Woof Woof...let me in.

Last Sunday DH and I spent the better half of the day basting my niece's quilt (yes he actually helped me baste the quilt), and installing a doggie door. Side note for my Dad - the door completely locks from the inside...keeping out snow and intruders. Heck I can't even fit through it..so unless a tiny toddler is going to rob us..I think we'll be okay.

Basting the quilt.

DH had been researching doggie doors for a while and Sunday morning he went out to buy dog food and came back with the doggie door. (Yes he remembered the dog food too). Being an engineer, DH is super handy, so I had no doubt that he would be able to install it himself (I basically handed him tools, and cleaned up the dust). Still it was a little scary watching him actually cut a HOLE into the side of our house.

I was not prepared for the amount of dust this would create. Call me crazy but somehow I didn't realize that cutting a hole into our house would completely fill my kitchen with saw dust. There was so much dust that the smoke detectors went off. Good thing we basted that quilt first!

Doggie Door Installation

DH was a super perfectionist about getting everything level, he added in extra support boards under the door, inside the opening of the house. He also ended up doing some intricate cuts into our siding so that the door would be flush with the side of the house. So the installation took us a few hours.

Then he had to make a ramp for the dogs to put outside of the house so that they can actually reach the door. I napped during this part. I'm such a good helper. I think the dogs are afraid of the ramp.  This is going to take a lot of training. I'm sure Cali will be the first one to use the door. She loves being outside...and being deaf she won't be afraid of the noise the door flaps make as she runs through.

The ramp.

I tried to get the dogs to use the door last nite. They both looked at me like I was a crazy woman trying to get them hooked on crack. Hmmm this might be harder than I originally thought.

Do you have a doggy door? If so..please share your training tips with me. Tonite I'm going to try peanut butter..if that doesn't work..I'm breaking out the big guns....yup, hot dogs. 

Wish me luck!

- Kat  :)