How to Train a Dog to Use a Doggie Door

Video Transcript

"You'd like to teach your dog how to go through a dog door, there are a couple things to remember first. For a lot of dogs going through a confined space can be very frightening or intimidating and so work slowly with your dog, bring on the high powered treats, something that your dog will really work hard for to get in return and make the behavior worth trying. Once they do it a couple of times, they generally find that it is something that is safe and acceptable and that they will enjoy doing. So you, if your dog has a command for entering a kennel or getting into a car, which is a really nice thing to have, for example Lady loads up, I can tell her to load up and she'll hop into a kennel. I might tell her when I get to the dog door to load up and hopefully she'll go through. I can also hold the door open and then lure her through with a treat. Come on Lady, good girl, and then she gets a treat for going through. And then little by little I might let the door down so that she can press on it a little and then help by opening. Come on, good girl. So again, I might hold the dog door up as she approaches the door and let it drag across her back, OK, as she comes through. Little by little actually enticing her to go through without the assistance of holding open the door. So now I might hold it in a little bit here and let her put a little pressure on it, good girl, and bring her through."