Geekerbell

Ok, this is the second in what will most likely be a long list of "stupid questions".

About a month ago, my husband put in a pet door. We then proceeded oto set up Molly's indoor area with her crate and an exercise pen attached to it and connected to the wall in a way where she had access to her crate, play area and doggy door.
I run a home daycare, so she has to stay pretty much confined most of the day, because toddlers are just not the best to have around a still nipping/chewing/biting puppy. So we thought this would be a way to give her more play time, and also learn to use the doggy door to go outside for pottying.
Since then we have also added another exercise pen connected, so she has an even bigger inside play area, access to her crate and doggy door for outside.
In the last almost 5 weeks we have had this set up, she has only had one potty accident inside. In the evenings when the daycare kids are gone, I tether her to me on leash when we are inside, and she has her couch time with me after our kids go to bed.

Here's my question... Is this too many priviledges too soon? One of the trainers told me that letting her have access to outside whenever she wants is too big of a priviledge for a puppy. Of course, when we didn't have a doggy door, I was letting her out whenever she pawed at the door, so isn't it kind of the same thing?
Another one of the trainers we had for puppy class said that having a doggy door is not good for house training because Molly isn't learning that she has to go potty whenever she goes outside.

So can I please have basset owners opinions, please?? Am I screwing up my baby?

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~Laura and Molly

CatherineM

I loved doggy doors. When I got a new puppy, it was almost like one of the older dogs was doing the house training for me. Puppy would follow the older dog out the door, and monkey see monkey do.

Esther

we have glass storm doors so this won't happen at my house.

I would be remiss, however, if I did not mention the fact that I am currently on my EIGHTH STRAIGHT DAY without an accident in the house! I'm almost two but I didn't ever get to live in a HOUSE house until February so I'm just learning this stuff. Late bloomers are ok. The huminz are SO PROUD of me. When I tapped the back door wanting to go out the other night she human almost drooled out of her eyes again! He human said something about a light bulb turning on. I don't know about all that, but I'm ROCKIN this housetraining thing all of the sudden. Woot! Milkbones for everyone!

Mikey T

The question you have to ask your self is what are your goals in potty training, I would agree with the assesment that a dog that has been raised to use a doog door is never really housetrained, because they have not learned the skill of having to hold it. but the question is how necessary is that skill for you and your dog. You can use crate train, teaching the dog to like enjoy crate confinement, for those occasions when traveling etc to prevent accident, and even a dog that is house trained at your house is not likely to be house trained at a new location unless you take the time and have the oppurtunity to house train the dog at many different locations. So while a dog that learns to use the doggie door is not "house trained does it matter as long as in the end is not having accident and is going where it is suppose to. My dogs are trainined to use a doogy door. I would call one housetrained which occured before he arrived and one that is not. I find it easier to manage those rare occasion when housetraining would be helpful like traveling with a crate but at the same time i reaaly don't trust the housetrained do in a new location either even though there has never been a problem whether is is because oaf more dillegent managenent or because the dog is truely is housetrained vs knowing where not to go and where to go at a single home we will never know. because I won't loosen management practices while traveling to find out. The risk is not worth the reward for me.

You need to follow up with the trainer why that is important. I teach mine to go on comand. I don't need them to go every time they go out but your trainer may have a reason that makes sense as well what that is I have know idea.

When it comes to training vs management decission everyone is going to reach different conclusions based on what works from them and their needs. Is the extra time need to housetrain rather than use doggy door worth it or is there something more valuable you can be doing with your time only you can answer that.

Housetraining Your Puppy

Mikey T

A doggie door need not be in a door. My Last two have been through the wall.

Esther

understood...

but we're in memphis tn. our criminals are crafty. and bold.
We'll deal with the no doggie door in lieu of a 140lb burglar coming in thru the doggie door.

Boomer's Mom

Way to go Sister Esther!

Boomer's Mom

Ok, repeat after me: THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS STUPID QUESTIONS!

Thank you; this has been a Basset Service Announcement. ;-)

Wworm

Yay, Boomah! i've been wanting to post that too! no stupid ??s here (either that, or i've asked my share...)

Good reminder, Estha-- makes me remember when my bro used to crawl in and out of the doggie door anytime we got locked out when we were growing up. or just to show his friends what he could do. and it was a small-ish doggie door. tho he was a junior high & HS kid.

Being in apt, we have no option for installing a doggie door. but maybe that has been for the better, because Worm is quite housetrained now (knock on wood) even when it rains. Much better than my last dog. He uses a jingle bell, and he just turned 10 months today.

That is quite a setup you have, w/the ex-pen leading to the doggie door-- I am just picturing it, very nice! can you post a pic...? well, one pitfall i might warn you about, tho depends on what's outside the doggie door, is that for our wiener dog growing up w/a doggie door, we had problems w/him peeing and pooing indoors when it rains. We did not train him to go on command or hold it on command; he would go in and out whenever he wanted. so i do agree w/what Mikey says below.

despite the bigger and necessary pain of taking Worm out all the time, one plus is that he seems more housetrained, esp when it rains.

(did that make sense? sorry, am typing sideways in bed w/Worm on me...)

mhvonalmen8908

There really aren't such things as stupid questions. The only stupid question is one you didn't ask. So ask away!!!

And good for you Esther! That's fantastic!!! Your humans must be so so proud of you!

As for the doggy door question. I so desperately want a doggy door but we're renting and there's no way we could install one that would be easy to remove after we leave. I've told my husband that at the next base we go to, if we buy a house we're installing a doggy door. He said fine. My two would spend most of their time outside if I let them. I think it's going to be fun trying to teach them to use the doggy door. I think Virga will be scared of it at first.

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Megan & Chris
-Mom & Dad to Doppler (2 year old Basset/Redbone/Golden mix) and Virga (1 year old Basset)