10 replies to this topic

[Jerry]

So, I want to put in a dog door. We don't want a dog door in the front door, and all the rest of our doors are glass, so I need a wall mounted one. Our local pet store has the Petsafe brand wall mounted doors for $100-130 depending on size. Here's my question:

Has anyone used this or a similar product?

Also, what about size. The medium is for dogs 0-40 lbs. with a flap opening of 8-1/2" X 11". The large is for dogs 0-100 lbs. with a flap opening of 10" X 15".

I'd rather go with the medium, but I don't know exactly how big Lola will be. It looks borderline. Any insight?

Thanks.

[Karen]

Jerry, on Feb 14 2010, 10:13 AM, said:

Also, what about size. The medium is for dogs 0-40 lbs. with a flap opening of 8-1/2" X 11". The large is for dogs 0-100 lbs. with a flap opening of 10" X 15".

I'd rather go with the medium, but I don't know exactly how big Lola will be. It looks borderline. Any insight?

Thanks.

We have the medium, which is more than adequate for Danza and her larger older brother, a pit-lab mix. My only two complaints are weather-related. I wish the flap were better insulated, and I wish the dogs couldn't stick their heads out the door and just stand there. It's like they are kids. IN or OUT!

[Jerry]

Karen, on Feb 14 2010, 08:55 PM, said:

We have the medium, which is more than adequate for Danza and her larger older brother, a pit-lab mix. My only two complaints are weather-related. I wish the flap were better insulated, and I wish the dogs couldn't stick their heads out the door and just stand there. It's like they are kids. IN or OUT!

Karen, So it's the Petsafe that you have? It looks like there's some better sealing products online, but they are like $200-400. I like buying local, and paying less.

Also, do you know Danza's shoulder height? I want to install this thing soon, but i will need an adult female AIDog's shoulder height for the installation.
Thanks,
Jerry

[Allison]

Karen, on Feb 14 2010, 08:55 PM, said:

It's like they are kids. IN or OUT!

Do I say this almost everyday? I think so.

We don't have one. Our neighbors do, and raccoons come in and eat the dog's food. Also, their cat used to bring in rats, and let them run around for a good chase. We are so urban, though. It just goes with the territory.

[judyk]

Allison, on Feb 15 2010, 02:15 PM, said:

Do I say this almost everyday? I think so.

We don't have one. Our neighbors do, and raccoons come in and eat the dog's food. Also, their cat used to bring in rats, and let them run around for a good chase. We are so urban, though. It just goes with the territory.

We had the same experiences -- so needless to say out came the door!!!!

[Karen]

We have the Pet Safe. I don't know Danza's height, but I can't imagine that Lola is going to get taller than Roscoe and he fits through easily. They don't have to sail through, they can squeeze a bit, it's fine. And you can mount it on the high side if you feel you need to, she can lift her little paws, it won't be too much trouble for her.

We've never had trouble with unwanted visitors - the model we have comes with a solid door you can close over the opening when you want to seal it up. We never leave it open at night or when we are gone for long. As some of you may know, we are out in the boonies with critters galore, but that may be why we aren't having so much trouble. They have so much room to roam, maybe they don't care about our house. That's not how it works with the mice, though. And I can easily see raccoons getting through that door; we had them coming through a window in San Francisco. But that was the city!

They do make a pet door with an electronic sensor that only opens and closes if it is triggered by a dog wearing a collar with a matching receiver. It is to keep critters out. That door is kind of pricey, as I recall.

[Jerry]

Karen, on Feb 15 2010, 11:53 PM, said:

We have the Pet Safe. I don't know Danza's height, but I can't imagine that Lola is going to get taller than Roscoe and he fits through easily. They don't have to sail through, they can squeeze a bit, it's fine. And you can mount it on the high side if you feel you need to, she can lift her little paws, it won't be too much trouble for her.

We've never had trouble with unwanted visitors - the model we have comes with a solid door you can close over the opening when you want to seal it up. We never leave it open at night or when we are gone for long. As some of you may know, we are out in the boonies with critters galore, but that may be why we aren't having so much trouble. They have so much room to roam, maybe they don't care about our house. That's not how it works with the mice, though. And I can easily see raccoons getting through that door; we had them coming through a window in San Francisco. But that was the city!

They do make a pet door with an electronic sensor that only opens and closes if it is triggered by a dog wearing a collar with a matching receiver. It is to keep critters out. That door is kind of pricey, as I recall.

Thanks Karen, that helps. We have a lot of critters around here, and we would keep it closed at night. As it is, we have been leaving a small, low window open for the cats, and Lola has figured out how to get in through it, but the heat is escaping, and the animals are thrashing the window sill.

[Jerry]

Jerry, on Feb 16 2010, 08:58 AM, said:

Thanks Karen, that helps. We have a lot of critters around here, and we would keep it closed at night. As it is, we have been leaving a small, low window open for the cats, and Lola has figured out how to get in through it, but the heat is escaping, and the animals are thrashing the window sill.

Shortly after my last reply, I installed the Pet Safe medium size wall mounted pet door. I purchased it at the local family owned pet store for about $100. It was worth it. I had to cut a hole in my wall, but it wasn't too bad. The whole install took about an hour.
It took Lola about 2-3 weeks to figure it out. It was especially hard because the wall mounted model has two flaps w/ 8" space in between. She has to slide through a little tunnel to get through (unlike a door mounted model).

Once she figured it out (beginning of March), all our potty training issues were solved. She doesn't need to ask to go out (which was her problem).

We never close if off, and we have yet had no problems with strange critters coming in or cold drafts.

[Allison]

Jerry, on Apr 10 2010, 09:56 AM, said:

She doesn't need to ask to go out (which was her problem).

That's right where we are. He knows what to do, but he doesn't seem to know how to ask.

Anyway, that is very interesting about the wall mount and tunnel.

[liz]

Allison, on Apr 11 2010, 02:51 PM, said:

That's right where we are. He knows what to do, but he doesn't seem to know how to ask.

Anyway, that is very interesting about the wall mount and tunnel.

I h ave mentioned a dog door, but Mike is of the opinion if Shunka can get in it so could a human, so it's never been done, we just leave the doors open when it is warmer and the dogs go in and out as they wish, the garden (yard) is enclosed so no problems that way. Shunka uses the cat flap as a door knocker when the door is closed and had taught Holly to do the same!

[Jerry]

liz, on Apr 12 2010, 02:11 AM, said:

I h ave mentioned a dog door, but Mike is of the opinion if Shunka can get in it so could a human, so it's never been done, we just leave the doors open when it is warmer and the dogs go in and out as they wish, the garden (yard) is enclosed so no problems that way. Shunka uses the cat flap as a door knocker when the door is closed and had taught Holly to do the same!

I don't think a human could get in our dog door. It's too small. Also, you can close it off of you like.