Jump to content
BC Boards

Pet Doors


Woodenlion
 Share

Recommended Posts

Okay, I am looking for ideas on how to keep the cold out. I have tried strips of plastic like they use on commercial refrigerator systems, tried thin flexible jamb insulation,tried towels. Everything gets caught in the dog door and either lets more air in or jambs up so the cats can't get back in. In frustration I have been locking it and monitoring the needs of all 5 grifters. But Honey my eldest dog is waking me up in the middle of the night to go pee then I can't get back to sleep. What do the rest of you do? I am actually thinking of adding a second dog door in the door from the kitchen to the hall and keeping the kitchen shut off to conserve heat. There has to be a better way.

Toni

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After suffering through a succession of Johnson's Pet-Dors, I found the answer, but I'm afraid it's a better quality dog door. Check out the Five Star door at www.dogdoors.com. It's not a flap, it's two panels that are pushed open to each side like the barroom doors in an old Western, and there's some fuzzy weatherstripping around each panel. HUGE improvement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the doggie door i had that wasnt a 'strong' enough stick, i fixed some extra magnetic strip to it.

you can buy it from a craft shop, it comes as a roll and is about 1/2 an inch wide. it is self adhesive and it only took about 5 minutes to fix.

the dogs just have to push a little harder to get in and out!

love

donna

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The people I know that have a dog door going into their main house all have built small "huts" around the dog door on the outside. That is, they build a sort of small doghouse sort of thing, constructed on the side of their home. This house then has another dog door that is installed in a wall perpendicular to the first door. This keeps the wind from blowing in. So the dog goes into the "dog house" through one door, makes a turn and goes through the dogdoor leading into the house. This setup seems to work pretty well.

 

I'm looking for ideas on good dog doors, myself. I currently have a dog door only going from the "daytime puppy room" (a converted 2-car garage) outside to a large kennel run. My two adult dogs do not have a dog door while I'm at work. I'd like to install one from the living room to the backyard. However, I'm worried about my JRT going outside and digging holes in the muddy backyard, then running into the house and tracking huge amounts of mud all over my off-white carpeting. When I'm home, the dogs don't come into the house from the backyard until I wipe off all twelve feet.

 

I've thought of putting in mandatory "foot baths" at the entrance of my future dog door, covering the entire living room with sheets to protect the carpet, etc. It all seems very unwieldy and unreliable. Also, I'm not sure if I want to build the "hut attachment" on the outside of my house. If anybody has solved this problem, please let me know!

 

Columbia, MO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eileen,

Thank you for the suggestion. I checked out the website. It doesn't say what opens and closes the doors. I would assume power is not required. How long have you had yours? They are a bit pricey but if they work. I am going to measure my existing opening tonight. Thank you.

Donna, thanks for the tip maybe it will help until I can get a new door.

 

Toni

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your dog's nose opens the doors, same as the flap-type doors. The pressure of your dog's body going through keeps them open, and they spring closed after he's through. It takes only a tiny bit more pressure to open, and my dogs adjusted to that in a matter of seconds. I got mine a little over a year ago (autumn 2004), and they are as tight and efficient now as they were then.

 

Hmm. I see that you mention cats. I *think* a cat would have no problem pushing through them, but I'm no expert on that. You might want to email them and ask.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...