maggiebear Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Hi there, i have just come across this website and it is brilliant. I am wondering if anyone out there has had a problem getting their dog to go through the flap of a doggy door. I have two dogs, a boxer and a boston terrier. The boxer girl is a little timid of new things and situations, and will not push the flap open of her new doggy door. I have tried holding treats, meals on the other side, and my boston goes through with no difficulties, but she just will not. She stood on the other side of it for over two hours one day until i felt sorry for her and gave up. When i tie up the flap part so there is just a hole to walk through she does it no problems, its only the noise and the actual act of pushing the flap open with her nose that scares her. Any ideas? I am sick of leaving flap open all day and coming home to a house full of flies! Has anyone been in this situation before and how do we overcome it? This has been going on for over a month now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshie49 Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Hi maggiebear If treats or food is not working have you tried her favourite toy, otherwise take the other dog through and stay outside with it without making a big fuss of her coming through, never feel sorry for her and never give up the best way is to just go outside and stay there she will eventually want to join you. Don't tie up the flap as this just makes her not want to try because she knows that you will give up and tie it up. Ignore her if she doesn't come out, by making a big deal of it you are encouraging her to believe that it is a big thing. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggiebear Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 Hi maggiebearIf treats or food is not working have you tried her favourite toy, otherwise take the other dog through and stay outside with it without making a big fuss of her coming through, never feel sorry for her and never give up the best way is to just go outside and stay there she will eventually want to join you. Don't tie up the flap as this just makes her not want to try because she knows that you will give up and tie it up. Ignore her if she doesn't come out, by making a big deal of it you are encouraging her to believe that it is a big thing. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillbear Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I start by getting the dog to walk through with it completely open, then progress to them having to touch it with their head on the way through then have it open enough to see a gap but they need to use their nose. If they want to come in desperately enough during the day they will, so I would just leave it down when you are not home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouncey boxers Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Hi there, Had the same problem with one of my girls. We left the flap out until she was happy going in and out. Then put the flap back about one week later. What is the flap made of? The flap ours had was hard plastic (which i think was half the problem) We got some thick soft plastic which we cut to fit into the hole. Also cut it into strips. This worked really well with our girl. No problems after about a week or so. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 (edited) Maggiebear, Hope you do not mind me asking, but I should assume your nervy dog has been expected to cope with perceived frightening situations in the past and has coped and gone on to accept many of the dramas. I might try gently pulling her by her lead through the door. Reward every advance, but do not baby her. Might take a few tries, and another person. Does she know any obedience, it may help doing some simple commands first. Try going inside/out via the door instead of outside/in. Edited November 14, 2007 by Lablover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggiebear Posted November 14, 2007 Author Share Posted November 14, 2007 Thanks for all your replies. They certainly are food for thought. I think i will try persuading her to go through with the leash, with the assistance of my husband!!! Lablover, yes she has been trained to intermediate level and i will be taking her to advanced classes next year. She was very timid there to start off with, especially with the agilitity equipment, but eventually learnt to love the tunnels and ramps, and away she went. Hopefully same with doggy door! Bouncyboxers - love the idea of the soft rubber flaps. Our door also is a very thick plastic and makes a loud noise when it's used so the rubber would overcome that, but what about security? I suppose that if someone was going to break in through the door it would be very easy to just push the plastic in anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 In the meantime to keep the flies out, try to condition her to another type of covering. If she and your other dog are not chewers, plastic strips may help. Do you think the noise of the flap is her main concern? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggiebear Posted November 14, 2007 Author Share Posted November 14, 2007 In the meantime to keep the flies out, try to condition her to another type of covering. If she and your other dog are not chewers, plastic strips may help. Do you think the noise of the flap is her main concern? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggiebear Posted November 14, 2007 Author Share Posted November 14, 2007 In the meantime to keep the flies out, try to condition her to another type of covering. If she and your other dog are not chewers, plastic strips may help. Do you think the noise of the flap is her main concern? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggiebear Posted November 14, 2007 Author Share Posted November 14, 2007 In the meantime to keep the flies out, try to condition her to another type of covering. If she and your other dog are not chewers, plastic strips may help. Do you think the noise of the flap is her main concern? Yes the noise would definitely be her main concern and it's also the fear of the unknown I think. But we did have a lot of trouble just to get her to walk through the hole in the door in the first place, then one day left her outside and then sometime later she was inside. I think she realises now that i will tie the flap up after a while so doesnt bother with the next stage. So, i will have to toughen up on the weekend and convince her to come inside through the flap in her own time, even if it takes all day. Meanwhile, might stick some shade cloth over the gap which will solve my fly problem and also get her used to something being there! Like one of the posts said, if she wants to come inside badly enough during the day when my other dog goes inside to escape the heat she will! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouncey boxers Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Hi again, I think the bang of the door and the feel was what my dog main worry. In regards to security, I don't think my dogs would let anyone in there dog anyway. Our dog door is only medium sized so I thought no one would get in it but last week boyfriend locked himself out of the house. Guy from across the road came over and had no problem fitting in the dog door at all, though his problem was then getting the whole way out with 2 boxers on the other side of the door That is something you may need to keep in mind. When my guys are asleep and not likely to use it sometime i just shut the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 If it is a perspex flap, I have experienced the same problem (I have fostered over 40 dogs in 4 years) with some dogs. I saw a Dr Harry Tip to cut out a piece of patterned paper the size of the door and stick a piece to both sides. Whenever I've had a problem with a dog not going through, I've done that and it works! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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