initiating going outside.

[Bear2010]

We are following the rule to never let your dog make the decision when it is time to go out, we are to decide. My question is what do we do when our dog goes to the door & jiggles the doorknob w/ his nose like he always does to let us know he has to go to the bathroom. He obviously is initiating this, but in a way has to, to let us know he has to go out. I don't want to ignore his plea for 10 min., until I decide it's time to go out, if he really has to go. What should we do? Thanks, Wendi.

[Mike D'Abruzzo]

Hi Wendy, sorry for the late reply. Has been a crazy week! Ideally you should know how long he can hold it, and start with a schedule that he should be able to handle. You don't necessarily have to wait 10 minutes into his plea, but you should wait until he has stopped the behavior. Keep note of when he did it and take him out before he gets a chance to ask the following day. Ultimately, if you stick to a schedule he will pick up on it and know he doesn't have to ask. As you know - asking to go outside can run into other problems, even if his intentions are not to "demand" action from you. Sometimes our failure to not show that we will make the initiatives leave the dog to think he must be the one that makes them, and that can follow through to asking/demanding for play, attention, and other behaviors directed toward guests - not to mention potential housebreaking issues if you are not there to see the jiggling of the door knob.