Dog will not use doggy door when I'm in bed/sleeping
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We live in S FL and so far nothing has slithered in, although we do have a black snake living in the Ixora in the front yard. My dogs are fairly large so most creatures are wary of them, and the one in question has the nickname of "Moose dog," if she really wants to get in or out of the doggy dog she will bulldoze her way through the plastic cover.
Last night the little dog slept in the common area, her choice so I left the 'puppy' out of her crate and all seemed well. I think she may be lonely and possibly afraid as suggested. She and the smaller dog often lounge on the loveseat together, the smaller dog tolerates her better than the other dog, he has PTSD and is easily annoyed.
Sounds like it is a solved problem or halfway anyway. It would be a good idea to let them sleep together and when the new small dog has to go then the other one her new friend can go with her if it's nighttime or early morning. I don't have a dog so I couldn't be sure, but I can tell you if I did have one then never would I ever once put my dog in one of those crates with very little room. If I had to work all day, I would corner off a section of my apt. where the windows are so my dog could have plenty of room to move around, do her business but not too close to where she plays and have at least a window to look out. If my dog didn't have separation anxiety I would give my baby full run of the house, then. I just don't believe in them keeping dogs confined like that all day or all night for that matter. But that's me not all of us can do what I would do or see it the way I do. I would not want to be locked up all day or night in a cage that's how I see it. I'm glad you have the other dogs too they will be like siblings to each other. Even the older grumpy dog too LOL.
I think black snakes are more likely to run from you and the dogs than attack unless it gets scared. Maybe you are safer than most considering you have big dogs. I saw a video where it looked a cougar that jumped into a kitchen area through a pet door. It grabbed what looked to me like a cat, but the video description said it was a dog. I could see that poor baby open its mouth in shock and pain when being grabbed from his or her bed. How could anyone take such a risk with their own life and that of their animal family members is beyond me. I prefer using wee wee pads than let them go out at night alone and have access to the inside of my home like that. I hope you to take them out one last time before bed maybe at 10 pm just so they don't have to hold it in all night.
I don't know about dogs but my first thought is "oh no a doggie door open all night!" I don't like that no way no how. Anything can come either slithering in or stepping and you cute little furdoggie is a goner. Maybe she is afraid of the dark. She was found in the park and who really knows how long she was roaming free afraid at night.
Um, something that slithers or crawls can smell the presence of not one but multiple dogs in the house. Chances are they won't take chances with the unknown. Now a human slitherer wouldn't use smell as a warning, but the dog door itself is clear evidence the homeowner has at least one. Once again, probably a good deterrent. There may be an easier target house down the block.
These comments about dogs and rain remind me of my Judy, RIP, she HATED to get wet and if it was raining would go to the door, raise her paw, turn and look at me with disgust and walk back in the house as if it was my fault that it was bucketing down! She would wait for hours if necessary just so she didn't have to get wet. Ben, on the other hand, loves the water, when he was a puppy he'd splash in puddles like a little kid, he is 9 now and still makes it a point to walk in them. He doesn't like to get soaked but will go out if it's raining and run back in as soon as he can. Chara doesn't care either, she will go out if it's pouring rain, which makes her not using the doggy dog such a mystery.
Oh I know that look! It's always amazed me how long they can wait it out during rain. Wish my bladder had that capacity! Funny thing is, she loves loves loves her bath . . . did I say she loves it?! She's goes absolutely nuts when she sees me setting up all her bath stuff. She has her own doggie bathtub that sits in the tub in the guest bath so she knows exactly what it's about. She'd stay in there all day and stare at her beloved tub if she thought a bath was coming up. But rain . . . oh the horror.
Sounds like you might have found a solution. Hope it continues to work. Sometimes they'll show us the way, if we're lucky.
My 2nd dog didn't like going out by herself initially. Always wanted our other dog to come with her. She finally let go of that, but at night she will go downstairs and stand by the dog door and bark for the other dog to come outside. We think she's afraid of the dark. We will turn on the basement light and yell "go outside" and then she does. We've done this for YEARS. Dog are funny.
We introduced our dogs to the doggie door a couple months ago.
The cattle dog pup does well the older chihuahua not so much.
The door gets shut at night.
We crate train all our dogs and they love it.
It’s their private secure place where they hang out even when the doors are open.
I recommend crate training to supplement the doggie door.
Although animal behaviorists tell us that dogs don't do things out of annoyance and to leave a message I believe that is exactly what is happening here. A bit of history: I had a puppy who was brilliant and stubborn, she hated the crate but was still in the chewing stage. When I left the house I crated her and took her out when I returned. She would come back inside or sometimes even before I had the chance to take her out she'd poop directly in front of the main entrance of the house, if someone were to walk in they wouldn't be able to avoid it. As soon as I stopped crating her the behavior ceased. Experts say there is no correlation, but I am 99% sure she is sending me a message just as my other dog did. I heard her using the doggy door early this morning so it isn't a matter of not going outside, this is purposeful behavior. I think she's telling me she is not pleased with being excluded and honestly I can't say I blame her, however, I also am not going to allow her in the bedroom at night. She still chews things and annoys my older dogs. When the other female chooses to sleep in the common area it doesn't happen so I'm fairly certain this is the issue, she's lonely and feeling left out. I have tried to re-home her as I think she'd do better with a family with children but I've not had any success, I will not post on Craigslist etc., that seems almost as irresponsible as the turd who left her in the park. So, for better or worse she's here and I'll do my best even if it means poop patrol in the mornings LOL Thanks everyone for your insights =)
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" I don't like that no way no how. Anything can come either slithering in or stepping and you cute little furdoggie is a goner. Maybe she is afraid of the dark. She was found in the park and who really knows how long she was roaming free afraid at night.
