Helping Your Pets through the Door

All right, you’ve done your homework and selected the best pet door for you and your furry companion. There’s nothing left to do but install it and let the good times roll, right?

Not so fast. The reality is, cats and dogs often need to get acclimated to pet doors before they’ll use them voluntarily. Feeling the flap hit them as they go through, for instance, can be an unusual and even frightening sensation at first, as can the sound of the door’s operation.

For puppies and young dogs, first acclimate your new friend to your house, and the door that leads outside. Then, once the dog door is installed, hold or tape the flap up, position yourself on the opposite side from your dog, and encourage her to come through the door, either by coaxing her or using tasty treats. Keep repeating this process while gradually lowering the flap, so your dog becomes used to the feel of it and realizes it’s not a threat. Finally, call your dog through the closed pet door, and see if she will come through. You might have to place her water bowl outside or put treats in the yard, until she gets used to the idea of going outside on her own, but be gentle and patient with her, and she’ll eventually get the hang of it.

Cats often need to get acclimated to the idea of the cat door itself before trying any of the above techniques. Leave treats by the pet door until your cat gets comfortable being around it. Then, just like with dogs, tape the flap up on the door and entice your cat to come through it, using treats or a toy he loves. As your cat gets more used to going through, gradually lower the flap, until he feels comfortable with it. At this point, see if he’ll push through the door on his own, and be sure he knows he can go through the door on both sides.

By using the above techniques, you can help your pets get comfortable with their new door in no time. If you’d like to discuss more ways to help your furry companions through the learning process, or if you’d like to discuss which pet door might be best for your situation, call us at 0414 922 751.