Which way will it go?

Our dog is about two years old, about three years newer than our extensions. We didn't factor in a dog door when we planned our extension, because at the time a dog wasn't on the agenda. But now we have Emmi and she's an inside/outside dog. For the past two years that's meant that we've had to leave the back sliding door open. Good for her, not good for heating in winter, or cooling in summer. Particularly not good for keeping flies out. Because of the design, it's been very difficult to work out how to incorporate a dog-door.

But Eureka! We found one. At the curiously named 'Pig in Mud' online store. But our troubles were not yet over. Our door is too tall for the standard 'Patio Dog Door' and too short for the tall door. Of course. It was even too tall for the standard door plus the extension piece. Sigh. Many phone calls, a custom extension and delivery woes later the door arrived yesterday. Magic. It fits easily, keeps the flies out. What more could we want?


Well, it'd be nice if the dog would use it. So far, she'll use it if we lift the flap for her. But otherwise? No. So today, when she wants to go out, she calls me, as yesterday, the flies called me. To mangle a proverb...you can lead the dog to the flap, but double-sigh, you can't make her go through it.

Fingers crossed that she works it all out.

There is a parallel to writing, but I'm not going to explore it. I'm too busy helping Madam in and out of the back door.