Doggy Doors

[kiesha09]

My dogs who are 5 and 7 have had a doggy door (through the laundry door) their entire lives and have used it to go in and out as they please. Over the last year or so I have noticed that my boy will often go to the back door and scratch to be let in and out rather than go through the dog door. At the start I obliged not really thinking to much of it and because he has an auto-immune disease which gives him arthritis like symptoms so thought it might hurt to go in and out through the dog door.

Over time he has used it less and less (probably because he knows I open the back door for him) but will still easily use it during the day or overnight while we're asleep or if he's outside and someone comes in the front door or if someone is preparing food in the kitchen - so by no means can he NOT use it (if you saw him fly through it you'd see that he really has no trouble).

Then lately my girl has started using it less - probably because she goes in and out with my boy when I open the door for him (insert rolly eye man). But still she would use it 90% of the time when she wants to go in/out.

Then the latest trend is that often they go outside to do a wee really early in the morning (about 4.30am) and investigate the yard. Sometimes my girl will seem to get stuck outside and won't come through the dog door (she went out it though). She will stand outside and bat it with her paws to open/close it and if I don't hear that she will start to bark. I get up and let her in so the neighbours don't get annoyed. This morning it happened to BOTH of them. I woke up to hear my boy doing his 'let me in' bark. Yet they never get stuck outside during the day.

This whole thing has become quite annoying and quite wierd. I have checked the dog door and all looks fine to me. It opens and closes like it used to ie hasn't become more stiff, it has no sharp pieces on it etc. so I can't really understand it.

I don't really like getting woken up at 4.30am either so I think the best solution is probably to just close the laundry and restrict access to outside overnight. But how do I extend how long my girl holds on for? Her routine seems to be to go out and pee at 4.30am every day and she always wakes up and will scratch at the door if the dog door isn't open. Even crated she would bang on the crate at this time to go out.

Any suggestions?

[Christina]

Has he got a sore back ? It may tap him on the back & hurt. Can you try taking the flap off for a few hours & see if he uses it then.

Don't know how you break the 4.30am cycle unless there is something coming into your yard regularly at that time & that makes her want to go out.

My boy aged 11 does this about 5.30am no matter how late his last toilet break was but I put it down to age with him. No doggy door here, there was one when I moved in but dogs can get out but things can get in so it went.

[jr_inoz]

sunlight on the door early in the morning affecting their ability to see it properly? Or see something they don't want to go near (own reflection etc).

I have to clean my door regularly or one of mine won't go through - (likes to be able to see through to the other side clearly). When I do this, it causes a reflection on the outside first thing in the morning that the young one has a double take at before she comes in.

[ash1]

Can you replace the flap with soft plastic strips? It could be any one of the things the above posters suggested, soft plastic strips could help minimise those issues.

[HarperLee]

I have a dog, Puppy, (or is she a Princess) who won't use the doggy door at all. Everyone said she would because Kisho uses it - and loves using it. But no, not even when she's been stuck outside and it's raining! I tried the food enticement in the beginning - that didn't work. I don't worry now as Kisho seems to like that it is 'his'. He needs it, Puppy doesn't (she can hold on, Kisho can't especially because of the Diabetes Insipidus).

Perhaps just ensure you don't let them out via the door and only through the doggy door. It sounds like they got used to a pattern and are liking controlling you (ok - I know I need to practice what I preach!). Sometimes Kisho waits at the other door to be let out, but I won't let him. It's the dog door or not at all! He knows!