How To Prevent Your Dog from Chewing The Pet Door Flap

Pet ownership is something that can bring so much joy. We love our furry companions and want the best for them. If they become ill or distressed, it creates a lot of worry as an owner. One behaviour that can indicate distress in your dog is chewing. While chewing toys is acceptable, chewing personal belongings and pet doors is cause for serious frustration.

Pet doors are a great way to allow your dog freedom between the indoors and outdoors. When damaged, they can stop working, allow the weather to get in and create a security concern. It can take a huge amount of time and effort to select the right pet door and install it. The last thing you need is for it to be immediately damaged by your dog.

So how do you stop this? Understanding why your dog is chewing and how to minimise this is key as well as careful selection of the appropriate pet door.

Dogs chew for a whole host of reasons:

Boredom – If your dog doesn’t get enough exercise, they’ll find other, often destructive ways to burn off energy.

Anxiety – A lot of dogs are very attached to their owners or fearful of loud noises or situations. If not adequately supported during your absence or at peak times of stress, they can chew to distract themselves from their distress.

Seeking Attention – Similar to boredom, some pets will act out in order to get attention and have their human interact. Having your pup drop a slobbery ball in your lap is one way, destroying things is another. Dogs prefer positive attention, but in the absence of any interaction, even negative attention will do.

1. The most obvious solution is to create more appealing things to chew. Try adding engaging toys for your dog that keeps them busy and away from the pet door. Problem-solving toys that have hidden treats are an excellent choice.

2. Deterrent sprays are also a great option. Bitter apple spray or citronella based sprays are effective for turning your dog away from the doggie door. If the smell doesn’t put them off, the disgusting taste should! If your dog is very persistent you can combine a deterrent spray with new toys for added benefit.

3. If all else fails and your dog continues to chew on the pet flap, you may need to engage the help of a specialist trainer. It can take persistence and patience to help your dog unlearn bad behaviour. Aggressive behaviour towards your pet will not resolve the issue. Getting the support of a professional means you can get the proper tools to support your pet.

There is a huge variety of pet doors on the market. Many with flimsy and thin plastic flaps that are not unlike the material many pet toys are made of. It is little wonder they appeal to your pet as a chew toy. These doors also do not lock or allow you to control the security of your home or movement of your pets.

If your dog is prone to chewing things, it pays to install a chew proof pet door right from the outset. Super tough pet doors come in a range of sizes to suit any pet. They are able to be installed in walls, doors, screens and glass panels.

Functional and visually appealing, these doors feature a durable polycarbonate flap and magnetic closure. Meaning you can control your pets movements and ability to manoeuvre the flap. If they can’t get a grasp on it, they cannot chew it. Magnetic closure and stiff polycarbonate also aids in keeping the weather and unwanted intruders out.