Dog Door

[tigergrrl]

Hi
Wanting any tips on installing a dog door. What to do, what NOT to do mostly. Ta

[SAISAY]

rule number 1:
Make sure the door is big enough for your dog but too smal for a person to crawl through.

rule number 2:
Make sure it can be locked when you go away or when you do not want your dog to use it.

rule number 3:
Position it as far away from the door handle as possible so unwanted visitors cannot reach in and unlock the door.

We had a commercial one installed in our sliding screen door and it works a treat, except the magnet keeps on falling out and the security catches were far too small.

Before we had the sliding door installed, we had a piece of perspex cut to size, covered it on both sides with apaque contact to avoid too many scratches and make it easy to clean, cut a hole in the door and just hinged it at the top. It worked very well too and was not half as noisy as the commercial one.

Have fun

Little Wolff

[Shedgirl]

Hi Tiger
Think twice about installing one if you live in a snake-prone area... a friend recently watched in horror as a large brownsnake casually slid through her catflap....:oo:

[rrich]

Do NOT install the type that goes through the wall. Get the type of dog door that goes through the entry door.

Look at it this way. If you get a smaller/larger dog or no dog at all, the worst thing that you have to do is install a new door. DAMHIKT.

[munruben]

I know a guy who installed one of these doggy doors and the darn pup wouldn't use it. Scared as hell of it for some reason.

[SilverSniper]

There is some good info out there if you google.

Number one thing is to make it the right height, it should be the same height as the dog's shoulder or lower, because (as I found) dogs don't like jumping when they can't see what's on the other side (even if the door is clear).

If you have to make it higher, then you can teach the dog to use it by piling up books on either side so the dog can step through, and doesn't have to jump.

[Pusser]

If you have a flap one show the dog how it works. We installed one and the dog tried it got a bang in the nose and would never use it again.

[noelhi1]

Hi tigergrrl you did not say what type of door that you are planning to put the doggy door in I install one not that long ago in a fly wire door with no problems but there would be more work fitting one into a timber door. Glass door very costly becauce you have to use toughen glass and that has to be made with the hole in it the price I got was over $800.00:doh:

[Lord Nibbo]

These two open the doors, so no need for any special door. :U

The only problem is they won't lock it after they have gone through it.
Another point to dog doors is how big should it be? Can you imagine what size mine would need. :roll:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/101/288329162_eae04d28bc.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1018/1027931337_2dc0f4e08a.jpg

:U

[MikeTheMaker]

What sort of door are we working with here and what sort of dog/s

Just like there are Horses for Courses I think there are Doors for Dogs...

[tigergrrl]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. I'm looking at installing DD into a wooden laundry door, for a med size kelpie/lab x.
Might have a google around as well.
Don't much like the thought of asps as guests! :o