Door Is A Bore: The First Step in Dog Separation Anxiety Training

Most dogs with separation anxiety struggle before you have even left the house.

The door you leave from can be one of the biggest cues that your dog is about to be left. If your dog becomes stressed simply because you get up and move towards the exit, we cannot expect them to feel comfortable once you actually step outside and leave them!

Before we can work on building up time home alone, we first need to get your dog completely comfortable with the door you will be leaving from. This is where door is a bore (DIAB) comes in!

What is Door is a Bore?

Door is a bore is a desensitisation exercise that breaks down your leaving routine into small, incremental and achievable steps.

Desensitisation means gradually changing your dog's emotional response to something they currently find worrying or significant. With DIAB, we gradually reduce and eventually eliminate any negative association your dog has with the door, until interacting with it no longer causes a reaction.

Eventually the door becomes boring, hence the name!

The exercise starts with very simple movements and gradually progresses through the different stages of interacting with the door, eventually building up to you stepping outside with the door closed behind you.

Rather than expecting your dog to cope with the whole process at once, we break it down into manageable steps that allow them to learn at their own pace.

Why Is Door Is A Bore So Important?

Our ultimate goal with separation anxiety training is to create positive experiences of safe home alone time for your dog. We simply cannot achieve this if your dog is already becoming stressed while you are approaching the exit door.

DIAB allows us to work on this part of the process separately, giving your dog the opportunity to learn that you interacting with the door doesn't need to be something to worry about.

By repeatedly practising each step while your dog remains comfortable, we can build a solid foundation before moving on to actual departures.

Your Dog Sets The Pace

One of the most important parts of DIAB is not rushing the process. Your dog needs to be completely comfortable with each stage, with no signs of stress, before you progress to the next one. If your dog becomes unsettled, that is information for us. It means we need to adjust the training rather than pushing through and hoping they will get used to it.

A negative experience at the door can make the door more significant to your dog and potentially hinder your progress, which is why getting this foundation right is so important.

The Starting Point For Your Separation Anxiety Training

DIAB is the starting point for almost all of my clients.

If your dog shows anxiety or stress before you even leave the house, start with DIAB and work through the stages until you reach the final step before progressing onto departures.

Don't be tempted to rush through the levels! The goal isn't to reach the final step as quickly as possible, it's to make sure your dog is genuinely comfortable at every stage

If you complete DIAB properly and work at your dog's pace, you'll set a solid foundation for the rest of your separation anxiety training.

Want To Follow Along Step By Step?

If you want to see exactly how to do door is a bore, I've created a step by step Instagram series taking you through each level, from the very beginning through to the final stage.

You can follow along at your own pace and see exactly what each step looks like, when to progress and what to look out for along the way.

👉 Start the Door Is A Bore series on Instagram here:

WATCH THE SERIES HERE

Other Times To Do Door Is a Bore

DIAB isn't something you only need to do at the beginning of your separation anxiety training. It can be a really useful exercise to return to throughout your dog's training journey!

Before Departure Training

If you're already working on departure training, completing a few steps of DIAB before you start your planned absences can help ease your dog into the session.

It can also help create a predictable and safe departure routine, rather than suddenly going from relaxing at home to starting your departures.

When You're Short On Time

Don't have enough time to complete a full departure training session? Do some DIAB instead! There is no harm in reminding your dog that the door is boring. A short, successful session can be much more beneficial than rushing through a departure session when you don't have the time.

Returning To Training After A Break

If you're returning to training after a break, DIAB can be a great way to ease your dog back into their training routine. This can also be useful if your dog has been unwell or has experienced something stressful, such as a vet visit, change in routine or another significant event.

Rather than jumping straight back into your previous departure durations, some easy DIAB repetitions can give your dog an easy win and help rebuild confidence before progressing again.

Door Is A Bore Is The Foundation.

Completing DIAB doesn't mean your dog is suddenly ready to be left alone for hours. The aim of DIAB is to make the process of you moving towards, interacting with and eventually stepping through the door boring, predictable and stress free for your dog.

Once your dog is comfortable with the final DIAB step, you can begin working on actual time home alone. This is where your departure training begins, and just like DIAB, it needs to be built up gradually, starting with a duration your dog can comfortably manage.

The goal isn't simply to get through the door. It's to help your dog feel genuinely safe when you do, with no negative reactions.

Door is a bore might look simple, but these small steps are incredibly important. Taking the time to build genuine comfort around the door gives your dog the best possible starting point for learning that being home alone can be safe too.

So don't rush it!! Work at your dog's pace, look for genuine comfort at every stage, and let your dog show you when they're ready to move forward.