A normal, well adjusted pet can almost certainly be trained to use a pet
door. Generally, pets are so happy to be able to go outside that training is
a breeze. However, your pet doesn't know what a pet door flap is at first so
he will need to be shown how it works.
Training isn't hard. There's only one
mistake to avoid in training: Do not frighten your pet! He may
associate his fright with the pet door and not want to go near it again.
Probably the most common way to frighten is to shove him through the pet
door.
Don't!
Coax him through with a treat; praise and reward him for going through.
Never scold or punish. Here are
a few more specific ideas:
Hold the flap open for him all the way at first; then less and less so
he gradually gets the idea of pushing against it to get to the treat.
Try removing the
magnet for a while so the flap is easier to push. The Endura Flap based
pet doors allow for all magnets to be removed to facilitate training if
needed as do all Hale Security pet doors. You may be able to
remove the magnets from other flaps also though you may end up damaging
the flap in so doing.
Remove the flap altogether
temporarily while the pet gets used to the idea of coming and going in
that particular location. Or tape the flap up out of the way.
Electronic pet
doors all make a sound when they activate that can spook a pet. Try
disabling the electronics for a week or so while he becomes accustomed
to the flap if the sound bothers him at first.
If you have
multiple pets you're lucky. The first to learn will demonstrate for the
others.
Don't get the
absolute smallest pet door he can barely squeeze through. Give him a
little elbow room.
If you're planning to
use more than one pet door, have them all use the same flap if possible
for greater consistency.
When you first
use a locking cover or when you first lock the flap shut, introduce the
pet to it slowly rather than to let him learn 'the hard way' by running
into it.
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