How to keep my outdoor dogs away from front door

FiveFingers

I have two dogs. The Golden Retriever is almost 1.5 years and the Cocker Spaniel is almost 6 months. They are outdoor dogs and have the run of the site. We use the electronic collars to stop them wandering.

They play at the front and back doors. With the wet weather the doors are covered in muck and the paintwork is starting to look quite shabby. The Cocker Spaniel is also a divil for tearing in the front door as soon as we open it. It's getting to be a real pain to chase around the house after him and throw him out.

I've tried sprinkling white pepper on and around the steps. They licked it all off. We got a bottle of "Get Off". No effect whatsoever. I sprayed the steps with vinegar. The Golden Retriever didn't seem to like it but it didn't bother the Cocker Spaniel and he's the worst offender.

How do I keep them away from the doors?

toadfly

Put up proper fencing and get rid of those horrible collars.

andreac

Sorry but the dogs probably want to come in as thats where you are. If you want to keep them away from your door then the only thing is to do is to fence off an area and keep them in there.

Also, i would get rid of the horrible shock collars, they are cruel and not reliable.
It comes across like you dont really have much interaction with these dogs so no wonder they are dying to get it to the house.

Shock collars, pepper spray, get off stuff, do you really want to even have these dogs as your pets?

westies4ever

give the dogs to someone who will love and care for them and never get another dog again???

cocker5

I have a cocker and he is the same.... he just can’t wait to get inside the house when i get home from work... and yes the wood at my back doors suffers because of it... but i just paint it each year...
I would prefer he didn’t do it but he is a dog... an animal he doesn’t understand i want my back door to look perfect, he just sooo happy we’re home he can’t wait to come in and cuddle up...

Secondly cocker are very social dogs, there’s no way my cocker could be an outdoor dog (not that i would ever want that either etc... i adore having him part of the family etc)... he would pine too much... cockers ADORE human contact... they love being in the thick of things so tats why he marks your doors he doesn’t want to be outside all the time... he wants to be where you are as he loves you and he doesn’t understand why you don’t want to be with him... it’s as simple as that really..... my cocker is nearly 7.... so i can tell you know they neediness of a cocker won’t fade... they are determined little mites and want to get under your skin.... he won’t rest until he’s allowed in!!

And can i ask..... how can you resist such a sweet face as a cocker??? As i cant.... nor would i want to, my guy is a brilliant little cocker and without him rambling around the house the house would be boring...

So no advice..... maybe allow they inside more???

If you insist they sleep outdoors etc... that’s fine,, your house your rules.... but allow them in to get some human company.... then the scrapping may relax a little.

Discodog

One of the saddest things about dog ownership in Ireland is that people do not realise that dogs need human company & not just the company of another dog. It is a fundamental canine requirement so much so that it has been written into welfare laws.

Your dogs are trying to join you because they want your companionship & cannot understand why you do not want theirs. How often are they walked, stroked, cuddled, played with per day ?

boxerly

Think your dogs are trying to tell you something .They obviously want to come in .

Hellrazer

westies4ever wrote: »

give the dogs to someone who will love and care for them and never get another dog again???

No need for that-infraction given-either give helpful advice or none at all

westies4ever

Hellrazer wrote: »

No need for that-infraction given-either give helpful advice or none at all

apologies - i realise now it came across as a bit flippant

Justask

FiveFingers wrote: »

I have two dogs. The Golden Retriever is almost 1.5 years and the Cocker Spaniel is almost 6 months. They are outdoor dogs and have the run of the site. We use the electronic collars to stop them wandering.

They play at the front and back doors. With the wet weather the doors are covered in muck and the paintwork is starting to look quite shabby. The Cocker Spaniel is also a divil for tearing in the front door as soon as we open it. It's getting to be a real pain to chase around the house after him and throw him out.

I've tried sprinkling white pepper on and around the steps. They licked it all off. We got a bottle of "Get Off". No effect whatsoever. I sprayed the steps with vinegar. The Golden Retriever didn't seem to like it but it didn't bother the Cocker Spaniel and he's the worst offender.

How do I keep them away from the doors?

Let them in

Delancey

What the point of having ' pets ' that are kept outdoors is I'll never know.

OP , your dogs want to be with you , that much is obvious. I really can't think of any reliable way to stop them from wanting indoors.

Waterfordlass

"It's getting to be a real pain to chase around the house after him and throw him out"

You throw rubbish out, not your animals. :mad:

Wibbs

Discodog wrote: »

One of the saddest things about dog ownership in Ireland is that people do not realise that dogs need human company & not just the company of another dog. It is a fundamental canine requirement so much so that it has been written into welfare laws.

