Dog Door Training--Need Help

[christinepi]

We've had to build Tracker a dog door due to need for nighttime urination. We don't have the actual frame and flap yet, just the hole and visquine strips (4-5" wide), which he uses just fine during the day but can't at night when there not slightly pinned open at the bottom (just 1" is enough), even with the porch light on. We're worried that once the actual door gets here (and we got the biggest size, too, due to his arthritis, and only one flap) he won't know what to do, especially at that size and weight. Even if he'd get it eventually during the day, there's no guarantee he'll get it at night. He once peed right in front of the visquine strips onto the doormat when the strips didn't have the 1" crack. I guess it looked "solid" to him. Does anyone have some suggestions how to train him to use the big single vinyl flap with the future door at night (and for the day time, too)? Pinning it back initially doesn't really seem to work in this case because he has to be able to use it in both directions.

[HeyRunDog]

Perhaps he needs the door to be lit from both sides.

 

Just keep tempting him through with treats for a few minutes during both daytime and night time and hopefully all of a sudden he'll do it as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

[teri_d]

We used treats to train ours, too. At first reaching hands thru the door with a treat in it, then opening it a bit so they could see us with great on the other side, then tossing a treat thru the door each way ..... and always much “doggie door praise”. doesn’t take them long at all to learn.

 

But beware .. we always verbally said “doggie door” and “good doggie door”. In the beginning one of ours was standing by the door - when I said “doggie door” he ran to the treat jar, not the back door - lol. But they are all doggie door champs and have been for years.

[cleptogrey]

food will be your best friend. he will get it, a couple of times with people on both sides of the door and a reward on the other side and you'll be set. LED motion detector light outside? inside a light as well. don't forget the non-skid mat on both sides. for the interior i use the neoprene mats which i purchase at BBB. they are low profile and easy to wash.i ended up using them on the faux wood floors at dewey beach so the dogs visiting our room(we were selling from the room) wouldn't hesitate. they all came in. you can most likely use a 6ft runner of the same material on the outside or a water hog type mat. we cut the water hog mat to fit our steps up to the back yard and studio. it really helped both felix and my 95 year old mother with the steps.

 

there is a longer version out there, you will find it https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/mohawk-flooring-microfibre-neoprene-rug/3244325?Keyword=neoprene%20kitchen%20mat

Edited October 15, 2018 by cleptogrey

[XTRAWLD]

I wonder if it would help to put peanut butter ON the door?

 

I agree that grippy mat on either side of the door might help too.

Edited October 15, 2018 by XTRAWLD

[christinepi]

I wonder if it would help to put peanut butter ON the door?

 

I agree that grippy mat on either side of the door might help too.

 

Now there's an idea (peanut butter)! Shall try a few times. We already have mats on both sides, so that doesn't seem to be the issue. We just screwed in a brighter bulb for at night, let's see.

[christinepi]

Problem is, the cat might beat him to it--she'll eat anything short of rusty nails.

[XTRAWLD]

Uh oh! Good try tho? Maybe try when kitty is not around and you do a training session with Tracker?