Howto get your dog to use doggie door at night
Dear Cathy, My 2-year-old maltipoo, who is housebroken, and even trained to use a doggie door, seems to like to urinate on my tile floor in my dining area in the same spot almost every night. The pet door is very close, so I don’t know why she insists on doing that and making me mop up most mornings.
I have tried putting down a plastic floor runner, spiky-side up, as well as a “shock mat” that gives off a shock if stepped on. She will go potty on top of both or at least near the shock mat and it seeps under.
To avoid having to clean these items, I don’t put them out anymore. Any suggestions of a deterrent so she won’t do this?
Laurie
Dear Laurie,
Sometimes, it’s impossible to know why a dog or cat doesn’t do something they normally would do. Could it be that she doesn’t want to go out alone in the dark? A night light inside near the doggie door and a light left on outside might help.
Could it be there is simply something outside that scared her and because it was at night, she worries about being scared again if she goes out at the same time? You may never know.
Regardless of the reason, though, she has developed a habit of going in the same spot every night, and there are a few ways you can address this problem.
First, buy some enzymatic cleaner (available at the pet store) to clean up the biological remains of any urine or poop. This will ensure every last bit of the waste is removed, so she is less tempted to relieve herself inside.
Second, train her to use the doggie door again as if she is a puppy. I know she is using it during the day, but the reinforcement of the daytime behavior can help for nighttime use. When she uses it, meet her outside and use a reward word, like “Bingo” to let her know she did something right and give her a treat. Do this for one or two weeks.
To encourage successful nighttime uses of the doggie door, go out into the yard near bedtime and encourage her to come out through the doggie door. If she knows you are outside, she will likely follow. Reward her and stay outside with her until she relieves herself.
If all else fails, walk her outside before bedtime and keep her in a kennel at night temporarily to train her to wait until morning to relieve herself. You also can leave a potty training pad on the floor where she has her accidents to encourage her to only go in that spot. You may still have some cleanup, but at least it won’t damage your floors.