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Butler Door

Discussion in 'Sheltie Training' started by Ron Atkinson, Jun 25, 2022.

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  1. Ron Atkinson

    Ron Atkinson Premium Member

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    We have a butler door between the kitchen and dining room (door swings both ways). The kitchen has linoleum flooring,the dining room has carpet.I want him to be able to go back and forth. Right now he does a low volume whine when he can't get back through. I have taught Teddy to go kitchen to dining room(Does that easily) but he can't seem to get dining room to kitchen.
    Teddy has seen the cats do it. Today, I got down on all fours and did it with my head.(nothing) Put dabs of peanut butter on floor in kitchen, he ate what he could reach with his tongue under the door and nothing more. One of my wife's cats came through the door and ate the rest.
    I am running out of ideas does anyone have any suggestions?
     
    Ron Atkinson, Jun 25, 2022
    Ron Atkinson, Jun 25, 2022
    #1
    Sandy in CT and Piper's mom like this.
  2. ghggp

    ghggp Moderator

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    Can you try putting the peanut butter on the door and the inside where the door meet? Then he would have to push the door with his nose as he licks the peanut butter off?
    Maybe try putting his leash on and go to the opposite side and lure him with a tiny bit of peanut butter on the end of a stick poking in between the closed doors as you lightly tug on the leash?
    Or walking back and forth going from room to room with his leash on at a heal position? The repetition with you might build his confidence?
     
    ghggp, Jun 25, 2022
    ghggp, Jun 25, 2022
    #2
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  3. Piper's mom

    Piper's mom Moderator

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    Does Teddy know touch? It’s an easy trick to teach…I was thinking of Treiball and how you teach the dog to push a ball. It all starts with touch and perhaps you could work on getting him to push the door open, I’d start by getting him to touch the door and rewarding that eventually only rewarding for a push and ultimately rewarding ONLY when he pushes and goes through the door. Clicker training would work great for this to shape the behaviour. You could also use the lid of a yogurt container taped to the door (after he knows touch) for your target and then phase that out.
    Something easier might be using a push pin and a thin rope (or yarn or twine) under the door that you could pull on when Teddy is on the other side, perhaps just having the door ajar and some encouragement could get Teddy to push the door open the rest of the way and get used to it. I was thinking just a thin piece of yarn because you don’t want a heavy rope you might trip on!

    forgot to add that I love your ingenuity in getting down on all fours just like Teddy! Finnie when he’s stuck in a room he’ll use his nose to open the door. Blueberry will whine and bark and ultimately jump on the door effectively shutting it tighter:ROFLMAO:! Good luck on the training!
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2022
    Piper's mom, Jun 25, 2022
    Piper's mom, Jun 25, 2022
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  4. Ann

    Ann Moderator

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    Mine are also experts about nosing doors. They seem to learn from each other. I'm surprised Teddy hasn't picked it up from the cats. I wonder if there's a reason he's cautious about that particular door, or direction. All good suggestions here....my first try would be putting his food bowl with dinner on the other side of the door. If he's a typical Sheltie food hound, that might be enough to make him work to get through it. Just a thought!
     
    Ann, Jun 25, 2022
    Ann, Jun 25, 2022
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  5. Piper's mom

    Piper's mom Moderator

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    Now that’s thinking like a Sheltie! I love it lol!
     
    Piper's mom, Jun 25, 2022
    Piper's mom, Jun 25, 2022
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  6. Ron Atkinson

    Ron Atkinson Premium Member

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    These are great I will keep working with him. He does know touch. When he goes kitchen to dinning room he uses nose left shoulder, and goes through. When dining to kitchen he lightly touches and in the past the door swings back a little and smacks him in the nose lightly.
    When I did all 4s all I ended up getting was my face washed :)
     
    Ron Atkinson, Jun 25, 2022
    Ron Atkinson, Jun 25, 2022
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  7. Sandy in CT

    Sandy in CT Premium Member

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    He's a sheltie!!!! He's probably saying to the cats... 'watch what I can get dad to do".... :)
     
    Sandy in CT, Jun 25, 2022
    Sandy in CT, Jun 25, 2022
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  8. Piper's mom

    Piper's mom Moderator

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    :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: Too funny!!!
     
    Piper's mom, Jun 25, 2022
    Piper's mom, Jun 25, 2022
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  9. ghggp

    ghggp Moderator

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    :yuckyuck
    Good point!!!:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
     
    ghggp, Jun 26, 2022
    ghggp, Jun 26, 2022
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  10. GlennR

    GlennR Premium Member

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    Willow opens doors but only if she is invited. If we tell her it's okay to come in, then she just noses it open and walks in. If we don't tell her it's okay, she just lays down and waits.

    I'm sure you must have tried the simple approach with a super treat. You show him the treat, walk through the doors, sit down and call him.
     
    GlennR, Jun 26, 2022
    GlennR, Jun 26, 2022
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    Ron Atkinson, Piper's mom and Sharon7 like this.
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