TessaBella Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 How do I stop Bella from scratching at doors? She seems to do it when she wants to go in or out. I've never let her do either if she scratches. I either ignore it and praise her when she stops or I ask her to sit, then open the door and let her in/out. Keeping her in the room with me is not an option. It occurs at a family members house, but not at home. Please help, I cut her nails weekly, but she has begun causing marks in the glass doors... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhi*Jak*Ed Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I don't know much about dog behaviours in general (have always had family pets but only recently embarked upon solo pet ownership!), but I would think that if she's scratching at the door to tell you she wants to go in or out, that that's a good thing? I could be horribly wrong haha. Mine does the same thing, especially if I go into my bedroom and close the door behind me and she's left out in the hall. She'll scratch and scratch and cry, but I don't open the door and let her in until she stops the scratching. Good luck :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TessaBella Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 Thanks Rhi & Jak, that's what we do at the moment, but the scratching is much worse than just wanting in or out (to toilet) she scratches constantly. It sometimes takes half an hour or more for her to stop even for a second. See my problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pandii Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Letting you know she wants to go out to pee is a good thing Try some clear contact over the glass to stop her scratching and leaving marks, just replace the contct as she grows, she will learn to hang on longer and stop doing it as she grows When she wants to come in ignor her until she settles down I have seen a dog trained to ring a bell when it wants outside you could try that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TessaBella Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 Thanks Pandii, but it's not my house... I've been trying a single bark to let me know...will this work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Thanks Rhi & Jak, that's what we do at the moment, but the scratching is much worse than just wanting in or out (to toilet) she scratches constantly. It sometimes takes half an hour or more for her to stop even for a second. See my problem? She's just a little dog isn't she? How about leaving the door open just enough for her to fit through, then she can come and go as she likes. There will be no need for her to scratch at the door and she'll probably lose interest in doing it because she won't be gaining attention for the behaviour... as well as driving you nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belijae Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 A couple of the clicker training books that I have been reading suggest hanging a bell by the door. Rig it every time she goes out to get her to realize this sound means she gets the door opened. you can create interest in it by smearing peanut butter (or similar) on the bell and when she inadvertently rings it to get the peanut butter, you open the door, showing that she can open the door with the ring of a bell. Ignoring whining, pawing and such, but rewarding the bell ring with an open door would hopefully eliminate the undesired behavior, because it gets her nowhere. You can make a portable version to take to other places too. If she's not allowed in your family members house, well that's another matter. I haven't got that far yet either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LENI Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 wipe the door over with citronella - it will keeo her away but you will have to keep reapplying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havahug Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Molly does this too but its usually when i go to the loo not her I think she thinks there's another door in there and i will excape through it ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiefan Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 i have the exact same problem with my dog. we have bifold doors onto our deck which are boarded with cedar. He keeps scrathcing the timber when he wants to go outside and when he wants to come in. So if we have been out and have come inside he scartches the door until we left him in However if he is inside he scrathes it to go outside to wee but also if he herea the dogs in the neighbourhood barking. In summer a leave the door open a bit so him can come and go but with winter it is too cold to do. Going to have to get the doors sanded back and restained. Anyone know what i could put on the timber to stop the sctahcing or how to protect the timber? It drives me nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 She is doing a good thing..but I agree with trying to re-direct the behaviour to knocking a bell on a spring or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryamartimmy Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Ok, so this is a little off-topic and probably won't help you BUT.... our cats had a really bad habit of launching themselves at our side door (the kind with glass panes and wooden panels) and climbing it like a ladder. It got to the point where they were taking small chunks out of the woodwork (gasp!!!) We eventually put a thin layer of KY jelly where they clawed and because they hated the feel of it so much, they stopped climbing it within a matter of days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunsafun Boxers Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 We had a maltese that did this. In the end we put perspex on the areas she was scratching. it saved the door & door frame, made enough noise that we were aware she needed to go out and cost very little to do. i encourage my guys to scratch at the door (our doors are old and battered anyway lol) to be let out, but not in. they understand the difference somehow, not quite sure how tho lol anyway, its worth a shot and a cheaper alternative than replacing doors and architraves. Jenna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Q Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 i taught buster to scratch on doors to ask to go through. but in the last house i didn't want him wrecking the back of my bedroom door asking to go out when mum got up to walk harry. so with inside doors like that i wouldhang a sheet over it before i closed it. i dunno, i'd say ignoring her till she stops would be the best. but you don't want the door getting wrecked. so maybe taping some cardboard over it untill she learns. also train her to learn another trigger to get your attention, whether its a quick bark or a bell or soemthing. and i'd say, even getting her to sit before you let her out might only reinforce it. she scratches, you jump up and get her to sit then she's free to go out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petal Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 We also have this problem with our pup and after she completly destroyed the wire mesh in the flyscreen of the caravan door (its on the inside) my husband made a door barrier out of a side of an old washing machine... cut it off the body with tin snips to size. If fits inside the door frame and around the locks & hinges (down low as it has a triple lock) is thin enough not to bind too much on the door. We rasped the cut edges with a file so no sharp edges. Now when our girl gets the frantics... gotta be with you or anyone else outside the door - its a pretty slippery surface and no great result like mesh to chew !! The only thing Ive got to remember is not to forget its there in the dark or Ill be head first out the door I'm sure this could be adapted to an ordinary door (just got to find a big washing machine outer casing or similar) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairytail Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Not really much help. My 6 month old foster dog is a biggish girl and if she wants to come in she is tall enough to pull the handle, only problem is we need to teach her to close the door, as it gets a little breezy. Or we just shut the security screen door as the handle on this is upside down, she hasn't figured that out yet. She is not the brightest looking dog in the world but she has hidden talents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxagirl Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Bondi scratches the door asking to come in, She isn't allowed in all the time (is only in in the mornings and nights, or when weathers bad). It is driving my family crazy, shes ruined the back door (wooden). She has lots of toys outside, food, even her own dog lounge but she still always wants to come inside. I ignore her scratching, but it hasn't helped. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TessaBella Posted June 23, 2007 Author Share Posted June 23, 2007 Boxagirl...this is my problem too. The yard here is not secure (not my house) so I can't allow her to have free access to inside and out. She stays on the verandah where she has toys and food and newspaper for her business. She is scratching to be with us. But the owners of the house don't want her inside. See my dilemma? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaves Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 Ok. I am a total bitch. I HATE scratching at the door to come in Out is ok, cause it is usually one or two little ones to say 'i need a wee!' Hunta is a shocker at scratching the back door, she gets told UHUH, she does it again she gets a glass of water thrown at her. She is getting heaps better and now will only scratch when we get home and if i ignore her she stops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TessaBella Posted June 24, 2007 Author Share Posted June 24, 2007 Right! Thanks Kristie, something I can use. I'll buy a water pistol today and see if that works... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now