Socializing your puppy to acclimate them to the world is essential to their healthy development and can minimize behavior issues down the line. There are many standard socialization aspects that people consider– meeting different people, experiencing loud noises, and being introduced to other dogs and animals immediately come to mind. However, one part of socialization that you might not immediately consider is training your dog to ride in an elevator. As service dogs become more common in our society, dogs in buildings will also become commonplace. Here’s how to make sure your dog is ready.
When Will My Dog Use an Elevator?
Your living situation will play a significant role in how often your dog encounters elevators. If you live in a multi-story apartment building, you may rely on an elevator to get up to your floor. Taking your pup on trips may involve pet-friendly hotels, multi-story parking garages for which you need an elevator or airports with elevators to and from the terminals. Even if you don’t anticipate using elevators often, it can be helpful to work on their comfort while riding in one to make it easier down the line.
It’s understandable why so many dogs are nervous about elevators. Feeling upward and especially downward motion without having a visual confirmation that you are moving or any control over the motion is extremely disorienting. If there are other people in the elevator, your dog may feel nervous being trapped together without an escape.
Getting Acclimated
Start by just walking in and out of the elevator. This alone may be a significant accomplishment for your pup–after all, that space between the building floor and the floor of the elevator can be scary to step over. Work on getting your dog to the point where they exhibit calm body language and walk with a loose leash onto and off the elevator. Some pups may have no problem with this; others may need a few training sessions to work up to it. You should never force your dog onto the elevator. Lure them as close as you can get with treats, and work up to luring them fully onto the elevator. Have plenty of treats on hand to mark when they can relax, even if the leash is only slack for a few moments.
Work on Fear of the Elevator Doors
The next thing your dog needs to get used to is the opening and closing of the doors. Start by standing right in front of the doors outside of the elevator, and let the doors open and close in front of you. Reward your dog when they willingly sit while the doors move. Then, step into the elevator, allow the doors to close, and reward them with treats before pressing the button to open again and exit.
Time to Move
Once your pup is okay with the doors closing, it’s time to try out moving on the elevator. We recommend only going up for the first few introductory rides – going up is a bit more comfortable than going down since you don’t feel like you are falling. As soon as the doors close, shower your dog with love and attention. If they enjoy pets, get down on their level and give pets; otherwise, bring a favorite toy to tug or play with while the elevator moves. Reward them during the ride, then stop once you get off. This way, they start to associate the reward with the elevator’s movement. Take the stairs back down and repeat. After they are comfortable with the upward motion, introduce down and use the same reward techniques.
Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training is committed to teaching and training your dog to be a productive member of your family and society.