Your dogs are trying to join you because they want your companionship & cannot understand why you do not want theirs. How often are they walked, stroked, cuddled, played with per day ?

+1000 A dog is not a part time pet(Though cats are too often seen as that, they're not either). Dogs are a highly social pack/family orientated animal. The "lone wolf" is a complete crock. They crave to be part of the family they find themselves in. Your rejection of them is felt very deeply and as Discodog they simply won't understand this rejection. It will make no sense to them and they will try and try to get your attention. If it's not forthcoming in other ways they will act out. Your doors paint is of no concern to them. Rightfully so IMHO. I myself value loyalty and family over a simple lick of paint or a dirty door. That's just me mind you, others priorities may differ. If we add in shock collars the priorities or maybe simple ignorance of such things come into it. TBH while I agree fully that westies4ever crossed a line I can perfectly well understand why they wanted to cross said line.

FiveFingers

So, you shouldn't get a dog unless you're willing to let them indoors or preferrably live indoors? Riiiiiiight :rolleyes:. So all the people out there who house their dogs outdoors (and spend a small fortune making sure they'll be warm, dry, safe and have plenty of space), who have checked with the vet, the breeder, the pet store and other dog owners about how best to look after them, have got it all wrong? We've all got it wrong? :eek:

None of you know how much time we as a family spend with our dogs. None of you know the reasons why the dogs are not allowed in. But you're all quite happy to jump to huge conclusions about how we interact with our dogs.

It's like parenting, there's more than one way to do it. Just because my dogs live outside doesn't make me a bad dog-owner.

I love my dogs and I'm very proud of them. They are beautiful animals and fantastic company. I just can't have them in the house.

Discodog

FiveFingers wrote: »

None of you know how much time we as a family spend with our dogs. None of you know the reasons why the dogs are not allowed in.

How can we ? You haven't told us. People can only react & post in reply to your words. But people are entitled to draw conclusions from your use of pepper & shock collars.

Maudi

FiveFingers wrote: »

So, you shouldn't get a dog unless you're willing to let them indoors or preferrably live indoors? Riiiiiiight :rolleyes:. So all the people out there who house their dogs outdoors (and spend a small fortune making sure they'll be warm, dry, safe and have plenty of space), who have checked with the vet, the breeder, the pet store and other dog owners about how best to look after them, have got it all wrong? We've all got it wrong? :eek:

None of you know how much time we as a family spend with our dogs. None of you know the reasons why the dogs are not allowed in. But you're all quite happy to jump to huge conclusions about how we interact with our dogs.

It's like parenting, there's more than one way to do it. Just because my dogs live outside doesn't make me a bad dog-owner.

I love my dogs and I'm very proud of them. They are beautiful animals and fantastic company. I just can't have them in the house.

i have the same problem with my mutt.scraping /scratching at the patio doors..sprayed that keep off stuff on the doors and the little divil licked it off the glass!!!!..the only thing i can suggest and works great for us is an old expanding fire guard we had in use when the chaps were small.its neat .tidy n folds away handy when the doors are open..(dont mind all those other posters.irish people have gone weird about dogs these days..what with dressing them.letting them have the run of the place etc..our little darling has full shots.chipped and licenced she sleeps inside but is never allowed upstairs or on the sofa)stands in dirt and crap in her bare feet when we go for a walk and then up on my furniture..i dont tink so..also she eats outside (bakers) its a dog..like i said doggie people seem to forget that...and it dosent make them great owners..hope any of this helps:-)

Shanao

FiveFingers wrote: »

So, you shouldn't get a dog unless you're willing to let them indoors or preferrably live indoors? Riiiiiiight :rolleyes:. So all the people out there who house their dogs outdoors (and spend a small fortune making sure they'll be warm, dry, safe and have plenty of space), who have checked with the vet, the breeder, the pet store and other dog owners about how best to look after them, have got it all wrong? We've all got it wrong? :eek:

None of you know how much time we as a family spend with our dogs. None of you know the reasons why the dogs are not allowed in. But you're all quite happy to jump to huge conclusions about how we interact with our dogs.

It's like parenting, there's more than one way to do it. Just because my dogs live outside doesn't make me a bad dog-owner.

I love my dogs and I'm very proud of them. They are beautiful animals and fantastic company. I just can't have them in the house.

