Six weeks ago I got a new dog, Rudi.  Rudi is an 18 month old Cairn terrier. 

I have dog flaps leading out to my garden, which makes life very easy for me.   I would dearly love Rudi to use the flaps, but he is terrified of them.  When Rudi's breeder brought him to my home for a visit he went through the flap without a problem, all I did was show him it opened and he was through it.  However, when he came to stay with me for good he was in the room when my other dog flew through the flap with a bang as the flap closed.   Now, he is terrified of it. 

I have tried everything.   I have hooked the flaps open to get him used to going through the hole - no problem, he goes through with ease.  As soon as the flap is closed he will not even try to use them, even one that is semitransparent and he can see through it.  I have spread pate on the flap - he's gotten to the point where he licks it off.   I have tried shoving him through the flaps, which does not work.  If I stick food underneath the closed flap door he will not take it because he knows the flap will move. I've held the door open with my hand and let it close as he jump through.  

I am at my wits end with this problem.   Any advice would be appreciated - it's getting too cold to keep the flaps open!

Stacey

Hi Stacey
Not sure what type of flap you have, but with the Staywell one that I use (sorry, my dog uses!!!)the actual flap consists of 2 pieces and it is only the white outer part that makes the noise as it comes into contact with the frame.  The semi-transparent central piece does not make a noise as it closes at all.  If you do have a similar door why not try removing the white outer and get him used to going through it this way, build up his confidence and then either replace the white outer flap or maybe substitute a piece of heavy material which I have seen someone do.

Playing games through the flap is a good idea too with someone on each side and some tasty titbits or exciting toys! 

Alternatively, get some Sellotape adhesive pads/draught excluder to stick to the inside of the white flap.  This will prevent the flap closing 100%, but will hopefully muffle the noise and be better than having a large hole!

Wish I could get my hooligan to use the dog flap QUIETLY!!  :-)

I have the opposite problem... my 12 week old Springer loves going through the CAT flap!!!!  One day she is going to be too big and is going to get stuck!  Dopey dog!!!!

I gave up on getting my dog through the clap flap about 6 months ago lol.  However, I am reinspired by the tips from Gunner and am going to start again - thanks Gunner!

CLAP FLAP?
Honestly, we don't call it that at home!  Blonde moment!

Hi Gunner,

I do have the Staywell dog flaps.  Good idea about propping up the noise-making harder plastic bit.  I will try it next time I steal myself for another attempt at getting him to go through the flap.

Stacey

I'd just give him time - he's had a nasty shock, and to have got to the point where he's associating it with good things is a good start.  Try and resist the temptation to accelerate things though, as by pushing him faster than he wants to go at the moment, you could do more harm than good.  When he realises that it brings more good things than bad, he'll be out there ;)

Hi Digger,

Thanks.   I am going very slowly with him.   Besides the flap, the one thing I do have to start with him is learning how to walk on a lead.  I've tried the "passive" techniques of stopping when he pulls or changing direction, but neither has had any effect. 

I guess I shouldn't be shocked that the breeder never prepared this dog for life outside her kennels .. even when she knew she was planning to rehome him.   He never saw the inside of a house.  He was never taken for a walk.  Rudi is a soft and not very confident dog in terms of his temperament (not just because of rehoming), which makes this even worse.  

Stacey

Passive techniques like this take some time to have an effect, because the dog has learnt that his behaviour *works* and he will try harder to get what he wants, using his technique which has always worked in the past, which is why you should choose one technique and stick too it - other wise the dog gets confused, and even more likely to keep trying whatever has worked in the past, which makes it even harder to train him out of it.  With a small dog like this, I would look into using a technique called 'target stick' where the dog is trained to touch a stick (some folk use a riding crop or similar) and then, when he's taken out, he's rewarded each time he touches the stick with his nose - and as the stick is down beside your leg, walking to heel soon becomes rewarding in itself.......

This website might help with 'target stick' Stacey
http://www.scallywags1.freeserve.co.uk/click6.html
Regards,
Andi

If he is food orientated then try the one person either side of the flap and encourage with lots of praise to come in and out and reward with a treat ! Worked with one Lab I fostered who was the stubbornest girl we had ever met but she soon got the idea ! ;)

HTH

Lucy
xx

Hi Lucy,

He is very food oriented, unfortunately it did not work.  It's not just teaching him how to use the flaps, it's getting him over being terrified of the sound the flap makes.

Stacey

Secure the flap so it is open and try and get him to go through many times over a week or so then is should become second nature for him. As soon as he is used to doing that then leave the flap down and then leave him outside and encourage him in. When he does it a 'clever boy' and the leave him and hopefully he should get the idea ! Perhaps if you make too much fuss he sees it as mummy is there for me because the nasty flap makes a noise. Similar way to fireworks, we ignore the girls and do not make a fuss of them when they are going off and it seems to work ! If we make a fuss then they get them sleves in a bit of a tiss !  It can take time but I am sure you will be able reassure him the flap is ok !

Lucy
xx

How about putting him on one side of the flap then doing something really exciting the other side (if it were me I would borrow another dog and play a game cos Leon loves to play, especially with other dogs). Perhaps the thought of something really fun would make it worth the scary journey? Then you could keep swapping sides until he got the idea?

Securing the flaps open - done it.  No problem for my dog, he's not afraid of flying through an open flap.   However, it's getting a bit cold to keep the flaps open.

I've tried every thing I can imagine.  My husband (whom he adores), packed with chicken (which he adores), on one side of the flap and me on the other.  No way.  Rudi (the dog) on one side of the flap, my husband on the other side getting to take my other dog for a walk (which he adores). Nothing.

<sigh>   Stacey