diff --git a/examples/basic.py b/examples/basic.py
index c4f124a9a..72743ab93 100644
--- a/examples/basic.py
+++ b/examples/basic.py
@@ -18,9 +18,5 @@ class BasicApp(App):
             sidebar=Widget(),
         )
 
-        # # self.app.panic(self["#sidebar"].styles.has_rule("border"))
-
-        # self.app.panic(repr(self["#sidebar"]._inline_styles.border))
-
 
 BasicApp.run(css_file="basic.css", watch_css=True, log="textual.log")
diff --git a/sandbox/local_styles.py b/sandbox/local_styles.py
index 0ffa1c94b..574c4e9e0 100644
--- a/sandbox/local_styles.py
+++ b/sandbox/local_styles.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from textual.app import App
+from textual import events
 from textual.widgets import Placeholder
 from textual.widget import Widget
-from textual import events
 
 
 class BasicApp(App):
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ class BasicApp(App):
             sidebar=Widget(),
         )
 
+    async def on_key(self, event: events.Key) -> None:
+        await self.dispatch_key(event)
+
     def key_a(self) -> None:
         self.query("#footer").set_styles(text="on magenta")
 
diff --git a/src/textual/css/_style_properties.py b/src/textual/css/_style_properties.py
index 556ea032d..9d7b02443 100644
--- a/src/textual/css/_style_properties.py
+++ b/src/textual/css/_style_properties.py
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ class DockProperty:
         Returns:
             str: The dock name as a string, or "" if the rule is not set.
         """
-        return obj._rules.get("dock") or ""
+        return obj._rules.get("dock") or "_default"
 
     def __set__(self, obj: Styles, spacing: str | None):
         """Set the Dock property
diff --git a/src/textual/message_pump.py b/src/textual/message_pump.py
index 166a2a31c..5272b42a3 100644
--- a/src/textual/message_pump.py
+++ b/src/textual/message_pump.py
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ class MessagePump:
         else:
             return False
 
-    async def dispatch_key(self, event: events.Key) -> bool:
+    async def dispatch_key(self, event: events.Key) -> None:
         """Dispatch a key event to method.
 
         This method will call the method named 'key_<event.key>' if it exists. This key method
@@ -324,8 +324,7 @@ class MessagePump:
         key_method = getattr(self, f"key_{event.key}", None)
         if key_method is not None:
             await invoke(key_method, event)
-            return True
-        return False
+            event.prevent_default()
 
     async def on_timer(self, event: events.Timer) -> None:
         event.prevent_default()
diff --git a/src/textual/view.py b/src/textual/view.py
index 932f25724..38d92b999 100644
--- a/src/textual/view.py
+++ b/src/textual/view.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class View(Widget):
 
     DEFAULT_STYLES = """
         layout: dock;
+        docks: _default=top;
     """
 
     def __init__(self, name: str | None = None, id: str | None = None) -> None:
diff --git a/src/textual/widget.py b/src/textual/widget.py
index a8d79ee87..a4341ddcb 100644
--- a/src/textual/widget.py
+++ b/src/textual/widget.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class Widget(DOMNode):
     can_focus: bool = False
 
     DEFAULT_STYLES = """
-    dock: _default;
+
     """
 
     def __init__(self, name: str | None = None, id: str | None = None) -> None: