Doggy door training

[Chinchi]

We have had a dog door installed for a few days now to give Darla and Hugo more freedom to come in and out of the house and garden. We have been training them individually using yummy chicken strips on how to use the dog door, but have come to a brick wall and we are not sure how to progress with the training. I will provide an outline of the training we have done so far in case anyone can provide any extra tips.

All training was done individually so they didn't get distracted by each other. My fiancé was on one side of the door and I was on the other, with the dog flap held open completely to start with. I held a piece of chicken and called Darla who quickly ran through to get to me and the treat. She was swiftly rewarded with the chicken. My fiancé did the same to get her to walk through the dog flap back to him. We did this a fair number of times and then changed to only rewarding her when she had gone outside and come back in again for the treat. We repeated that several times too.

Next it was time for the dog flap to come down. Armed with my chicken and with Darla outside with my fiancé, I tried calling Darla back inside. She looked at the closed flap and whimpered. We pushed it open a little for her to stick her nose through and helped her through it to her treat. We repeated this lots of times. However, we found that she did not want to push the door herself, we had to open it a little for her before she would go through.

We are not sure how to progress on from here. We have shown them that the dog flap moves, that it can be pushed to be opened and entered to receive yummy treats and praise but neither dog seems willing to investigate and push it with their noses. I don't think they are afraid of it, I think they are confused by it and see it as a door that is shut and only opened by us pushing it a little for them. I'm not sure how to teach them that they can open it themselves.

We have also tried smearing peanut butter on the bottom of the flap to encourage them to lick it and nudge it open with their noses to receive bigger chunks of peanut butter but that didn't work either, They just sat there starring at the door waiting for us to open it

We would really appreciate any tips anyone else has. I have even got on my hands and knees and pocked my head out of the flap to show them how it's done

 

[Tabitha]

I have even got on my hands and knees and pocked my head out of the flap to show them how it's done

Hahaha! Been there, done that! I've done all the sme things you have. The boys have always been easier to teach the doggy door to than the girls. F-kap was first introduced to it when he was about 4 and didn't have any problems, he got the idea on the first day. Ida, on the other hand, took her sweet little time learning and it took her two and a half (almost three) weeks. There's nothing that I can see that your doing wrong, just let the 'kids' learn it when they are ready. Good luck!

 

[Margi]

My two boys refused to use the doggie door--acted like they were terrified of it. I gave up trying to get them to use it. Then we went on a vacation, and left them with a friend who has 4 dogs. When we came back I discovered they had used the doggie door over there the whole time--just followed her pack outside! When we got them home, they used our door from then on. Do you have a friend with a doggie door trained dog? Maybe if they see another going outside and playing they will follow like mine did...

 

[corbinam]

I wonder if you should just break it down a bit more. Can you leave the flap off for a few days until they are used to going in and out at will? And then maybe after that tape a small piece of paper or cloth that barely hangs over the opening (something light and very small). That will help them get used to something touching them as they go through. Then drop it down a bit lower so they get used to having to push through. Then gradually introduce thicker materials until they can push through the door.

Note: I don't have a doggy door!

 

[Tabitha]

I wonder if you should just break it down a bit more. Can you leave the flap off for a few days until they are used to going in and out at will? And then maybe after that tape a small piece of paper or cloth that barely hangs over the opening (something light and very small). That will help them get used to something touching them as they go through. Then drop it down a bit lower so they get used to having to push through. Then gradually introduce thicker materials until they can push through the door.

Note: I don't have a doggy door!

Even though you don't have a doggy door corbinam that's a really good idea! I don't think I ever would have thought about that! But if your dogs love to chew paper like mine do I'd keep a close eye on them.

 

[missjenneygirl]

I have been fortunate to have an older dog to teach any younger dog. That seems to work the quickest. They all get it.
I need to get a photo of Annie on the inside just sticking her nose out the side part of the flap, just enough to see me, or whatever else is going on. I laugh every time.
The funniest is puppies, who think the older dog disappeared magically into the wall! They just stare at the dog door.

 

[Lightplum]

lol I employ the same tactic, I let the older ones teach...however when I first got it I left it open, than worked it further down as the day went on and they got more confident, than once down I taped the magnet so it just swung with no resistance...than after a few days un-taped and viola..
Heres the puppies from my last litter noticing the magical portal that the dogs disappeared and reappeared through!!

 

[Calliesmom]

I have been fortunate to have an older dog to teach any younger dog. That seems to work the quickest. They all get it.
I need to get a photo of Annie on the inside just sticking her nose out the side part of the flap, just enough to see me, or whatever else is going on. I laugh every time.
The funniest is puppies, who think the older dog disappeared magically into the wall! They just stare at the dog door.

Callie used to do that- just stick her nose through to see what was going on.

most dogs that have been to my house have loved the doggy door and easily followed the other dogs through. however, there was one dog that if you held the flap, he would go through but he never really got the hang of opening it by himself.

 

[Chinchi]

They have mastered it! All it took was to take the magnets off the flap and gently guide them individually through the door so they pushed it open with their heads and they got it in a day! I have now replaced the magnets and they are loving their new doggy door.

Thanks for all your suggestions

 

[Calliesmom]

They have mastered it! All it took was to take the magnets off the flap and gently guide them individually through the door so they pushed it open with their heads and they got it in a day! I have now replaced the magnets and they are loving their new doggy door.

Thanks for all your suggestions

glad to hear that everything worked out