I'm shocked that you've talked to all of these people and absolutely no one has told you that electrocuting a dog through its neck is cruel? I mean seriously, you came on here stating that your two dogs (which are of very family-oriented breeds) are trying to get inside and you keep shock collars on them and you really expect people to think you're doing things responsibly with them? Golden retrievers and cockers are family dogs, they need to be around people and they aren't trying to get inside to annoy you, they are doing it to be with you. And you toss them outside without a care that they are clearly feeling mentally frustrated because they cannot be around you. One of the five freedoms in animal welfare states than an animal must be provided with the freedom to exhibit natural behaviour; cant get more natural than a dog wanting to be around its family.

Maybe that's why you've gotten the reaction you have by posting that on here.

Discodog

Maudi wrote: »

(dont mind all those other posters.irish people have gone weird about dogs these days..what with dressing them.letting them have the run of the place etc..our little darling has full shots.chipped and licenced she sleeps inside but is never allowed upstairs or on the sofa)stands in dirt and crap in her bare feet when we go for a walk and then up on my furniture..i dont tink so..also she eats outside (bakers) its a dog..like i said doggie people seem to forget that...and it dosent make them great owners..hope any of this helps:-)

Most of us "Doggie People" here treat their dog pretty much the same as you :rolleyes:

FiveFingers

Shanao wrote: »

I'm shocked that you've talked to all of these people and absolutely no one has told you that electrocuting a dog through its neck is cruel?

You should see the smoke that comes out of their ears, it's hilarious. :rolleyes:

You know what, maybe I should tie them to a post for the day. Or fence them in to a portion of the garden. Or better still, let them roam and fend for themselves with the traffic.

A little perspective please. After the first day, they know the boundary and the little ringer on the collar is more than enough to remind them.

Maudi, thank you for your suggestion and for sharing your experience. That's all I wanted from this post.

Mart0

FiveFingers wrote: »

A little perspective please. After thest day, they know the boundary and the little ringer on the collar is more than enough to remind them.

This.
While I don't support the use of pepper spray, Dogs quickly learn how the collar works and rarely if ever get a shock.
And what's wrong with letting a dog stay outside? Sure if he wants to come in then you let him in, Which I understand the OP doesn't do, But completely opposing keeping the dog outside (assuming it's a medium/large dog) for the majority of the day? Come the F* on.

erukus

Delancey wrote: »

What the point of having ' pets ' that are kept outdoors is I'll never know.

OP , your dogs want to be with you , that much is obvious. I really can't think of any reliable way to stop them from wanting indoors.

Lots of reasons to have them outdoors, including security, and also keep your house from becoming destroyed in animal hair etc

Shanao

FiveFingers wrote: »

You should see the smoke that comes out of their ears, it's hilarious. :rolleyes:

You know what, maybe I should tie them to a post for the day. Or fence them in to a portion of the garden. Or better still, let them roam and fend for themselves with the traffic.

A little perspective please. After the first day, they know the boundary and the little ringer on the collar is more than enough to remind them.

Maudi, thank you for your suggestion and for sharing your experience. That's all I wanted from this post.

Oh I'm sure it does. And what about when something more appealing turns up on the other side of that barrier? Are they going to care about a shock then? Not a chance. I have seen the results of these devices far too many times and nothing you can do convinces me that they aren't cruel. Do your dogs a favour and fence the garden.
I have nothing against the dogs being outside as long as they are allowed in now and again but when they are THAT desperate to get into the house then there's surely something amiss dont you think?

Mart0

Also telling the OP he/she doesn't deserve a dog? What the hell is wrong with you people? It's not like they are beating their dog, abusing it or completely irresponsible, They clearly love their dog and just don't want them in their house that much, Does that mean the dog isn't happy? You realize almost all dogs for nearly all of time, Excluding Inuit dogs, Have always been kept outside, right?

I'm not trying to justify any actions taken by any other poster here, I'm trying to understand the logic of "OH GOD SOMEONE DOESN'T DO SOMETHING WITH THEIR DOGS THAT I DO? THEY CLEARLY DON'T DESERVE ONE". A part of me feels a lot of the "Bubble wrap" culture that has f"ked kids up today has infected dog owners. I love my dog(s), They are family, they are treated like family and they will always be in my heart, but they aren't made of glass either, A real dog owner understands and acknowledges this.


/offtopic

mosi

FiveFingers wrote: »

You know what, maybe I should tie them to a post for the day. Or fence them in to a portion of the garden. Or better still, let them roam and fend for themselves with the traffic.

Yes, maybe you should fence them in to a portion of your garden. A securely fenced garden is widely considered to be a minimal requirement of responsible dog ownership (unless of course, your dogs live inside as in an apartment, and are only allowed out on leash).
I don't know why you lump this in with practices such as tying up or allowing dogs to roam :eek:
My family have neighbours who rely on shock collars and guess what, each of their dogs have ended up dead on the road due to the device being unreliable:(.

