I Love Schnauzers   My life with Schnauzers

Today’s WTF moment brought to you by… Pet doors.

As many of you know, Mommy spent quite a lot of money this past summer to install a pet door for Miss D. Here’s the thing: Miss D won’t use it to go outside, only inside.

That is, she’s quite willing (finally) to come in from the cold with no prompting from me, but refuses to go outside without my first “opening the door”. Instead she takes her usual position, sitting by the (open) door waiting for me.

See, first she was too afraid to go near it. Frankly it was simply too high. Luckily, I have a doggy ramp for just such a situation. And it fits perfectly.

But as you know, Miss D is afraid of New Things. And this ramp is definitely a New Thing. Plus I think the nonskid surface freaks her out. Anyway… Fail.

Then Miss D’s granpawents suggested we overlay a kitchen mat on top of the ramp, to negate the nonskid surface.

Ok, that works. Then of course, with the new hardwood floor, we added a runway on the inside, so she doesn’t land flat on her face when she climbs through.

Success! Sort of. I’ve tried to explain to Miss D on numerous occasions that the “door” is, in fact, a “flap” that can be pushed with the nose from either side, but to no avail. I’ve thrown favorite treats through the flap which she eagerly follows outside (then spends the next few minutes searching ALL OVER for said treat, while I stand by the window willing her to LOOK DOWN as the treat is inevitably between her legs). Yet, Miss D refuses to go through the flap otherwise. I must hold the flap open while she climbs through.

WTF.