This is the story of my suspicious sheltie.
On my lanai there's a dog door for the dogs to use to go to the back yard. This past week I FINALLY replaced the old, very dirty flap in the door. While I admired the new lovely, clear plastic in the door, the dogs, however, had a totally different impression. They, all 3, refused to use the door! I was confused! What was the problem? All 3 were totally used to the dog door, even Toby had used it since he came home as a young puppy. Then somebody suggested that the dogs might think it's glass since it's so clear!
So I got some chunks of some lovely dried liver to lure them through the door. It worked pretty well, but Toby was the lone hold-out. When the other dogs came back in, Toby would just stand on the outside of the door and bark and bark what I call his "I want..." bark. (Very high pitched!)
I thought I had a bright idea and got some blue painter's tape to put on the door. Maybe the tape would help the dogs "see" it was still a door while partly blocking their view outside. Not for Toby! He remained SUSPICIOUS of that door! He wouldn't even follow one of the other dogs in or out the door. He didn't want to get too close to it either. He'd bark at it, but only from a few feet away. Lol
In a few days we've made progress, but it's still not a smooth in and out. When he goes out he tries very hard not to let the flap (whatever that "thing"is) touch him any more than necessary!!
I never DREAMED the consequences of installing that new flap!
Oh, you silly, suspicious sheltie, Toby!!!
On my lanai there's a dog door for the dogs to use to go to the back yard. This past week I FINALLY replaced the old, very dirty flap in the door. While I admired the new lovely, clear plastic in the door, the dogs, however, had a totally different impression. They, all 3, refused to use the door! I was confused! What was the problem? All 3 were totally used to the dog door, even Toby had used it since he came home as a young puppy. Then somebody suggested that the dogs might think it's glass since it's so clear!
So I got some chunks of some lovely dried liver to lure them through the door. It worked pretty well, but Toby was the lone hold-out. When the other dogs came back in, Toby would just stand on the outside of the door and bark and bark what I call his "I want..." bark. (Very high pitched!)
I thought I had a bright idea and got some blue painter's tape to put on the door. Maybe the tape would help the dogs "see" it was still a door while partly blocking their view outside. Not for Toby! He remained SUSPICIOUS of that door! He wouldn't even follow one of the other dogs in or out the door. He didn't want to get too close to it either. He'd bark at it, but only from a few feet away. Lol
In a few days we've made progress, but it's still not a smooth in and out. When he goes out he tries very hard not to let the flap (whatever that "thing"is) touch him any more than necessary!!
I never DREAMED the consequences of installing that new flap!
Oh, you silly, suspicious sheltie, Toby!!!