Justask

FiveFingers wrote: »

None of you know how much time we as a family spend with our dogs. None of you know the reasons why the dogs are not allowed in. But you're all quite happy to jump to huge conclusions about how we interact with our dogs.

And the reasons are??

Maybe if your post was clearer, then we wouldnt think/say what has been said!!

aisher

Each to their own - personally my dog lives in the house and I am happy with that arrangement - it suits me and it suits my dog. But some people prefer that their dog live outdoors -and thats ok too - really I hate all these posts suggesting that outdoor dogs are maltreated and their owners should not have dogs - lighten up! What suits you does not suit others - again - Each to their Own.

Discodog

Mart0 wrote: »

I'm not trying to justify any actions taken by any other poster here, I'm trying to understand the logic of "OH GOD SOMEONE DOESN'T DO SOMETHING WITH THEIR DOGS THAT I DO? THEY CLEARLY DON'T DESERVE ONE".

It seems more like "someone does something with their dog that most Vets, behaviourists, welfare groups etc would advise against"

If anyone posts on a public board then their post is up for scrutiny & valid argument. It's no good complaining if you don't get the responses that you want.

Wibbs

aisher wrote: »

Each to their own - personally my dog lives in the house and I am happy with that arrangement - it suits me and it suits my dog. But some people prefer that their dog live outdoors -and thats ok too - really I hate all these posts suggesting that outdoor dogs are maltreated and their owners should not have dogs - lighten up! What suits you does not suit others - again - Each to their Own.

+1. Nothing wrong with outdoor dogs at all. "Indoor" dogs are a recent enough development. Providing they're a breed that can take the temperatures. I gather some can't.

For me it's the shock collars that would be an issue. Cruelty aside they're as much use as a chocolate teapot if the dog gets really triggered by something beyond the "fence". The second issue would be over the top emotional behaviour in a dog where they become destructive because that's a sign of something.

Text doesn't get tone across very well at times, so people can get the wrong idea, post that and it can kick off from there.

ppink

aisher wrote: »

Each to their own - personally my dog lives in the house and I am happy with that arrangement - it suits me and it suits my dog. But some people prefer that their dog live outdoors -and thats ok too - really I hate all these posts suggesting that outdoor dogs are maltreated and their owners should not have dogs - lighten up! What suits you does not suit others - again - Each to their Own.

Actually kind of agree with this also. When people say their dogs are outdoors it conjures images of the dog being alone 24/7 with someone gone all day etc. Thats not always the case. We had dogs on the farm when I was young and they spent from 6.30am to at least 8pm with either the kids or adults with whatever activity was going on. that is more than most dogs who are left in at night I am sure.

meoklmrk91

I honestly don't understand the point if keeping a dog if your going to have it outside. My fella spends all day outdoors, but once it hits around 7 o clock he'll start whining to come in. He'll have his rubs and cuddles, maybe a kong and then snooze on the couch by the fire. Then up to bed.

I understand that for some people part of having a dog is the security but is it not even better keeping them in the house. My lad sometimes goes crazy, obviously hearing something I don't and will not go back to sleep until I leave him out to investigate.

I just think you can have the best of both worlds for both you and your dog, so why not.

Tranceypoo

I think the tone and content of the original post, the casual 'we've tried shock collars and pepper to keep them out of the house' and 'it's not fun chasing them and throwing them out', the flippancy of the tone as if the dogs were an annoyance more than pets. OP, I think if you had explained yourself better in your original post it would have been more helpful.

I personally have no problem with dogs living outside as long as they are part of the family, socialised, exercised and have a good, safe, comfortable, warm, dry outside area to live and are allowed in the house if they want to be, the OP has made it sound like his/her dogs are left outside and aren't allowed anywhere near the house and how dare they behave like actual dogs and scrape the door to try and get in, this I have a problem with and also the shock collar.

As for the poster who said we're all dressing up our dogs and, shock horror, keeping them inside and treating them like pets!! Well I have 2 rescue mutts and I don't dress them up or treat them like fashion accessories, they are indoor dogs but not allowed upstairs (mind you, that's mainly because the older one can't physically climb stairs so it would be unfair to let the younger one up), they have their own bed in the kitchen but they are allowed on the sofa, yes they shed hairs but I hoover every day, when they come in from a walk sometimes they're muddy and wet, so I dry them and wash their bedding once a week. If you don't want dog hairs in your precious pristine house then don't have a dog!! It ain't rocket science!!