Forgiving your dogs forgetfulness

Please explain to me the thinking of my dog. Why does she reason that it is easier for her to open the glass slider patio door, then to enter the room via her pet door? Fourteen months ago, my husband and I purchased an Endura Flap pet door with all the bells and whistles. We installed our pet door in subfreezing temperatures and proceeded to train our dog to use the specialized door that we purchased. All was great. As smart as our dog is, she mastered the use of the door in a matter of minutes. Proud dog owners is what we were . Such a feat to change her manner of entry. Our dog is not a young pup anymore. When her door was installed she was the ripe old age of twelve. Now here she lays on her bed, soaking up the spring sunshine that we have all been waiting for, and I ponder as to why she is reverting back to her “pre dog door days”. Might is possibly be that she is protesting in some small manner? Our ritual before the dog door was installed was for her to follow us out the patio door to the back yard. We each would go our separate ways. I, to the greenhouse, she, to wherever her heart led her. Once my work was done, I would give a whistle when heading back into the house and she would choose either to head back inside with me or to remain out in the yard. Normally I would try and bribe her with encouraging words to join me inside and if she so chose not to enter, then I would close and lock the patio slider.

My reason for securing our slider door is that our dog has mastered the art of putting one paw on the door trim, using her nose to gain leverage, and opening the slider so she may enter when she felt ready to join the inside world. As proud as I am of her for figuring out this concept, I also am a little dismayed at feeling a cold chill when I enter the dining room or kitchen. The wind seems to enter the family room, travel up through the dining room, take a turn into the kitchen and hit squarely on my feet at twenty degrees. Numerous times I have been working in my office only to become aware of the cold and realize that I entered the house over an hour ago. Only my heat bill informs me of how many times my dog has chosen to enter through the patio slider and left the door wide open. I can thank my husband for the fact that our slider is so well maintained. One slight push on the door and it proceeds to open the entire length. I would never complain on the fact that our patio slider was installed with such perfection. This is definitely an added bonus for our dog. We both can enter our doors side by side. There is no reason for her to be envious of our slider door when she has the best pet door on the market, which I might add, was more expensive than the slider that we purchased. Did I mention that anytime she chooses to exit into the back yard, she uses her pet door 100% of the time? Only upon re-entering does she find a lapse in memory.

My dilemma of recent day’s is that she is choosing to use the slider door as her form of entry. Now that the day’s are getting warmer, my husband and son’s work in the shop, continually entering and exiting the house numerous times a day. If I were to lock the patio slider, their form of entry would include walking along the north side of the house, opening the locked gate , and walking to the front of the house to use the porch door. I know this sounds like a trivial issue, but my point being is that why can we not enjoy the plan that was to solve our dilemma? The dilemma that we paid hard earned money to solve?

The more I contemplate our problem, the more the phrase “It’s hard to teach a old dog new tricks” comes to mind. What I felt was such an easy fix to begin with, has turned into a never ending struggle with my dog. I don’t feel that she is doing this out of spite. I honestly believe that she simply forgets that the dog door is even there. When I glance out the locked patio door and see her standing on the opposite side of the slider simply wanting to be let in, It dawns on me that she has forgotten that her entry is just one step away.

My dog has been a high maintenance pup from the moment she joined our family. Would I change it any other way. Definitely! She brings a smile to my face whenever I think of her but she has pushed my limits numerous times. How can a person get upset when it is an honest mistake that she has made. Is there a small chance that possibly she could pay the electric bill for one month?

Kevin Schmidt, owner of www.petdoorexpress.com which offers pet doors and patio pet doors