Half Way Through The Dog Door

[BassetSlave]

My 12 year old basset hound has taken to his new dog door like a fish to water.......sort of.  He takes his head and his front paws outside and then, convinced he is "outside," lets loose.......in the living room.  When he is done leaving a lake of urine on my doorstep, he continues on through the dog door, out of the house to turn around and come back inside.  

I started allowing him to pee on the porch when he had disc surgery and couldn't climb the stairs.  Now, however, I have had a contractor come build him a handicapped access ramp and I have taken him to enough rehab., massage, and water therapy that he can climb stairs again.  Despite all that, though, I can't get him to go all the way through the dog door to pee or, for that matter, to wait until he gets to the yard to go.  Any ideas??????

p.s.  Just in case you think all bassets are just dumb......the other one got the idea in a heartbeat.  

[Jaybay]

Great job!!  You should look into patenting and marketing that idea.  :-)

[BassetSlave]

THE RAMP IS WORKING!!!!!!!!!!!  I got the carpenter in to custom fit the ramp and we are clean and dry for two days now.  Of course the other dog has to hunch over to fit through the door because of the ramp (she is taller).....but we can live with that.  Thanks for all your support and good wishes!

[Jaybay]

I know it's hard to teach old dogs new tricks, but MAYBE you could retrain him to go on papers or those "Wee Wee Pads" sold at the pet stores?  I really like the idea of the ramp!  Since he's hanging up on the back end, that little lift may be all he needs to get out.  Good idea!

[BassetSlave]

I forgive you for laughing.  One friend I went to for sympathy, support, and ideas suggested I film the event and submit it to America's Funniest Home Videos.........I have to laugh myself sometimes.......particularly when I catch him in mid-stream and find myself tossing his hind end out the dog door with pee flying.  Even when I don't laugh, trust me, those witnessing the events definitely do.

[BassetSlave]

I am thinking about building him a portable access ramp inside the house to give him easier access to the doggie door.  The problem is that when he doesn't have constant access to the outside..........he just pees inside.  I diaper him at night so he doesn't wet my bed by accident (he leaks)..........and that is the place where I draw the line on unconditional love..........but I can't leave him in a soaking wet diaper all day.  I may just have to move him to full time day care again.  He likes day care.  The transportation is just a little rough on his back.

[peekawho]

I'm sorry...I know its not funny to you, but you gave me my laugh of the day picturing the events.

I have one Dobe who, when in his crate, will position himself along the front of his crate and pee outside of it through the bars, thus staying snug and dry in his haven.  I've had to just put a shower curtain and towels under the front part of the crate to protect the area and resign myself to the extra laundry and work.  He will NOT be broken of this bad habit.

[Jaybay]

Since your dog is well into his senior years, and also has known back problems, I suspect you may be simply asking a bit much for him to jump through the dog door.  He's probably waiting until he's about to burst before getting up to head out the door, and once he gets hung up, well... he tried!  The door is great for the younger one, but I suspect you're stuck with opening the regular door for the old guy.  

And you're right about Bassett hounds - they're a whole lot smarter they than let on.  I think they use that "dumb" expression on purpose!  :-)