# Half way though doggie door



## Suzysue (Aug 12, 2013)

Hmmmmm......Walter is not wanting to use the doggie door. We have had Walter for three weeks now and he still does not use the doggie door. He watches the other three dogs run though, but he just waits for us to open he door. I have tried treates and he is not food motivated. Best he will do is stick his head in the door and bark then step back and wait. Just will not jump through.

He learned his name, sit and down really fast.


I searched for other threads and I tried all their suggestions, any other ideas?

Sue


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Is he reluctant both ways or just one way? Maybe it is a visual thing. You could put down a rug or some painter's tape to change the color/hue. Or maybe the step is just a little too high. Can you tape a little box to each side of the door as an extra step or platform for him?


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## Suzysue (Aug 12, 2013)

Oh, I had not thought of it being visual, I'll try cleaning the doggie door and putting out a different color rug.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I'm horrible but I just pretty much just pushed my guys through Did it several times both ways until they got it. Scud actually learned it by watching the others. He just did it within 30 min of being in my house. He is my bright boy!!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

try having the door off first , get him going through for a few times ,even if you lure him with a tasty treat ,. If this works, put the door on and then use clicker to target him touching the door. Slowly ask for harder touches by withholding the click . Hopefully he will get to the point where the door doesn't scare him anymore.


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## Caroline (Oct 9, 2012)

I had to do something similar to what Dave described with one of my dogs when I first got the doggy door, but I didn't think of using a clicker. Maxie was petrified of the doggy door...but he is quite the pill sometimes about new things! 

We first left the door off, then I taped a light sheet of plastic that went halfway down, then a sheet of plastic that covered the door completely, and then put the door on. I also used treats when he went through it on his own. It took a few weeks, but he got it. That was 2 years ago, and he has used it without a problem since. Good thing the weather is warm now for you!


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## tra_po (Aug 14, 2013)

Ludo isn't food-motivated, either. This makes training him tough as well. I've noticed with Ludo that he waits for me to enter a room before he will - I hope it's a pack-leader thing but I'm afraid it may just be fear. Do you have another pet he can watch go in and out of it (like Linda said)? Is there any way you can demonstrate (LOL! I guess I don't mean go through it yourself, but I sort of do!)


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## Suzysue (Aug 12, 2013)

Walter is making progress, he will now jump through when someone holds the door half way open. I think it is the jumping over something is what is new for him. It was so cute when his was working up his courage the first few times. Now you just hold the flap and he jumps. 

As for taking the door off.....it is too hot outside, still in the mid 90s

Sue


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## Suzysue (Aug 12, 2013)

YIPPY!!! Walter finally goes though all by himself.........only took two months. My other dogs only took two trys. LOL


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## Sumirra (Jun 23, 2013)

Yay Walter! Persistence pays off. My Mason did it in two tries. Dixie took two weeks. Glad you updated this thread.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

tra_po said:


> Ludo isn't food-motivated, either. This makes training him tough as well. I've noticed with Ludo that he waits for me to enter a room before he will - I hope it's a pack-leader thing but I'm afraid it may just be fear. Do you have another pet he can watch go in and out of it (like Linda said)? Is there any way you can demonstrate (LOL! I guess I don't mean go through it yourself, but I sort of do!)


Food motivation is something that can be trained, and is VERY important to develop if you want to work with your dog in anything more than the most rudimentary way. Part of it is trying enough different things that you figure out what they really like. Part of it is training when they are hungry. (like right before a meal, and using the meal, itself, as the training treats) The final part is finding ways to pair the treat with success (even on something REALLY simple, like responding to their name) and praising heavily along with it. They start to see that the treat is meaningful in that it tells them they are doing a good job, which then makes it more and more important to them! 

Oops! Just saw that this thread was a couple of months old Glad to hear that he's coming along well!


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