Training your dog to use the dog door
Technically speaking, a dog door is either hinged or uses a spring in contrast to a flap, which is just a flap of material covering a hole. In reality, however, the distinction is not always made.
Most dog gates are made with a softer material to avoid hurting the dog when going in and out. Smooth vinyl is especially common for this purpose. The cheapest options are made of plastic, but these can be easily destroyed by animals with high energy or a tendency to chew on things.
A concern of many pet owners is stray dogs and other animals entering their home through a dog door. For this crowd, the solution is an electronic pet gate activated by a magnet on the dog’s collar. Retinal scans and the like are also available, but can cost a little more than they’re worth, effectively doing the same job as cheaper options.
Most people establish some type of secure area outside, such as a fenced-in lawn or patio, except in some rural areas where their pets are free to roam.
Some dogs do not like doggie doors and may need to be trained to use them. This can be true for those who have been hit by a flapper in the early stages of using the dog door, as well as those who just don’t seem to understand the purpose of the door.
If you are comfortable doing so and the weather cooperates, you can leave the human door open for a few days before or after installing the dog door. This allows your pet to get used to going in and out at will, and then it will try to continue after you close the humane door. Naturally, they will look for another exit and discover the dog door. Another possibility is to hold the dog door open with duct tape, although both can be used back to back.
At this point, if your dog still seems unsure about the dog door, try going outside with the door closed and your dog inside the house. Calling it out, especially with the dog door taped shut as mentioned, should encourage your dog enough to come through and begin to understand what’s going on with this hole in the door.
You can also do this another way, with you inside and your dog outside, if you think going in would be a better motivation than going out. You can use treats to further encourage, just as you would in any type of training, but dogs that are often given treats for no reason may not get the message. In general, it’s important to restrict treats to rewards for specific behaviors if you want your dog to act a certain way.
Small to medium sized dogs can pick themselves up and push through the door, but be careful not to injure your pet in any way when doing so! If the dog is not afraid of the door to begin with, then this simple exercise will demonstrate the purpose and operation of this device.
Whichever way you choose to do it, always give your dog lots of praise when he finds out. This will help create a positive association with walking through the door, paving the way for your pet to walk through that door without a second thought.
