Dog Problem Door Scratching

[ProfWinkie]

Any ideas on how to stop my Mom's dog from scratching her back door? The door frame and door is becoming ruined.

Is the someone who makes door / frame shield?

[cbr shadow]

My dogs had a similar issue (several actually) when I rescued them and I broke them of the habit very quickly.  What kind of dog?
What works really well for me is rewarding correct behavior, and giving corrections for unacceptable behavior.  If I'm walking my dog and he goes to chase a rabbit I tell him "no" or "leave it".  If he continues to give attention to the rabbit or to go after it I give a firm correction (a sharp tug on the leash to snap him out of it). 

As for the scratching of the door area, you need to catch the dog in the act otherwise it's pointless and confusing for the dog.  If you're not going to be next to the dog when he scratches, I'd get an E-Collar.  Amazon sells cheap models for $12.  These have different settings (Sound, Vibration, shock).  I'd just use the sound/vibration settings.  When you hear the dog scratching you give a vibration that snaps the dog out of it.  Pretty soon the dog associates the scratching with the unpleasant vibration and doesn't do it anymore.  Lastly, make sure you're around to praise the dog and reward with treats when he walks up to the door and waits.

One other thing, it may be a good idea to redirect this behavior to a bell.  My latest puppy rings a bell by the door when he needs to go out.  It'd be easy to teach a dog the scratches to start using the bell instead.  If he scratches you give correction, if he rings the bell you reward and praise.

There's a really good message board on dog training where you'll get a lot of helpful responses from people who are REALLY into dog training.  If you get a chance it's definitely worth reading.  www.leerburg.com

[GuitarStv]

Some dogs have the scratching action deeply ingrained in their little brains.  I'd be leery of punishing a dog for scratching at the door due to the potential to not scratch and then pee in the house somewhere.  When I was a kid my dad just got a piece of plexiglass and drilled a couple screw holes into it then screwed it into the door where the dog liked to scratch.  It worked really well, lasted forever, and wasn't too obtrusive.

[ProfWinkie]

Thanks for the input - the issue is they are outside wanting to come in.

[Cwadda]

Can you install a clear plastic plate-like thing at the bottom part?

[ProfWinkie]

Plastic is too soft and I want something molded to door frame

[GuitarStv]

If you don't want to use plastic, why not cut a piece of half inch plywood and screw it into the door.  Then you can unscrew the plywood when you need to sell the house, or have people over/make the place look fancy . . . and screw it back in when it doesn't matter.

[cbr shadow]

Umm rather than adding armor to your house (and "fixing" when you sell) why not solve the problem by training the dog not to do this anymore?  It will be more work to train the dog properly than to screw a piece of plywood over your door frame, but establishing a pack order will have other benefits as well and will deepen the dog/owner relationship.

[Secret Stache]

It just takes time and training.  Make them sit at the door before they can come in.  Correct them when they do not do it and reward them when they do.  It will be slow going at first but it will catch on.  Then it will be just intermittent corrections in behavior.

You may also want to try spraying some apple bitters on the door although that is more geared to preventing chewing since it tastes bad but might help.

[ProfWinkie]

Thanks to all

[southern granny]

A dog repeats a behavior when it gets him what he wants (scratching on door gets him in the house).  He  will stop doing a behavior that doesn't bring that reward or causes something he doesn't want.  The problem is that he has a long memory.  If scratching on the door gets him in just one time, he will try it for a long time.  Same thing with getting on the furniture.  If you don't want the 60 pound dog on the couch, don't ever let the 5 pound puppy up there.  You could hide beside the the house and when he scratches at the door, spray him with the water hose.  As some one else said,  punishment is absolutely useless unless it comes at the time of the behavior.  Most dogs (not all) can be trained pretty easily on issues like this.  Good luck.

[PeachFuzzInVA]

+1 for the e-collar and taking the time to train your dog. Teaching our dog the "off" command has been the best thing that's ever happened to our relationship with him.

[RetiredAt63]

+1 for the e-collar and taking the time to train your dog. Teaching our dog the "off" command has been the best thing that's ever happened to our relationship with him.

A bit off topic, but "leave it" comes a pretty close second - when you want your dog to not pick something up, or drop something, it sure beats wrestling with them.  This is assuming "sit", "down", and "stay" are already established.

Outside wanting to come in - the dog has already learned that scratching works.  Mine doesn't, she just sits and waits for me to let her in, but then I am watching for her and she doesn't have a long wait.  Maybe your mother can change the routine so that she lets the dog in as soon as it is at the door?   Or rig something up that the dog can signal with?  A bit of training with treats would work.  Dogs are smart - my dog has learned that no matter what she is doing in the yard, if she comes when I call she gets a treat.  Now I think she is training me - she asks out, goes out for maybe 30 seconds, and then comes in and goes to the place in the kitchen where her treats are kept.  Actually, as far as she is concerned, any time she has been out she deserves a treat when she comes in, even if she was with me the whole time doing something fun, and never had to come when called.

[PeachFuzzInVA]

+1 for the e-collar and taking the time to train your dog. Teaching our dog the "off" command has been the best thing that's ever happened to our relationship with him.

A bit off topic, but "leave it" comes a pretty close second - when you want your dog to not pick something up, or drop something, it sure beats wrestling with them.  This is assuming "sit", "down", and "stay" are already established.

Outside wanting to come in - the dog has already learned that scratching works.  Mine doesn't, she just sits and waits for me to let her in, but then I am watching for her and she doesn't have a long wait.  Maybe your mother can change the routine so that she lets the dog in as soon as it is at the door?   Or rig something up that the dog can signal with?  A bit of training with treats would work.  Dogs are smart - my dog has learned that no matter what she is doing in the yard, if she comes when I call she gets a treat.  Now I think she is training me - she asks out, goes out for maybe 30 seconds, and then comes in and goes to the place in the kitchen where her treats are kept.  Actually, as far as she is concerned, any time she has been out she deserves a treat when she comes in, even if she was with me the whole time doing something fun, and never had to come when called.

Definitely so. We use "out" for when he's already got something in his mouth and "off" for anything he's focusing on that he shouldn't be focusing on, and those two are definitely the most useful commands we have.