We get a lot of visitors at our door....on our 5+ acres...behind a locked gate!
Many times a day....
Originally we taught the girls to 'touch' a bell hung from the door knob
to let us know they wanted to go out.
Kaitlyn is the queen of ringing the bell.
She is our 'farm dog' and prefers to be out a lot during the day.
Vickie will occasionally ring it.
At our previous home we had the bells on the door leading to the lanai.
Once the dogs rang the bell, we could leave the door ajar
as it led to the screened-in pool cage and an opening to the fenced-in dog yard.
They could come in at will.
We didn't have that option at our new home.
Segue....
I have always been fascinated by dogs who learn to touch buttons
to explain what they want or need:
Then I began to think...I have Corgis. They are smart.
My girls would constantly be telling me they want a treat!
Do I want them to be telling me what they want?
When they want?
NO!
But...
What's the best way to have the dogs let me know
when they are ready to come inside?
I didn't want them scratching at the door.
And, if I wasn't in the room near the door, would I hear it?
Could I teach them to bark when they wanted to come in?
Okay...I don't want them to learn to touch buttons...
but what if I used a door bell?
I found a 'doggy door bell' on Amazon for around $30.
Then I found a wireless 'human' door bell for around $10.
BINGO!
It only took a few days before the girls learned to 'touch' the doorbell pad.
I mounted the bell on the sill of the doors,
one for the front door and another for the back door (with a different "ring").
and our girls!
Oh, and for one of the guys working on our house!
He was enthralled by what the dogs would do, and if he had his arms full,
he'd touch their bell to let me know he needed help at the door!
What a clever idea. Since I spent most of the day outside my dogs were mostly outside with me. My basset just had to let out a big aroooooo!
ReplyDeleteI love all of those fun sounds. One of our gurls greets us with a Corgi 'harooo' in the morning when she stretches. It makes me giggle!
DeleteBrilliant!
ReplyDeleteOh, Sandra, we still miss our tri-color dry mouth basset, Daisy, who has been gone for 22 years. You are so right that a big arooooo is all the notice you'd need!
Hugs!
I've always loved Bassett's!
DeleteBrilliant! I had a dog who figured out to jingle the dog collar/tags that I had hanging on the back door when she wanted to go out. I loved it.
ReplyDeleteI have wondered if I had the patience to teach Skeeter to use talking buttons, but I'm afraid she'd just ask for treats or insist on being let out of the pen all the time. She does that anyway, without having to push any buttons. lol
I think you may be right. If we let the dogs 'talk' to us, we wouldn't like what demands they'd make on us!
DeleteWhat a great idea! Your girls are so smart!
ReplyDeleteSometimes they are too smart!
DeleteThat is the best!!! and she looked so proud of herself!!
ReplyDeleteThey always think they deserve a treat when they works such a feat of magic!
DeleteWait until they learn Ding Dong Ditch!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know why that comment came through anonymous, it was me, it was me!!!!
ReplyDelete