exit! Moreover, overstimulation around thresholds can cause barrier frustration, which can easily lead to issues between dogs. Luckily, there are MANY fun ways to teach dogs to stay inside a yard with an open gate. Professional dog trainer Arie Ebaugh (MS, CPDT-KA) demonstrates an easy group activity to strengthen impulse control and prevent gate bolting.
This video features Fenton (Corgi), Corvus (Goldendoodle), Cooper (Frenchie), and Atlas (Frenchie) as they demonstrate several variations of this essential skill! In addition to the video, below are a few important tips to get you started:
--Before fully opening the gate, first condition the SOUND of the gate latch to create a positive association with NOT running through the gate. When your dog is within earshot of the gate, interact with the gate latch to make its typical noise. When your pup hears it, say “YES” and immediately feed a reward near the closed gate. Repeat several times. You will notice that your dog will start to look at YOU expectantly when they hear the gate sound, rather than trying to push through the gate. Adding this simple step tends to jumpstart progress and make subsequent steps easier!
--Start with EASY trials: with the gate closed, say “Wait” one time while facing your dog with your body blocking the gate. Open the gate by a few inches, then immediately close it again. When you hear the sound of the gate latching, say “YES” and then feed your dog(s) a few feet away from the gate (rather than right up against the gate). Repeat! Only feed once the gate is CLOSED again each time and do NOT reward for any trials that your dog tried to move through the open threshold. Your dog will learn that the food happens ONLY once the gate closes again.
--Increase the difficulty at the dog’s pace: Once your pup masters the easy trials, begin increasing the difficulty of trials. For example, start adding trials with the gate wider, the gate open longer, looking away from the dog, turning your back, walking through the gate, etc. Only change ONE variable at a time to ensure success. For example, when you begin looking away from your dog with the gate open, start with only a slightly opened gate at first rather than a wide open one. Increasing difficulty too fast is a common training mistake.
--Punctuate the challenges with EASY variations: As you add more difficult variations, be sure to still give your dog EASY trials between the harder ones. For example, if your pup successfully performed a Wait while your back was turned with an open gate, be sure to request a very easy trial next (e.g. only open the gate a few inches before you return to reward). Dogs are excellent pattern seekers and notice when training difficulty scales. Adding easy trails between hard ones prevents frustration responses and stalled progress as they notice difficulty increasing.
--Cancel attempted gate bolting: if the dog tries to push through the gate during training, immediately cancel by closing the gate and not giving any food. Reset and try again. If your pup does break through the gate, do not panic–remain calm and playfully hop back into the gated area. Get low to the ground and happily call them to you. Praise them for coming back, close the gate, and DO NOT give food. Reset again and be extra mindful to block the open gate with your body more effectively next time. Your body positioning alone **should** be able to effectively prevent a dog breaking through, so adjust your position if this happens.
--END ON A HIGH NOTE: dogs remember how difficult a training exercise was, particularly at the end. It may be tempting when a dog is doing well to keep pushing the difficulty to see how far they can get in one session. DON’T DO IT. If you push a dog too hard in a session, they will burn out and you will need to end the exercise on an exhausted note. You want to do the opposite: END ON A HIGH NOTE. While your pup is absolutely crushing it, END THE EXERCISE with a reward and enthusiasm. This will leave them wanting MORE, rather than remembering how tricky/frustrating the game became. The easiest way to end on a high note is to remember that training activity such as this should be short (less than 5 minutes), and end even before that if you notice they are struggling. Short sessions throughout the day are far more effective than one long session of drilling.
For a motivated and consistent dog, keep things fun, light, and quick! Repetition and clear expectations around gates, doors, and other thresholds works wonders.
Need personalized training help? Visit Arie's website to schedule a training session today: www.PupsUnleashed.com
An open fence gate is a common temptation with which dogs struggle. This can create a safety hazard if your dog isn’t off-leash or recall trained, as well as...
