Doggie Door

[TinksDream]

Does anyone have any good ideas on how to teach Tink to use the dog door. We aren't living in the house yet with the dog door but she doesn't like to go through it, even using treats to lure her out. The only time she has really used it is when I've left her outside by herself and left the house, then I would come back and she would be inside. However, I haven't been able to get her from inside to outside without a lot of great effort on my part. Any suggestions other than treats would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[LILYLARUE]

I can't wait for the responses to this one. Will be putting one in real soon and Lily won't even leave when I prop open the screen door! One time the door hit her in the arse on the way out and she thinks it's gonna git her every time! I can only imagine the dog door and how intimidating that will become without proper direction. LOL

 

[TinksDream]

Ha! That is funny about the screen door. Tink ran right into ours today, it made me laugh. She seems to be getting more comfortable coming into the house but won't go outside through the doggie door. Hopefully with some time and practice she will love being able to get in and out of the house on her own

 

[SteveL]

Mine is only through a screen so it is a little different. After helping him through a few times with treats I sould go play with his toys in the back yard. Sooner or later he would go through the door and I would praise him. The way back in way easy. I just go inside and get his leash and yell lets go to the dog park. It took him less than 2 days to master it but he is the type that is not afraid of anything

 

[Darbysmom1]

Dog Doors

With dog doors we have always used one and I have found other dogs are the best teachers... Do you have any friends that have a dog that uses a dog door that could come over and play? I help with the rescue and we get fosters all the time that have never used dog doors before and my dogs are the best teachers. So to get them to go out since they seem to get the going in let the other dogs that can use the door loose and show them the door then go outside to play and the other dogs will run out the door and yours should follow... A few times of doing this and they get the message pretty quick other then this the second best thing is the treats out the door like you are already doing but really the other dogs having no problem running back and forth is really the best I have found.... Hope this helps hope you have some friends dogs you can use...

 

[stephaneew]

I agree with the technique of inviting other dogs over. I think thats a great idea!
What we did was duck tape the flap up for a day (while we were home of course) and did that consecutively over the weekend days... we would would put hot dog pieces on either side of the door just far enough so that Diesel would have to actually step through..he caught on very quickly. Then once he had that down, we released the flap and just held it up and called him through.. when he would come through, we let it brush his back just slightly. All of this accompanied with lots of praise of course!! Before we knew it he was Mr. Independent!!

 

[jbbtlr]

When we got ours, we had a hard time getting them to go out through it also. Coming in seemed to be okay, but going out not so much. Not sure what the difference is. This might sound funny, but I went out it a few times when I was trying to get them to go out. And if they wanted out that was the only way the could get out. After I went through, I help it open a few times with treats to reward once they finally came through and basically just through them a party. After a bit though, I would go through and stand and wait. There were times I waited a bit. But do things very interesting and fun so they want to come out to see what's going on and they know the only way they are getting out is through the doggie door.

Having other dogs REALLY helps though.

They will get it, just takes some time!

 

[angelakenney]

When we got one for Brady we put him outside, taped up the flap and then my husband and I sat on the floor and tossed one of his toys back and forth so he could see. We did this once inside and once outside and then again with the flap down. He couldn't resist the keep-away game and learned really quick.

 

[wicket]

Our pup LOVES his doggie door, when we first put it in he went back and forth for about thirty minutes. We did give him lots of treats and love when he did it and Also threw a couple of his toys out the door and he would jump through and chase them.

 

[TinksDream]

Thanks for all the tips, we will have to try some of them this weekend after we move into the house. I don't know anyone else who has a dog that knows how to use the dog door, unless my brothers dogs do but they don't have one so I'm not sure.
I'm sure once Tink goes out a few times she will really love it, she just needs us to take some more time and show her. I might have my daughter go out through it and see if that helps.

Thanks again.