[Dailydrool] Our timid dog and dog doors

[Val Brewer]

Bo the timid has always had difficulties deciding to use doggie doors. We have found the following:
1. Some adaptations in the door itself have helped. Bo requires a clear flap so that he does not have to trust to faith that there is no boogeyman hiding on the other side of the flap. Bo requires a light on either side of the flap at night so that he can see there are no boogeymen. (We have a nightlight inside nest to the flap, and one of those hanging worklights hung on the foundation of the house outside the flap). Bo requires no resistance on the flap itself (we cut the magnets off which keep the flap closed tightly).
That being said, he has still required training for each new flap.
2. Generally I place him on one side or the other of the flap and get down on my hands and knees on the other and look at him through the flap while holding a desirable treat. When or just before he starts to moan piteously, I pry up one corner of the flap and show him the treat, then lower it again. This is usually enough to get him to nose his way through after some repetitions. Then, step two has been simply assisting him through the flap, no treats, with a gently shoving. It has still taken him awhile to use the flap on his own. What convinced him the flap in the new house was truly trustworthy was his brother, Harley, and Harley's chihuahua girlfriend, Ruby. repeatedly running the basset 500 through the house and out the flap, around the yard and back through the flap, around the house and back out the flap, etc. etc. Now Bo is comfortable with the flap (if the lights are on at night). We recently installed a second flap in the screened porch door,
 and we're still working with him on that one. The dogflap at his former dogsitter's was not see-through, and she was never able to coach him to use that one. So those are our hints.
Bo and Harley send aloha to all and drool to all in need. Val


      
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