Teaching Your Animal How to Use the Doggie Door

Some dogs love to bathe in the sun, while others are content to sleep on the couch all day. They can’t stay where they are forever, as much as they’d like to; getting exercise and going to answer nature’s call is a must for a healthy pet. Yet, we’ve all experienced that moment where the dog wants to go out, then come in, then go out, then come in again—much to your personal frustration.

If you have an indecisive dog who loves her freedom, it might be time for you to invest in a small or medium dog door. Installing a dog door gives your dog the option to move around at will, encouraging more exercise and more time outdoors. Getting her to use it, of course, is a different story—we’ll show you how in this post.

Installation

First and foremost, install the door correctly. Measure your dog from the floor to the lowest point of its stomach, then jot this measurement down. Subtract 1 to 2 inches from your measurement, and mark that location as the bottom of the doggie door. For puppies, install the door flush with the ground and gradually raise it as they grow older. Finally, install the doggie door and tape the flap up to get ready for the first part of training.

Schedule a Good Time for Training

Pick a time of day where there are no distractions; a time when your dog is highly active or even playful and motivated works best. Find a 10-minute window for a training session once a day, if you can, and expect to have multiple sessions over several days or weeks.

You can do more sessions every day if you want, but be aware that overkill can cause regression. Be sure to let your dog rest for a few hours in between each session.

Lastly, make sure you have your doggie’s favourite treats readily available when you’ve chosen a time. If your dog isn’t food-motivated, use toys instead.

Through the Door

First, introduce your dog to the flap and encourage him or her to sniff and explore it. Set the dog in front of it and have a partner hold a treat just on the other side. Often this is enough to get the dog to go through.

Next, have a partner stay inside while you call your dog outside through the frame. Give your dog a treat and praise it often for doing a good job. Then, your training partner should call the dog back through the door and give a reward. Repeat this between 3 and 12 times.

Get your dog used to the door flap once he or she is used to the door frame. Hold the flap and let it gently pass over your dog to start so she knows what it feels like. Eventually, she’ll get used to opening the door herself.

We hope this guide helps you with training your pet how to use a doggie door. If you’re ready to install your first pet door, we want to help. Contact Australia Pet Doors for high-quality supplies that last.