Guest Ames Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Hi everyone, So glad I found this forum! So much advice & encouragement! I'm hoping the greyhound brains trust can help with my issue.... When got our big boy about 6 weeks ago my husband put in a new dog door before his arrival. We got the biggest door we could find (very limited options) & made an uneducated guess how high to place it in the wall- taking into account that a mini schnauzer & geriatric/arthritic kelpie also had to get through it. As yet our lovely grey has not been through. He will put his head through & receive treats etc. but I'm now wondering if will fit through at all! The door is a hard plastic, magnetic close type. It's approx. 11 inches from the floor to the internal lower edge & the internal height is approx. 14 inches. Is that too small? He will have to stoop to get through but we had to compromise owing to our other dogs. I'm wondering if I should persist getting him to use it or give up on account of it being too small. Any advice would be hugely appreciated!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 (edited) For many years until i got Buddy my biggest boy we had Petsafe large which i think the opening was 10.5 X 15 and up to 80# boy greys (see signature) went thru with no problems. The rise is crucial IMO but it sounds like yours is OK. Maybe it's the hard plastic that's throwing him off?? Mine have been generally about had a bottom set about 12" off the floor or at the bottom panel of a standard six panel door. As you can see two mini poodles and a terrier(ist) also used those doors. Whenever I got a new dog that wouldn't get the hang of the dog door the other dogs and i would have a party in the yard. Edited June 23, 2016 by Hubcitypam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ames Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Yes, this is a Petsafe large also. He looks life he want to lift his legs to get through but just can't seem too. I'm happy to work with him slowly to get through, just need to know he can fit... or happy to contort himself! From what you're saying he should be able too. Perhaps his coat is making leg lifting awkward. Hmmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 (edited) He can. I promise. I had a girl that apparently refused to use the dog door. I fretted worried and played doorman. One day i came home from a trip to Kroger and who came bounding in from the back yard? She'd pulled the wool over my eyes for weeks. Edited June 23, 2016 by Hubcitypam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Wow -- you have a mini-schnauzer who can get over a dog door with a bottom opening 11" from the floor? S/he must have fun leaping through it? I've read that for tall dogs, having the top of the door opening at about shoulder height is good. It sounds like the top of your door is around 25"; a little short for a big guy but as Hubcitypam posted, should be no big deal. When I visit family with dachshunds, my 64-lb male gets out the doxy-sized door no problem. I couldn't believe it at first. They just need the right motivation. His was CATFOOD on the back porch Luckily it's summer and you can duck tape your door open for long periods at a time. Let him get used to going in/out an unobstructed opening. Some people then tape a piece of material or something else light over the opening, to let the dog have a minimum obstacle, before graduating to the hard plastic door. Some dogs need a further interim step of you making the initial push on the door, then letting them follow through. Is the entry to the door unobstructed on both sides? At the first house where I put a dog door, the back steps had no stoop/landing. So when they went outside, the dogs' front feet landed on a step 7" lower than the floor inside. One of my dogs would only go out by himself if I wasn't home. If I was home, he summoned me. He always came back in on his own. He was the only grey out of my 7 who had real trouble mastering the door. What is the right motivation for your boy? Is there a special treat or toy he can't resist? Often dogs want to get back in more than they want to go out. So after you've fixed the plastic door securely, if temporarily, out of the way somehow, and escorted your boy out, maybe have a party INSIDE and see if he won't join you. However you approach it, always try to make going through the door a positive experience. Don't let frustration lead you to try to force him through, even if gently. We need pictures and a name and description of your lovely grey, as well as your other pups! Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Wow -- you have a mini-schnauzer who can get over a dog door with a bottom opening 11" from the floor? S/he must have fun leaping through it? I've read that for tall dogs, having the top of the door opening at about shoulder height is good. It sounds like the top of your door is around 25"; a little short for a big Believe me there have been two miniature poodles (17 and 22 pounds) and a 25# terrier mix that have gone through a dog door with that rise with no trouble. Actually Barkley often just gets speed up coming back in and catapults himself thru the door like a canine cannonball. Yes, I agree the ideal height should be an inch or two over the biggest dogs shoulder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ames Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Oh wow, I think it's way too low! I think he's on the large side for a greyhound, but being our first I've no comparison. I don't have a current weight, but his race weight was 36.5kg six months ago and he's about 29" at the shoulder. The internal top is around 25" from the floor so that's quite a stoop. With a bit of effort we can move a bit if the height is indeed the problem. And I'll upload photos & a proper sig when I'm on the right device... for now it's Lazarus (greyhound, 3yrs), George (mini schnauzer, 4 yrs) & Jess (Australian kelpie, 12yrs). And we are in Australia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Somewhere on GT someone posted how to train your grey to use a doggie door Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claudiav Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 might have to get the XL dog door for giant breeds... that way, it's low enough for the dwarfs, and tall enough for the giant that's what i have... a human can easily get thru our dog door, but someone would have to know about it to come in that way... i didn't want too high a rise b/c i had a sick senior grey at the time, and i didn't want him to get scared by the rise, or to hurt himself trying to hunch down to squeeze out... we also built a deck on the outside, to make sure they have enough room when they get out the door, before going down the ramp (replaced stairs for same senior houndie)... Quote Image removed, not within Signature Guidelines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/317307-dog-door-training-tips-that-actually-work/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 I used the redneck method with a couple and duct taped the flap up and gradually lowered it. It is far easier if you already have dogs the new one can learn on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LadyGrayfox Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 (edited) I've been training my new girl Jan to use a dog door and used the method posted in the other thread - strapped up the dog flap and left the hole open for a few days, then taped a light colored tea towel over the hole. We're now at the stage with the dog flap closed but the tea towel is still taped over it - Jan doesn't like to use the door without the towel - whatever works babe! Obligatory supercute photo of my movie star... - Cassandra and the lovely Jan edit (stupid autocorrect!) Edited June 26, 2016 by LadyGrayfox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ames Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Thanks for the photos LadyGrayfox, looks like a good setup. As it's winter here in Australia- 10am and 5 degrees (celcius) I'll have to wait to until spring to try this. Until then I'm the door woman. Our door may yet prove too small and low, we'll see. Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LadyGrayfox Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Ames, I had the door strapped up with nothing over the hole when it ranged from 116F - 110F here for a week. Honestly it wasn't that bad, but I was glad to move on the towel and finally door down stages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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