Close the door / the drawer
Your dog can learn to push a cupboard door or a drawer shut with his nose or a paw, on the word "close". The principle: he already knows how to touch a target, so you stick that target on the door, then you only reward the touches that actually move it.
The touch, applied to a door that moves
This trick does not teach a new movement: it takes a movement your dog already knows, the touch, and applies it to an object that moves. So he discovers that what he does has a real effect: the door shifts, then closes, and along the way he learns to judge how much force to use. It is also the gateway to some genuinely handy tricks: turning a light on, or ringing a bell to ask to go out.
Nothing special, you probably have it all already.
0 / 3This trick asks him to push, sometimes quite hard, against a resistance. For a growing puppy or a dog with arthritis (whose joints are painful), stick to very light doors and never insist if he has to strain: stop the session at the first sign of discomfort.
How to teach him "close"
Only make one thing harder at a time: how hard he pushes, how far the door starts open, or whether the target is still there. Aim for five to ten tries per session, over two or three minutes, and always finish on a success.
Stick the target on the door
Stick the paper flat, at nose height, on the handle side, far from the hinges: that is where the door moves most easily under light pressure. Flat and smooth, the target offers no edge to scratch at: it invites him to push on it, not to claw it.
Take your place, and move the touch onto the door
Put your dog facing the half-open door, and stand beside the door, not in front of it: you must not block his way. Ask for a "touch" on the target stuck to the door, say "yes!" exactly on contact (your marker word) and give the treat with your other hand. At this stage you reward any contact, a nudge of the nose or a flat paw, whichever he offers: not yet how hard he pushes.
Only reward what moves the door
Change the rule without saying anything: only touches that move the door, even by a centimetre, get a "yes!". Soft touches are no longer rewarded, and neither is a claw that catches without pushing: only mark firm contact, nose or flat paw, that shifts the door. If he touches without moving the door twice in a row, move the target a centimetre further in from the edge, where light pressure is enough to shift it, then raise your expectations again.
Go for a full close
Raise the bar until the door shuts fully against the frame. On the very first full closes, give several treats in a row: that clean contact becomes his landmark. After each success, you are the one who reopens the door, gently, to 10 or 15 cm, before asking again: do not let him reopen it himself. If he hesitates or backs off when the door moves, go back to a smaller opening, where the movement is more discreet, and reward every calm contact before opening it wider again.
Fade the target
Cut the paper in half, keep one half stuck on, then a quarter, then take it off altogether: one step at a time. If he gets lost without the target, stick a small piece back on for a few tries, then remove it again, more gradually.
Name it, then vary it
Once he closes the door reliably, you can add the word: say "close" once only, just before he sets off. You only say the word beforehand now, because it is being attached to a movement he already does for certain: said too early, before he knows the movement, the word means nothing to him. Keep saying "yes!" and rewarding every close; only once the trick is really solid do you start spacing out the treats. Only then should you vary how far the door starts open and where you stand in relation to it.
For a drawer, pick a low, light one fitted with a stop (which keeps it from coming right out of the unit), left open about ten centimetres. Stick the target on the front and go through the same steps. Some dogs push with their nose, others put a paw on the front: keep whichever style he offers on his own, as long as the furniture is stable and the floor is not slippery. Every new surface takes a little relearning, that is normal, it is not a step backwards.
Going further
Frequently asked questions
How do I teach my dog to close the door?
First check that he knows how to touch a target on the word "touch". Then stick that target on the door of a light cupboard, say "yes!" (your marker word) at every contact, then only reward the touches that move the door. Once it closes reliably, add the word "close".
How do I teach my dog to close a drawer with his nose?
Same method as for the door, on a low, light drawer fitted with a stop. Stick the target on the front and go through the steps. Some dogs push with their nose, others use a paw: keep whichever style he offers, as long as the furniture is stable and the floor is not slippery.
Do I need a clicker to teach this trick?
No. A short marker word ("yes!"), said exactly as the door moves and closes, does exactly the same job. What matters is the timing of the marker and the treat given with the other hand, not the tool.
Does my dog need to know other tricks before this one?
Just one, really: the target touch, solid and firm. This trick simply transfers it to an object that moves. It is an intermediate level, within reach of most dogs, as long as you follow the safety points: a light door, and nose and paws clear of the frame as it closes.
My dog is shutting every door now, what do I do?
It means he has worked out that closing a door pays. Once the word "close" is in place, only reward the closes you ask for, and ignore the rest. You can also keep shut, in advance, the doors you would rather he did not push.
How long does it take a dog to learn this trick?
There is no fixed timescale, it depends on your dog and on how solid the starting touch is. Very short sessions, spread out, beat one long session a day. Raise only one difficulty at a time, and stop while he is still asking for more.
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