Posted by dognutter | Posted in Dog Supply | Posted on 27-08-2010
Tags: dog door, pet door
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.

