Dog Door Training With A Noise Sensitive Hound

[Guest MissEcho1]

We have a lovely new foster whom we will be adopting shortly. She is a wonderful dog, and seemingly confident. However she really is shy of any sort of noise. Unfortunately, our dog door makes some noise when she goes through and this seems to be throwing her off. Weve been working on getting her to come through the door for a couple of days now, using positive reinforcement and high value treats. She ventured through in minutes when she first arrived, but the noise seemed to spook her. She has come through at least ten times, but is very stressed each time.

 

Also she is not at all interested in jumping into the back of the station wagon, treats or no treats.

 

Any suggestions?

[Scoutsmom]

Give her time. If she is timid, these are very scary things. Sounds like you are doing everything right.

 

With the car, you might want to start giving her treats that she can reach while her feet are still on the ground. Then slowly move the treats further and further inside the car. If you need to take her somewhere in the meantime, just pick her up and gentle put her in the car.

[cleptogrey]

keep the interior lights on in the car. annie was surgically inserted into my old 2 door honda civic. she learned(slow learner, it took 9 months) and now jumps into anything as long as it's from the passenger side! she championed the dog door at a friends house in no time. for her it was monkey see, monkey do. i presume you don't have another dog. so, remove the flap, throw food out and wait or a bowl of chopped up hot dogs outside should entice her. once she's out, try a bowl of something inside(obviously this is a 2 person operation) and praise when she makes it thru. be creative...and PATIENT!

Edited October 12, 2017 by cleptogrey

[Guest MissEcho1]

Thanks so much for your suggestions. We’ve been working with her by rewarding small incremental steps with her favorite food, cottage cheese. One toe in the door, then some cheese. Then it takes two toes in the door, etc. This has been going on for a couple of days.

 

Yesterday we celebrated a great victory after having observed that while we were not in the room, she exited the dog door all by herself to do her business in the yard. Success!

 

We continue work on coming IN the door. Plus at some point we’ll have to lower the flap— that will be a challenge. But a doable one!

[cleptogrey]

YEAH!!!! and around here it's still warm out....she has a couple of days to perfect it.....until the cold weather hits(if you are in a zone that chills)!!!

[EllenEveBaz]

I'm not an accomplished dog trainer -- just brainstorming. I wonder if it would help desensitize her if you recorded the door sound and played it when she is calm and relaxed. Then give her cottage cheese if she remains calm and relaxed or relaxes again after being startled..

 

while we were not in the room, she exited the dog door all by herself to do her business in the yard.

In my previous house, the dog door opened up onto outside steps that did not have a landing. So when the dogs went out the door, they had an immediate 8" drop to the first step and had to keep going down. One of the dogs was fine coming inside, and fine going out when I wasn't there. But when I was home -- bark bark -- door service, please, to go out.

[Guest MissEcho1]

Update: now we seem to have a slightly different issue. We have modified the flap on the door to be in strips rather than one big flap, and have removed the noisy bottom metal piece. Our hound will now go in and out without assistance if my husband works with her, and offers treats. In my case, however, she requires that I personally lift up one of the flaps in addition to the treat requirement. Truly she has trained me to be her assistant. Ideas to move forward from this stage?

[GeorgeofNE]

My opinion is that coddling her further is truly not necessary. MOST dogs live their entire lives without a dog door. If she chooses to use it, you have shown her how. If she chooses not to, what's the big deal?

 

If you're afraid she will go outside and not come back in when you aren't home, then close it when you aren't there. It really is a giant superhighway into your house for would-be thieves, and most of us feel it's not all that safe allowing their hounds outside when we aren't home anyway.

 

We had four dogs when I was younger, and two dog doors (too many head on collisions when there was only one). The ONLY time the doors were locked up was when we weren't home. Eliminates all chances of people leaving your gate open, breaking in, or your dogs escaping the yard and being gone for HOURS before you know it.

[EllenEveBaz]

One way might to be to go back to Square 1 training with you. Another might be to work on it when both you and your husband are together, on the same side of the dog door. Put the dog on one side, and you and your husband (and other dogs, if you have them) on the other side, having a party with lots of happy-sounding talking, enjoying chips with cottage cheese dip, etc. Completely ignoring her. Until she joins the party on her own.

[Guest MissEcho1]

Just to update, we did it. Took two months. She trained me before I trained her.

[Hubcitypam]