Learn everything you need to know about Dog Doors with our “Dog Door Buying Guide”
Dog doors are a great way to allow your pet a certain degree of freedom without constantly disturbing you. Nowadays you can buy a pet door for pretty much any home and they’re not just made to go in doors are longer either. You can purchase per doors for walls ans windows as well.
With our Dog Door Buying Guide we aim to enlighten you to the point that you can make an informed decision and buy a door that fits your needs and those of your pooch perfectly.
What to Look for when Buying a Dog Door
The main considerations when buying a dog door are:
- type
- features
- size
- security
- installation
- removal
We’ll take a look at all of these points below where I’ll describe them in better detail.
Dog Door Types and Location
Dog doors come in a variety of models to fill many different needs. Where you want to locate your door will help decide the type that you require.
The most popular types of dog door are:
- dog doors (for doors)
- dog doors for walls
- dog doors for sliding glass doors (patio doors)
- dog doors for windows
Some of these models are more permanent solutions than others. Some types you can install yourself while others may require the help of a professional. The point here is that there is a dog door available to fit in any space.
When it comes to dog doors for windows there are two main types. The first type slot into the gap between your sliding door and its frame. These can be installed and removed in minutes saving you a great deal on installation costs.
The second type actually fit inside the glass of your sliding door or window. This requires the glass to be cut and therefore increases the overall costs.
Dog Door Features
Not all dog doors are the simple flap construction. There are a variety of different features available such as:
- Electronic dog doors
- Storm Proof dog doors
- Energy-efficient dog doors
The basic dog door is a very simple design, basically just a flexible flap that provides access in and out of the house, but there are other, more feature rich, models available.
Electronic dog doors offer another level of security to your home and help prevent unwanted guests using the door to gain access to your home. The are normally activated by a special dog collar that you pet needs to wear (with either an electronic chip or a magnet embedded in it).
Simple flap doors are prone to swinging in strong winds, causing unnecessary noise and making your home drafty. Storm proof dog doors have a weather proof seal that keeps the wind out and your home insulated.
Energy-efficient dog doors are similar to storm proof dog doors in many respects. These come with a rigid flap rather than flexible one.
Dog Door Sizes
After going through all the trouble of fitting a new dog door it would be a shame if you discover it to be too small.
When measuring a new dog door it should be at least two inches higher than your dog (measured from paw to shoulder) and at least one inch wider.
If your dog is still young then plan ahead and buy a door that will still be large enough when your pooch is fully grown.
Try not to go too big with the door, only what is necessary. The larger the door the more the chance that intruders can gain access to your home.
Dog Door Security
While a dog door offers a lot of freedom to your pet, that isn’t always a good thing. You need to make sure that your dog is moving from one secure area to another and that includes your yard. Many dogs will be tempted to wander if they are left unattended.
Once you have a dog door there is always a chance that other animals will use it to gain access to your home. Cats, raccoon’s and rats are all likely candidates for home invasion. In these cases it might be worthwhile investing in and electronic dog door that is activated by a chip (or magnet) on a special collar.
But you should always have a way of securing any dog door no matter while one you finally decide on buying. For those times that you leave the house or a storm passes through you’re going to want to lock the dog door to prevent it opening. If this is not possible with the door that you choose then there are sliding metal doors available than can be fitted over the back of any existing dog door to seal it.
Dog Door Installation
There will be costs involved with getting you dog door installed. These will vary depending upon the type of installation that you want. The most expensive are the ones that require a lot of work to fit such as in walls and within glass windows.
As a general “always” rule, the step over portion should never be taller than 1/3 of the height measured from the ground to the top of the shoulder. Tall rises can trip a dog and make them reluctant to use it.
Dog Door Removal
There will probably come a point when you want to remove your dog door and although this may be way into the future there are likely to be costs involved in this too. You may need to replace a door, the glass in your window or even brick up a wall. Each of these methods all have costs involved.
Getting your Dog to use a Dog Door
Just because you know how a dog door works, doesn’t mean that your canine friend has the slightest idea. Most dogs are a little reluctant to use a door in the beginning and it may take some time, and patience to get them used to it.
There are a couple of ways that you can encourage your pet to use a dog door. One is to treats to as an incentive, the other is to hold the door open for them until they get used to passing through the opening, then you can try with the flap shut.
Conclusion
Installing a dog door can make everybody’s life easier and that’s always a good thing but you need to research the topic first and understand all factors involved before making a final decision. Hopefully this Dog Door Buyers Guide has given you some insight in that respect.
Buying a good quality dog door is important if you want it to last and provide security for your home. There are plenty of great deals online so why not start now. Check out our collection of dog doors now and see what’s on offer.
