Elevator Etiquette

What is Elevator Etiquette in dog training and why is it important.

If you live in the suburbs, this is probably not an important skill for you and your pup. But many folks are choosing to live in the city and have furry companions. These companions are having to learn a vast amount of skill that ordinarily they wouldn't have to learn. Riding on a full elevator is a skill and there is definitely an etiquette in riding with a pup.

The first part I always start with is being polite when waiting for the elevator. Most of the aggravations begin with two dogs nose to nose when the doors open. So be courteous and stand back a few steps to allow others to disembark, if necessary, when the doors open. Wait politely and let others walk by. If necessary, as another rider to hold the door so your can remain patiently and politely out of the way. I ask my pups to "sit" or to be in a "down" position for the entire disembarkation of passengers to be sure the safety of everyone involved. I like leashes with a traffic handle so I can hold the handle if my pup's safety is being compromised, otherwise, I like to work with instructional control. If you have not trained your pup yet, I would recommend just holding the traffic handle and keeping the pup safe. If another pup leaves the elevator and the guardian of the pup wants to do introductions, please ask to do introductions in the dog park. The space and time is very tight and stressful. Your dog can feel it. Plus, your pup does not have the same freedom to protect themself on leash and it can be stressful as well. It's always better to suggest meeting in a dog park where the pups can have a stress-free meeting.

When you approach the elevator, if there are others on the elevator be polite. Not everyone is a fan of animals. Some people are afraid and elevators are small spaces. Since the person on the elevator is in there first, ask if it's ok to ride together. It's just a courteous gesture. I can not think of a time someone said no. Even when I rode with someone that was afraid of dogs, they appreciated that I asked and let us ride along. Every time I approach the elevator door with a pup, I put my hand out to block the door. Even the smallest bump of the door can be a dramatic hit to a smaller dog and cause injury. So I hold the door until we are entirely inside the elevator. I also hold the traffic handle the entire time to be sure the leash does not catch on anything as we embark.

Once inside, again I ask my pup for calm behavior. I ask for focus and do not allow the pup to wonder around sniffing the other passengers. If the pup is in a down position and the other passengers want to pet the pup, that is ok. I do not allow the pup to get drool or saliva on the other passengers. This is especially rude in the morning when the passengers are on their way to work. Many do not appreciate getting a bunch of drool on their nice suit right before their big important meeting that they were up all night preparing for... it makes people cranky. When we are in the park or in the pups home we work impulse control exercises like leave it, down and walk away so we can have stellar behavior inside and tight elevator.

We also want to be sure we can ride with other pups with no tension. If there is another pup, I block contact. We do calm behavior like a down. I make sure the other dog can not make eye contact with my pup. I will ask the other guardian to keep distance and keep all intros to the dog park if necessary. One big rule about elevators... no dog playing or fights. It's a small space and it's not the time for it. I don't care how sweet the dogs are or how wonderful your pup may be - we do not play or fight in the elevator. No contact.

We stay in the back corner of the elevator and leave room for new riders. We do not press our nose against the seam of the door and wait for it to open. We sit back. We wait for it to open. We wait to be sure we have a clear line to exit and then disembark. I hold the traffic handle and put my hand on the elevator door nearest the pup as we exit.

As we exit, we continue to clear the landing of the elevator area so it doesn't get to clustered. If there is another dog there waiting to get on, I try to provide a body block. I always try to keep my body between the two dogs. I keep reasonable space and block the line of sight. When we are waiting to get on the elevator, I have my back to the doors to block the pups line of sight to the opening doors and I turn my head as it opens. When I'm in the elevator, I have the dog in the back of the elevator with my back to the door. I am blocking the view of the door from the pups. When the door opens, I turn my head to look. As we pass other dogs, I put my body in the middle and keep the dogs separate. I am careful not to be in the middle of a dog fight and be injured. This is not the intent. I am blocking the line of sight. In dog lingo, if they can't have a stare down, they are less likely to engage in aggressive behavior. So just block the eye contact.

Accidents happen. When we live in high rises with our pets, we don't always get out in time. The only problem is when we leave the accidents and don't take ownership. I know we forget when we are racing to get outside (piddles are never the whole story, I understand). Notify the concierge with a phone call and let them know. Even if it's just to remind you on the way back or to apologize if you are running late and can't get to it. Remember to be safe. If it happens on the elevator, remember to be careful with the elevator doors with your pup. You might have to ask someone to hold your pup while you clean up. If you know you are pushing it, you might want to be prepared and take a few paper towels in a poo bag just in case. Another idea might be a Fresh Patch. If you are gone for a long day maybe having a dog walker or a Fresh Patch might help break up your day to help prevent an accident.

Another helpful hint is to carry your pup like a baby. This is not helpful for big dogs, but if you have a little dog that is accident prone, try carrying your little one on their back in your arms. Dogs are very clean animals. Your dog will try really, really hard not to piddle on himself. Downside, if he does he might piddle on you. Upside, he won't piddle on the elevator! So your building will be happy!

In conclusion, when we live in a high rise, we live in a community. We might forget that sometimes but we need to remember that manner are very important. Manners aren't just about respecting others. This is about respecting ourselves and our pups. We are making sure our pups are safe and we aren't creating any fearful or dangerous situations for furry loved ones. All of our puppy interactions can happy in wide-open spaces in the park. Let's smile at our neighbors and show them how great our family is both looking and emotionally!! Let's show off our manners and be polite!

We respect others and show how much we respect ourselves.