First Time Through the Pet Door by Sarah Raplee

MARCUS WITH A HAIRCUT

We'd been promising our dogs a pet door since we finished installing a fence around the side yard a year ago. A couple weeks ago, we finally ordered one to install in the back door. Last week, we installed this portal to freedom (theirs to go outside, ours to not have to let them outside). We bought a top-of-the-line,  weatherproof, double-flapped model because the winter wind often blows toward our south-facing door.

Obviously, we were pet door first-timers, or we might have chosen a less intimidating model for our two ten-pound rescue dogs, Mac and Marcus. Hindsight is always 20-20.

Little did we know most dogs don't go through dog doors without training. Hours, often days of training. You have to break the process down into small steps and give each dog as much time as he requires to become confident.

The dogs watched the installation process, and after a few cautious sniffs they decided to ignore the weird alteration their crazy humans had added to a perfectly good door.

FRECKLES AND MAC

The cat, who had been napping in the basement, was understandably freaked out when he went to the back door to be let out. I opened the door for him as usual, and after much hesitation he dashed outside.

The first two or three days after installation,we kept the pet door closed with it's slide-in panel locked in place. After all three pets were consistently ignoring the new addition, we went to the next step in the training process.

That morning, we removed the locking panel and taped the two thick, clear vinyl flaps open with duck tape, one on the inside and one on the outside. With our pockets full of treats, we rounded up the dogs and began encouraging them to walk through the open portal. They eyed the opening suspiciously.

My husband, Chuck, sat on the outside of the door while I sat on the inside. He held a treat through the pet door and gave it to Marcus, who is very food-motivated. Mac hung back, suspecting a (non-existent) trap. Every time Mac worked up the courage to try to get a treat from Chuck's disembodied hand, Marcus darted in to grab the food first. When I made the mistake of saying, "No!", both dogs backed away. The light dawned that I would have to hold one dog while the other went through his training.

MAC  HESITATES

 After that, things went pretty smoothly for Marcus. He'll do anything for a treat. Soon he was jumping happily back and forth through the open pet door after  the yummy morsels we tossed through. Then it was Mac's turn.

Mac is suspicious of anything or anyone new. He approached the hand with the treat slowly, but pulled back when the treat was withdrawn through the opening. This happened several times. Chuck suggested I toss a treat through the opening instead. His hand disappeared.

Before I could dig a treat out of my pocket, the cat walked in through the opening as if he'd used a pet door all his life!
Go figure.

After much encouragement and praise, Mac finally stuck his head through the opening and ate a treat placed on the mat outside. After several times, Chuck put the treat far enough away that Mac had to step through to get it. Once Mac was sure there were no dangers awaiting outside the door, he walked through. Of course we made a big fuss about what a good boy he was. When Chuck tossed a treat back through to the inside, Mac followed. Hooray!!!

HOORAY FOR MARCUS!!!

We repeated this lesson twice a day for two days to build Mac's confidence. By the end of the second day, both dogs were going in and out the open pet door at will--just like the cat.

Next step was to only tape the outside flap up. One of us held the inside flap out of the way, but let it fall on the dog's back as he went through. Even Marcus was a little unsure about that. The flaps have a steel bar attached to the bottom that adheres to a magnet when it shuts. This keeps the wind from blowing the flap open. The bar is heavy enough to startle the dog until he gets used to it.

After several training sessions, the dogs were still hesitating to go through for a treat, knowing the flap would fall on their back. It seemed this step was going to take quite a while.

Unfortunately a storm rolled in last night, so the dogs had to wear their raincoats this morning to go outside. I held the inner flap up. After only a moment of hesitation, Marcus squeezed through, raincoat and all. Mac soon followed. I'd been worried about nothing!

It was too windy to leave both flaps up. I let the inner one fall. Mac came back and pawed the flap. I lifted it so he could come inside. After drying him off and removing the raincoat, I walked to the kitchen to fix their breakfast. A moment later, I heard the flap snap shut! I returned to see if the wind blew it, and Marcus pushed it open and came inside without help! Mac followed him in. The noise I'd heard was from Mac going outside on his own!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

This small miracle gives me hope they will quickly adapt to the final step, which involves passing through both flaps. We'll tackle that one in a few days.

Wish us luck!  ~Sarah, Chuck, Mac and Marcus (and Freckles, the cat)

PS: Have you trained a dog or cat to use a pet door? If so, what was your experience like?