

Lucky Dog
Train Your Pup To Use A Doggy Door Like A Pro!
Dog Trainer Brandon McMillan demonstrates how to quickly teach your dog to use a doggy door!
Dog Trainer Brandon McMillan’s passion is rescuing dogs and helping them find their forever families. On this episode of “Lucky Dog,” we are introduced to Nicky, a sweet Wheaten Terrier Mix Brandon is preparing for adoption. After a brief medical scare, Nicky is able to start her training and Brandon is impressed by her knack for learning. But before Nicky is ready to go to the home Brandon has in mind, she will have to master using a doggy door. Can she do it? Find out in the clip below!
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The first step in Nicky’s training is to show her that the doggy door is moveable and not a threat. Brandon explains that “the worst thing you can do when teaching a dog to use a dog door is try to call them through it with the flap down. They look at the flap all the way down as a wall and it can be intimidating.” Therefore, Brandon starts training Nicky by lifting the flap all the way up, and calling Nicky through it. Every time she goes through successfully, Nicky gets rewarded. After a while, Nicky is confident enough that Brandon can lower the doggy door flap halfway down, and eventually all the way down. Through repetition, Nicky learns that the dog door is moveable and safe! She quickly associates it positively since she gets rewarded every time she uses it.
Having a doggy door in your home is extremely convenient for many pet owners. It eliminates the need for owners to let their pups in and out to play or go to the bathroom, which is beneficial for pet parents who work full time or are away from home a lot. It can also prevent your dog from developing annoying habits to signal they want to go outside, such as loudly vocalizing or scratching at the door. In addition, having a dog door brings peace of mind in knowing that if there is ever an emergency where your pet needs to evacuate and you’re not home, your dog can still make it outside to safety. If you are considering installing a doggy door in your home, check out some of these pawfect (pun intended!) options!
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