can they open doors?

[KatCH]

I swear Millie is coming close. If she wants to get up in the morning when I'm still in bed she jumps up at the bedroom door and grabs the handle with both paws. I mean she has apparently realized that the knob is what makes the door open and jumps and grabs at it until I get up. It's more than just randomly jumping at the door. She is literally trying to make it open the way I make it open. I was just wondering if without thumbs, does anyone think she will ever figure out how to actually get it open?

This could be bad news if she learns how to open doors.

[Furface]

Oh yes they can. Tarka our previous boxer could open the front door.

It was the fault of the ice cream man. He stopped his van in the street by our front garden, and when she was out he would always give her a broken cone with soft ice cream on. After a while every time she heard his music she was at the front door....paws wrapped around the handle, one day it opened and that was that, every time he came she went out, open the front door and got her ice cream.....

[gordnbec]

Wife caught our 5mth old pup trying to do it the other day, so i can't see why an adult dog couldn't with enough practice.

[DiverDiva]

A friend of mine has a Rottweiler that can open doors, but only if the door opens away from her. She has discovered how to turn the handle and push open a door, but has not (yet) figured how to turn the handle and pull open a door. This friend is the person who doggysits Oscar and Mali when we are away, and I am worried that my little genius Mali wll see how to open a door the next time DBF and I take a vacation.

The short answer is yes, some dogs can open doors. In fact, many service dogs are trained to open doors.

[Swampo]

We have to keep our storm door locked because Sabel(8 months) jumps up and hits the handle/latch on purpose...and frees herself and her brother!

[jimseabee]

Yes- Dakota can open doors. He sticks his nose under the door handles and pulls it open. Now I just need to figure out how to get him to close the door.
He learned how to do this because he got locked in DS room one day. So now he opens the doors and go on in.

[KatCH]

Well...it looks like I may just have an escape artist on my hands sooner or later. She can already climb the fence, she has opened the gate to the fence (which has a lock on it), and soon I guess she's bound to figure out how to open the door.

My husband still doesn't believe she will be able to turn the handle and pull the door open, but she is a lot smarter than we give her credit for I think.

If only we could harness this intelligence and use it to our advantage....

[baxtercruz]

Originally Posted by KatCH

Well...it looks like I may just have an escape artist on my hands sooner or later. She can already climb the fence, she has opened the gate to the fence (which has a lock on it), and soon I guess she's bound to figure out how to open the door.

My husband still doesn't believe she will be able to turn the handle and pull the door open, but she is a lot smarter than we give her credit for I think.

If only we could harness this intelligence and use it to our advantage....

My boy can turn the knob and pull the front door open. He's only done it a few times, because we keep our front door locked now... but three times, it has happened when I KNOW I have pulled the door completely shut so it latched, and we come home with him outside. I have seen him do it inside, with doors that push open- he jumps up and hits the knobs until it opens slightly, then smashes his head to push it the rest of the way.

It's good that you see what you're getting into now so you can prevent it! And, yeah, too bad I can't make this work for me! Like maybe he could learn how to bring me another roll of TP if I run out....?

[Mesquite]

Originally Posted by Furface

Oh yes they can. Tarka our previous boxer could open the front door.

It was the fault of the ice cream man. He stopped his van in the street by our front garden, and when she was out he would always give her a broken cone with soft ice cream on. After a while every time she heard his music she was at the front door....paws wrapped around the handle, one day it opened and that was that, every time he came she went out, open the front door and got her ice cream.....

Can't say as I blame her. The thought of free ice cream could whip me into a frenzy too.

[Cami]

My girl can open the front storm door when the regular door is open. Just lets herself out the front door but ONLY when someone is waiting to get in. Never has done it just to do it.
Thankfully!