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Mark, a Labrador, is a source of joy for dog owner Cathy. But she has to keep standing up, or interrupting her work, when she has to let Mark out of the house, and later, back inside. Mark has this habit of, first, barking softly, and when he is ignored, of following Cathy wherever she goes in the house, staring at her all the while. Certainly, this is not as annoying as the other habits of other dogs. But Cathy wanted a solution regardless. After some online search, she found what she feels is the solution to her problem. Cathy started looking into dog doors.

She found out there were many kinds of dog doors – from those mounted on many door types to wall-mounted ones and electronic ones. The easiest to install, and what fits her needs, was a door-mounted type, with two flaps. When buying this kind of dog door, you have to keep in mind how tall your dog is, how thick the door you’ll install it in, and perhaps the weather where you live.

It’s not incredible difficult to install a dog door all by yourself. You’re going to need some tool to use in the installation process – unless of course you choose to have the door installed by someone else. These tools include a drill or a screwdriver, a level, a cutting device, a measuring tape, pencil, and drywall saw. Most likely, there’s a video about the installation produced by the company you bought the dog door from; you should watch it. Also, read the installation manual.

If you don’t have the time or skills to handle the installation, you always have the option to hire someone to do this for you.

The flaps in your dog door may have some set backs. First is that any animal can come in and out just as easily; so any neighbouring pet or wild animal in your backyard (a squirrel, for example) may get in. Unless your home is inside a gated or fenced property, there’s always the possibility of there being another animal who may enter your dog flap. Second is that they could be a source of indoor heat loss. Third is that kids can sometimes play pranks – like sealing your dog door with duct tape, effectively sealing in or barring your dog from getting inside your home.

One solution to this, but comes with a slightly higher price, is the electronic or automatic dog door. This kind of pet door uses a collar that the door can sense when nearby. The dog door opens or unlocks automatically when the dog gets near.

When you’re shopping for a good pet dog door, be aware of how that one installation affects your home’s security. Most of the traditional dog doors are only flaps supported by a frame at the bottom of the door. Even when they’re made of some sterner material, there are still security worries. Any responsible dog owner should take the following seriously when choosing a pet dog door.

The size of the door. Don’t just get any doggie door, there’s a height to consider. One problem with having big dogs is the corresponding dog door size – if it fits them, it will also fit a smaller person. That smaller person could be your child, someone else’s, or a thief. You don’t want your children or someone else’s to get stuck, and possibly injured that way. There’s also the worry of other animals being able to do as they please – in and out of your home. If you can at least restrict the height to that of your dog, you can probably limit intruders.

Dog door placement. Although it seems to be convenient to place your dog door on your front door, that practically announces to the world there’s a smaller, less secure entrance to your house. Many dog owners choose to install their pet doors on their backdoor, which usually leads to a secure backyard. Or at least on another door not in direct view of people passing by your house. Do not give potential burglars any ideas.

The type of pet door your need. Flap doors also have versions where the flap is made of harder materials. There are also several lock settings to choose from. The door can be set up to swing towards the inside of your house, or outside; or towards on direction only, and then locks itself. One side settings means your pet can only get in or out and then that’s it. This lock setting can either lock your pet indoors, or keep him outside; do you really want to risk an accident and leave your dog outside overnight? Although an electronic /automatic pet dog door is an effective answer, it is more expensive. Your dog wears a specially equipped collar, one that the door senses when the dog is near; the door, consequently, opens only when the dog is near. Having a doggie door is a great benefit for both owner and pet – you won’t have to worry about accidental potty incidents (should your dog be kept inside the house for too long), and the dog can feel free to come and go as it pleases.

When you’re looking into buying a doggie door, then you want some peace of mind at home – dogs can be demanding. By far the most common or popular kind of doggie door is the door-mounted variety. Shoppers should note some considerations when buying – whether you need an automatic door, the particular size you need (you might have several large dogs), and the installation ease (you may need a handyman, if ever). Should you want to keep your pets inside, in case of a storm, for example, dog doors have lock settings.

Not every homeowner wants their pet doors on the bottom side of one of the house doors. Some home owners find it a waste to saw through, and ruin, a beautiful carved wooden door. It might not also be practical to install a patio dog door that faces the wind – bad during windy or storm seasons. This could also be a potential heat loss source. That’s why there are wall-mounted dog door for your convenience.

When planning to install your pet door on the bottom part of a wall, choose an area where there are few items to knock over or bump against – lamps, cabinets, etc. This is important so that the dog doesn’t injure itself.

With a properly mounted doggie door, owners no longer have to get up from what they’re doing to attend to their dogs who want to get out of the house. They can do this on their own, play on their own time, and get back in the house when they want to, or when you call them back in.

When your dog can go out and come back inside the house on its own, this contributes to developing healthier relationship between the dog and its owner. Pet owners should have time to play with their pets, sadly this is not always the case. Your pet would love it if it can roam around your home as it likes. When you keep your dog inside the house for some time, that cabin fever might create problems. Dog that have not undergone some socializing with other dogs may get excited should they see other dogs – this can result if scratched furniture, and knocked over house items.

