Dog doors....

[Bosmum]

yes or no.  And if yes, then what's the best type?  We just adopted a 4.5 month old rottie/dobie mix and we'd like him to have access to our laundry room when we're not home.  How easy is a dog door to install?

[greek4]

I know this will make me seem dense but I never thought thru the dog door installing process until I got one for my birthday.  Dog doors make a permanent hole!!  I know that should have occurred to me but it didn't until my Dad so nicely questioned if I really wanted to ruin a door I would have to replace before I sold my house and the dog door would not be reusable.  

I have since decided I will wait until I have moved to Chicago to install my dog door.  Though then I will have to have a fence because I'm scared with just an invisible one other dogs will come into my house via the dog door.  I think having a dog door would be cool, I'm just scared of what animals might use it to come into my house.  How would you prevent unwanted guests (just curious??)

[Bosmum]

In our case, we just bought our first home and we plan (God willing) to live in it al LEAST 10 years. 

I saw something on TV a couple of weeks ago...it's an electronic dog door.  The pup wears a collar with a little remote device that allows the door to unlock right before they enter.  Unless the collar comes within a foot of the door, the door does not open.

[greek4]

I would love to see the sized dog door that would fit my beast.

Tina

Just cut the door in half and leave the bottom half open, that would work for you.

[lins_saving_grace]

Jack probably huffs and the door comes down.

[Nina]

I think that we should invent a dog door for big dogs, maybe something along the lines of a garage door??? Same idea as before the dog wears a collar the door opens and goes up ect???

Think it would work??? It would save me from having to go to the door all the time, especially with 2 dogs, I don't know how people handle it when they have 3 or more!!!!


Nina

[lins_saving_grace]

We should request a BARK activated door.

That might get a little annoying though.

[greek4]

Rocco thinks I am a bark activated door opening.  When he is ready to come in he will sit right in front of the door and bark at 20 second intervals.

[lins_saving_grace]

We people come in handy sometimes.

[GR8DAME]

Rocco thinks I am a bark activated door opening.  When he is ready to come in he will sit right in front of the door and bark at 20 second intervals.

LLLOL!! I totally agree greek4! Merlin is the designated spokes-dog for my crew. He waits until all canines are finished and go up on the deck, then he joins them and barks until I open the door to let them all in.

Nina, It is not as hard with three or four dogs as you may think. They all go out at the same time, because heaven forbid that anyone gets left behind for anything, and they all come in when they are all done, because again, no one wants to be left out.

I have contimplated a doggy door, but as someone has already mentioned, you can't really controll what critters have access. Since the danes are so big I figure that even  humans could crawl in, and I am far too paranoid to take that chance.
Stella

[Nina]

That is true stella, if I had a doggie door and a human came in Dilbert would most likely lick the person, and Harley I think would attack, she is protective when people try to enter and are not invited, which is a good thing I suppose


Nina

[jabear]

Bosum,
I saw what you are talking about on tv too and it looks very cool. They also have a remote type thing for the water outside to automatically turn on the faucet when the dog approaches it. My only conern with your questions is that the remote collar thing uses a magnet type device to slide the door open, so if you are using when you are not home then anyone could get it. It would also be easy (I think) to make a magnet thing to break in with. So, I don't know. When we get a house we are planning on the remote thing to be in use when we are home only so we make sure no unwanted people or creatures come walking inside. Good luck in finding something that fits your needs!

[shangrila]

I would hesitate to get a dog door for these three reasons:
1. Outside doors are VERY expensive (it costs well over a grand to replace one), and like someone has already pointed out, you would have to replace the entire door if you wanted to sell or decided you didn't want the dog door anymore.
2. Any door that is large enough for one of our giants to go out is also large enough for a person to come in. In today's society you have to be careful about protecting your home.
3. I would be concerned about my dog being outside unsupervised. I'm too protective about my baby, and it would make me too nervous.

[newflvr]

We have had a dog door for the past 5 years for our Newfs and it works well!  It is the biggest that is made so short burglars could walk in without stooping but, as the dog trainer explained to me, nobody wants to meet the dog that needs a door that big!  As far as other critters, our cats have mastered it....and at the moment the door is taped shut because of the creatures they bring in....whatever is left of them!  That is a big drawback!   If you don't have cats, it shouldn't be a problem.  All the other wild creatures (skunks, racoons, coyotes, feral cats, etc) that live in the neighborhood want nothing to do with our dog's territory!  They are just to big!!!
There is a website....I think it is dogdoors.com (?) and they have a huge selection...ev en the ones that work on a magnet.

[brigid67]

I have a small dog door for the poms and cats.  When Willow ges here (very cute mantle marked merle dane)  I think I am just going to have to be the door opener.  I wdon't want to put in a dog door that big.