Clever dog & caravan door

[Denise_5041461]

Having lost one of our dogs in November and the remaining dog not coping by herself, we have taken on another rescue dog. He has a lovely nature and should take to the caravan with no problems except one! When we go out of our front door or if he wants to go out he paws at the door handle (obviously learnt at his previous owners). At home it isn't a problem as the door needs to be opened with a key, but in the caravan the handle is the lock. I know we can put the catch across for the bottom half of the door but I would like to know if anyone else has had this problem and how they overcame it?

 

[Julie_5040500]

Hi

We had a problem with our rescue greyhound escaping, the other two dogs were fine. We had to put her in a dog crate and she settled fine, and when we had the awning up she would lay in it when the door was open of her own choice. It as been a gradual process and we have got to the stage where we can now leave her loose but I always make sure that i put the step in front of the door upturned so if she stands on it it rocks. It is a double step, we also leave the radio on.

 

[mikeE]

Denise,

Could you hang a piece of tough canvas type cloth over the door handle ? This would allow you to lift it to open the door but prevent the dog from pawing it open - and maybe get him out of the habit .

Mike E

 

[Steve L]

Our caravan door is split and so the bottom half has a bolt to stop that opening. there's no reason why that could not be used as at night for extra piece of mind. If your door is a one piece, just fit a bolt near to the handle as there would be rienfocement there to carry the door lock. Then fido won't escape.

 

[BeatBeat]

Denise

This is a difficult one because he's getting the reward of letting himself out.

A good, but slow approach, would be to shut the door on him wait a few secs then go back in and calmly reward him inside the van. Increase the time you leave him a few secs at a time. If he comes out take a hold of his collar and frog march him back in, (don't look or talk to him). Calmly reward him when he's in the van. THe idea of this is to teach him that it's rewarding to be in the van when you return.

Alternatively you could consider a deterent such as handing some tins or tin lids on the handle so they make a noise of fall when he goes near the door. Another deterant would be to put some double sided tape on the door handle, he won't like the sticky feeling when he touches it with his paws. You would probably have to make something to cover the handle so you're not left with a sticky mess ;-)

Good luck

Trisha