When you have to go away for some time – due to work, a much-needed vacation, or something else – whoever is left in your house to take care of your dog might not read his behaviour the way you can. Your dog might get stressed out. A reliable and easy to install dog door can solve these problems.

Training your dog to use a doggy door – if you’ve just installed one – shouldn’t be too difficult; in fact, it may take only a few days or even a week. Every dog will react differently to a doggy door, with the most adventurous ones going through it immediately and with more wary ones trying to avoid it. However, most dogs will take a little time to adapt to this new way of going in and out of the house, and will need your support if they’re found backing away from the doggy door.

Some Simple Training Tips

Actually, it’s not difficult at all to train your dog to understand that a new door has been installed, although it may take some patience of your part, just follow the instructions that come with the door on how to install it and train your dog. Keep in mind that this door is new and will make some funny sounds.

You can start your dog training by pushing the flap of door open with your hand to show that he can go through it. This is even more effective if a person that the dog is familiar with stands on the other side of the door with something that the dog likes.

You can also train your dog by playing with him. If your dog likes to play fetch, throw a toy or a stick inside the house through the doggy door, which will be held open by another person. As your dog goes into the house, the other person should let go of the flap, which may make the dog hesitant to open it on its own. This will happen a few times, but then its playfulness will win in the end. You can speed up this process by holding up the flap and pushing the dog gently.

You can also take advantage when your dog needs to eat or rest to make it go inside the house through the door. Never scold or punish your dog because he hesitates to use the doggy door, all you’re going to do is make it think the door is wrong or bad. Try the reward system instead.

If you know of any relative or friend who uses a doggy door for their dog, it’ll be helpful for your dog to see this other dog, and this will speed up the training process. Generally, if a dog watches another dog doing something – that will push him to do the same and you’ll soon have your dog fully trained to use a doggy door.

A dog door that lets your dog leave the house and come back without your intervention will benefit both you and your dog. Not only will your dog have the freedom of being able to go outside as they please but it will save you the effort of having to open the door every time they want to go out.

For instance, if your dog drank too much water or got sick because of something it ate, it will want you to get up and let it out, or else you’ll end up cleaning after it, or you can avoid the problem altogether by installing a doggie door. Then, you just have to decide how to go about getting the doggie door installed. The first option that comes to mind is to ask a professional to come and do the job, but why do that when you can do it yourself?

How to Install It

If you want to take on the challenge of installing a pet door in your home for your furry friend, there are just a few easy steps you will need to follow. To get started you first want to determine the door placement, where you are going to have the pet flap situated on the door of your home. The size and height of your dog will be important factors.

You want the door to be located in the best spot to make it easy and convenient for your dog to make it through. Bigger dogs might require you to adjust the height of the doggie door, and remember that your dog may still grow, depending on its age. The size of your dog is also important to consider because the door will need to be large enough that your dog will not stand a chance of getting stuck in it on their way in or out of the house.

It’s better to remove your door from its hinges before you install a doggie door on it, because it will allow you to make marks on it with a pencil and a ruler and it will make process more comfortable for you. You will find doggy door fixings or sets that include everything you need for the installation, including the door, hinges or fixtures, the screws and bolts you need, and even a plan.

Follow the steps mentioned on the plan or the instructions, make sure that you have all the tools you need before the installation begins, and after installing the doggie door, and put your door back on it’s hinges.

Although opening doors for your pet once in a while can be fun, the whole thing can become irritating especially if you are busy doing other things in the house. If you don’t like being your dog’s butler, consider having a pet door installed and train your dog or have it trained to use it.

Purchasing a Pet Door

It’s not necessary to make a big investment just to get a pet door in your house. There are plenty of affordable and easy to install pet doors available in the market today. Before you get a door that your pet will use, you have to take measurements of the body of your pet. Once you have the correct measurements, you may start hunting for pet doors either online or offline. Actually, it’s easier and more practical to get the pet door from an online store than by driving to a shopping center to a pet store. Shopping online will not only help you save energy, it can also help you save some money especially if you use a price comparison shopping tool. By comparing prices from different suppliers, you can get the best price for the model you want.

When buying pet doors, you should buy those doors that you can install on your own. This is so that you also get to save money by not hiring a handyman.

Installing The Pet Door

Installing the pet door is relatively easy and even if your carpentry skills are not really that great, you can still install this contraption within a few minutes. The first thing to do is to measure the distance from your pet’s stomach to the floor. You should leave two inches from the bottom of the door to your pet’s lowest point, and there should be a difference of at least three inches between the width of the door and the width of your pet. Remember, if your pet is still growing, you will have to expand the pet door from time to time to avoid having your pet stuck on the pet door.

Training the Pet

After the pet door has been installed, you should start training your pet to use it immediately. Take your dog or cat, place it in front of the door, open the door with the hand and hold it, and then gently push the pet through the door. Repeat this process until your dog or cat learns how to use the door on its own.