[Subdolus]

Yesterday, we came home to the back inside door open.
That door is usually locked and shut, but we thought it was possible we hadn't shut it tightly (since it was still locked on the outside) and the strong wind blew it open.

...but today?

I watched Bear, who didn't think I was watching, open the FRONT door with his mouth.

He grabbed the knob, turned his head, and opened the door.
Thankfully, if the front door is locked, the inside knob doesn't turn, so that's easy to fix, but we may need to replace the knob on the back door so he can't open it up and go outside on his own when we're not around.

Apparently he doesn't leave the yard, but still, if he's outside and off leash I only want that happening when I'm with him.


What it makes me wonder is not, "Wow, is he a genius?!" but more, "Huh, I wonder if his last owner taught him that."

I know that 'severe health issues' were the primary reason for their surrender of him to the shelter, so it seems like it might be likely if his last owner had difficulties with door knobs and latch doors (which we also know he knows how to open, either the 'push the latch' screen door types or the 'pull the latch down' door types) and taught Bear how to do it for her.

 

[misslesleedavis1]

lol Tyson can open any door with a knob.

 

[Katey]

Hunter can also open doors, but our doors have had lever-type handles instead of knobs (though I would have liked to see how she managed pushing down on the handle and pulling the door open). We actually just moved today, so we'll see how long it takes her to master the knobs!

 

[Twyla]

Woolf can open the sliding glass doors; also can lock it, he hasn't unlocked it so far. I have came up on him nosing at the lock trying to unlock it. So though I hate assumptions, I have to assume that at some point he will solve that puzzle.

We have double front doors. Woolf has realized if he pulls on the single door knob, that both doors will open a crack. This was found out through a fault of ours of not putting the slide lock in place when having both doors open one time. Now that he has shown interest in the door, we keep a dead bolt locked.

He has opened bedroom, bathroom and pantry doors.

 

[dogfaeries]

Carly and Russell can open doors with knobs too. And of course all three can open the storm door. Carly also knows that if you jump up and push on the bar on a commercial door, that it will open. They are scary smart.

 

[wolfy dog]

 

[HarleyTheGSD]

Very smart.
Varick also does this, occasionally, if he can't get it with his paws. He'll be outside trying to get through the storm door, and if it's latched from the inside, he will jump up and put both of his paws on the door knob, turn it, and pull it back. He also pushes up the latch on the gate with his nose to open it, so now we have to have a lock on it constantly. And to get outside from the storm door, he will push the handle in with his nose. The other two dogs could never do any of these things (one also being a GSD). It's just a matter of time before he opens all of the doors and gates in the house.

 

[smspc1207]

GSD opening doors

My GSD knows how to open lever door knobs, round door knobs, and door knobs with child locks on them. Yesterday, at daycare, she let herself out of her kennel 5x and was then placed in the "high security" kennel where the latch is too high for her to reach...she learned all of these behaviors on her own.

 

[Magwart]

Be glad they don't have opposable thumbs. Just imagine what they could do, if they did! :wild:

I've had way too many GSDs who figured out kennel latches. One specifically figured out the kennel at the vet -- and routinely let herself out to go watch what the staff was doing. Several have figure out wire crates. One can get out of an outdoor kennel with a roof. I recommend using webcams to see how your dogs do this stuff -- it can be pretty fun to watch.

 

[K9Mike]

that is awesome

 

[Moriah]

My guy likes turning the bathroom door knob to get his favorite thing in the house--toilet paper. So proud of himself he always brings it to me

 

[FuryPuppy]

Fury seems to understand doorknobs conceptually. She'll poke the knob with her nose if she wants me to open the door. She's also tried pushing the handle on the sliding door but it's too heavy for her.

 

[CanineKarma]

Ha Ha they are good copycats.
Many years ago we had a German Shepherd that would unlock and open the cage door to let out his buddy Henry the ferret.

 

[Slamdunc]

Boomer can open car doors, a good trick and a bad one a the same time.

 

[Sabis mom]

Dogs opening doors is a PITA! Not a habit I would encourage.

 

[dogfaeries]

Oh yeah. Carly has demolished several of our doorknobs.

 

[Kane's World]

Kane unlocks and opens the sliding glass doors. They are in a room we have designated as the mud room and have been asking him to stay there until he dries off and can brush out the dry mud....VERY muddy here these days. Well, this is a grand game to him....come in, wipe feet, shake mud all over walls and me...dry off, go back out as soon as I'm not looking, repeat....what a PITA! Please let it stop raining so the yard will dry up.

Also, if I step outside without him he will lock the door behind me...sits there with tongue hanging out looking at me. I swear he's doing it on purpose and laughing at me! I had to climb in a window once and now have to make sure the front door is unlocked before I go outside.

Can't wait until he figure out doorknobs (he's working on it)....LOL.

 

[Jenny720]

We had a dog that can open doors. We had to leave in then room by himself one day and his open the door knob I suppose with his mouth. I ran into a woman at the pet store whose friend had a German shepherd . The dog found out how to open the oven and ate a whole turkey that was cooking in the oven.

 

[CiElBie]

Clever dog!