Training To Use A Dog Door

[puppymum]

I am having trouble getting my dog (who is a 9yo shelter adoptee) to reliably use the dog door.

I have tried all of the standard approaches I have seen (putting progressively heavier plastic over the door, rewarding with treats etc. etc.) but am still having problems.

The issue is that he UNDERSTANDS how the door works, he just doesn't seem to LIKE it!! He will sometimes go through on his own, sometimes he will go through with minor encouragement, other times he needs the door pushed open a little to start him off. And sometimes he will just roll over and refuse!

This is a problem even when he really wants to go in/out - the other day I came home to find he had gone outside, but was huddled at the back door unable to come back in.

If anyone has any suggestions about this I would really appreciate it.

[Erny]

How long have you been working on it? IE How long have you had the doggy door for your dog to use?

[puppymum]

How long have you been working on it? IE How long have you had the doggy door for your dog to use?

About 15 months!!

I spent about 3 months on the progressively heavier plastic approach, which stalled completely each time I moved past heavy vinyl. I went back and started again thinking I had moved too fast a couple of times, with the same problem each time. Then I had just an open hole in the door, for a couple of months, thinking that if he got used to being able to come and go as he pleased he would be more inclined to persist with the door. I then tried the plastic approach again, with the same result.

After it became obvious that wouldn't work, I ended up just putting the full dog door back, lining him up and pushing him through!! This actually seemed to help (I had been concerned it would create a negative connotation and make things worse, but eventually decided it couldn't get a lot worse!). I have now gotten to the stage where he will go through, most times, when prompted. But I would really like him to go through whenever he wants to go in or out.

He has been living with another dog who used the dog door with no problems, and had not picked it up from her at all. I really don't know whether the problem is that he doesn't like using the door, that he thinks he needs permission each time or something else.

[lucylotto]

I am having trouble getting my dog (who is a 9yo shelter adoptee) to reliably use the dog door.

I have tried all of the standard approaches I have seen (putting progressively heavier plastic over the door, rewarding with treats etc. etc.) but am still having problems.

The issue is that he UNDERSTANDS how the door works, he just doesn't seem to LIKE it!! He will sometimes go through on his own, sometimes he will go through with minor encouragement, other times he needs the door pushed open a little to start him off. And sometimes he will just roll over and refuse!

This is a problem even when he really wants to go in/out - the other day I came home to find he had gone outside, but was huddled at the back door unable to come back in.

If anyone has any suggestions about this I would really appreciate it.

My dogs really love dinner time so theyHAD to go thru to get dinner as it was on the other side. My big boy was scared at first. I held door open for them few times and then progressively let go and they had to push it open if they were to get fed at all. They love it now and use it all the time. It seems we are now completely housetrained now they know they can come and go at will. It took 2-3 weeks.

Don't know if this is helpful at all but good luck.

Edited June 10, 2009 by lucylotto

[megan_]

My boy took about a day. However, and first he was scared and I tried treats, calling him, toys etc. So I put him outside and walked away - he loves being near me so had to come through.

[Odin-Genie]

Why not stand on the other side of the door with some really yummy treats and ask him to come?

When I changed my dog door from a flexible flap to a fixed flap, my dogs were initially unsure. I used lots of treats and pushed the door a bit initially. When they came through, they got loads of praise and treats. I did this for about three hours off and on to reinforce the habit. Next day they were using the dog door without any problem.

[puppymum]

Why not stand on the other side of the door with some really yummy treats and ask him to come?

When I changed my dog door from a flexible flap to a fixed flap, my dogs were initially unsure. I used lots of treats and pushed the door a bit initially. When they came through, they got loads of praise and treats. I did this for about three hours off and on to reinforce the habit. Next day they were using the dog door without any problem.

I have tried this - and he just looks at me as if I am being particularly mean taunting him with food he can't get to!!

The problem I have is that he does know how the door works, and will usually go through with just a little bit of prompting, but will sometimes refuse to go through without a push, and he doesn't seem to be willing to go through when I am not there. Even when he really want's to go in or out, he will at times just sit looking forlornly through the door, as if he's convinced it's not working at the moment. And other times he will go through without any problems - when I was out the other night he went outside, and then couldn't come back in, so that when I arrived home he was outside, thoroughly miserable, thinking he was locked out!

[Erny]

...when I was out the other night he went outside, and then couldn't come back in, so that when I arrived home he was outside, thoroughly miserable, thinking he was locked out!

Without me going back through the posts, I seem to remember that he did similar on another occasion - ie went out but didn't come back in. Do you think there is something in particular about coming back in that bothers him? Have a look at the door and study it from both sides. Is it higher for him when coming from the outside to in? The surface of the ground - is it stable? All those sorts of things. Check also that the door swings as equally smoothly from both ways.

[Wazzat Xolo]

Why not stand on the other side of the door with some really yummy treats and ask him to come?

When I changed my dog door from a flexible flap to a fixed flap, my dogs were initially unsure. I used lots of treats and pushed the door a bit initially. When they came through, they got loads of praise and treats. I did this for about three hours off and on to reinforce the habit. Next day they were using the dog door without any problem.

I have tried this - and he just looks at me as if I am being particularly mean taunting him with food he can't get to!!

The problem I have is that he does know how the door works, and will usually go through with just a little bit of prompting, but will sometimes refuse to go through without a push, and he doesn't seem to be willing to go through when I am not there. Even when he really want's to go in or out, he will at times just sit looking forlornly through the door, as if he's convinced it's not working at the moment. And other times he will go through without any problems - when I was out the other night he went outside, and then couldn't come back in, so that when I arrived home he was outside, thoroughly miserable, thinking he was locked out!

Puppymum

With the dog being nine years old he may be affected by sight problems, the sun on the outside may cause shadows or cast light upon the dog door, inside light making it hard to see, have you tried fly strips of plastic instead of heavy plastic? maybe an idea to check his eyes as you have done all that most do for the ddor ( In my experience)

We had a German Shepherd training for a Narcotic Detector who was perfect in every way but shadows on floors for some reason would intefere with his work, he was found to have eye problems, anyway just from my own experiences, an idea, all the best!

J