Having a dog door exclusively for your pup will make life so much easier. These doors are built into the existing door and help the dog move in and out by itself. But using them may not be as encouraging and useful as we may think. The canines will have to learn how to use the door. It will help if you never force your dog to use the door or punish your puppy for not using it. You will have to help your dog understand, learn, and have a positive experience.
Young puppies (about 16 to 24 weeks old) can use a dog door. However, the little fur babies might find strange things in the human world, like a dog door, scary and confusing. Another point worth noting is that your puppy might have to deal with many safety risks once it crosses the threshold of your home, even in a few moments of your absence.
In a case like that, you can’t rule out accidents, falls, injuries, toxic ingestion, and other dog health emergencies. It is one reason why you should consider purchasing dog health insurance. Also, imagine how you would manage the hefty vet bills during unexpected puppy illnesses, dental conditions, and several other medical scenarios without pet insurance.
Sounds tough. What if we said you don’t need to fret much about the economics involved in getting your puppy treated in times of unexpected vet visits with puppy insurance? You would want to know more about the pet policy benefits. If so, begin your search online to find the most popular pet insurers in town.
In the meantime, read this article on training your pup to walk through the dog door in three simple steps.
Select The Correct Size
Before getting your dog used to traveling from the door safely, it’s essential to ensure the gate you purchase is safe and correct for the size of your canine. It will help if you fit your dog door into the giant door of your house for its comfort and safety.
- Buy a dog door that facilitates your pup’s safe and easy movement. At the same time, if you have many pets at home, purchase a dog door that can fit your giant puppy with little hassles. The dog door size is critical when considering training your furry pets. For instance, if your fur baby gets stuck or finds it difficult to navigate through the door, they might as well prefer not to use it.
- The scariest part of allowing your puppy to get outside through this door is it can easily escape from your yard if it doesn’t have a solid fence that can’t be dug through or jumped over. So, it would help if you took necessary precautions outside before leaving the door open for your puppy’s use.
- First, familiarize your dog with the dog door and keep treats near it, so the dog moves to and fro while getting used to it. Also, so that the dog isn’t scared of it. Initially, remove the door flap to help your pup practice getting in and out through the opening. Please close the door and ask your dog standing on the other side of the entrance to enter through the hole. Once your dog puts its head through the door, entice it with delectable treats so it comes inside running for them. Repeat this step in a loop a few times so your dog learns to get in and out.
- Install the door’s flap once your dog gets familiar with the opening. After that, keep the flap open and instruct your puppy to get inside. If your pup crosses this milestone, help it to do the same when the flap is left partially open, almost, and fully closed. Don’t forget to reward your pup with a few pats, verbal praises, and treats to encourage it to use the door every time it follows your command.
- When your dog is confidently hopping through the dog door as you hold the flap partially open, it’s time to start to lower the flap further each time your dog is going through, so they have to push the flap more each time. Continue to use lots of praise, treats, and toys to encourage your dog to go through the dog door.
And there you go! Your puppy will be a pro in using the dog door in a few days of consistent practice. Give your pup reasons to move in and out of it so they can walk like a champion without fearing the simple machine. Nevertheless, pet-proof your yard so the puppy stays within the home boundary when unsupervised.
Poisonous plants, sharp rocks, poisonous rodents, and much more can threaten your fur baby’s well-being, so consider being prepared with pet insurance. Dog health insurance helps provide your pup quality medical care with the little financial burden in distressing times of health. So, why not explore pet insurance policies?
