Dog Door - Electronic Recommendations?

[Eric Moreira]

Howdy! I live in the Twin Cites area of Minnesota so if anyone has ever visited here they know the winters suck, cold and more cold. We want to install an electronic dog door. I have found a couple varieties but I have never known anyone to use one.

Does anyone use an electronic doggie door? Or for that matter, does anyone USE a doggie door? Are they good, bad?

Thanks!

[Summer Magic]

Can't help you with the doggie door, sorry :( I just wanted to give you a welcome from another three season state (Michigan) You know the three seasons, winter, more winter and road construction :wink:

[Colleen]

I don't use a doggy door, but we probably would if we didn't have two doors leading to our backyard. The electronic ones always seemed like the best kind cause the door only opens for whoever is wearing the electronic collar. That way other animals can't get in and your indoor pets can't get out. Although, I did hear of a cat that would wait by the door till the dog came through, then would jump through the door at the same time! Pretty funny!

[Eric Moreira]

Yah, 3 seasons it is and I am really sick of the two winter seasons.

I too am facing the same dilemma of installing it in our door, because we will have a screen door as well. They say you can mount it in your wall but I am not sure I want to do that, although I really want my dog to be able to go outside without me:) Also, right now he does not really inform me when he wants to go out so the sooner we can get a door the better.

So anyone else have a doggie door?

p.s. I have no other animals so I am not worried about an escape artist.

[Sarah Moore]

I have a doggie door, but I'm afraid I'm not much help as I live in So. Cal and my installation cocerns are few, if any. I have the type that is a panel you can install next to a sliding glass door. Very easy and not permanant. It works out really well for us !

[Justine Archuleta]

At DD thet had a thread that had some info I'll try to remember it. If you want to install the doggie door in the wall they suggested that you could cut a hole in a dog house and put the dog house up to where the doggie door is. I don't actually have a doggie door, but that would be a great idea if you wanted to put it in the wall.

[Mario Niepel]

Eric, I don't have any experience with doggie doors (living in an NYC apartment), but I would like to throw in a little word of caution. The fact that you have a doggie door will not in itself solve the problem of your pup not asking to go out.

If the dog doesn't really know where he is supposed to pee and how to get access to it, then the doggie door will not fix this problem.

[Eric Moreira]

Justine, thanks for the doggie house idea. That might work pretty well if I can find a good place.

Mario, I understand where you are coming from and I am still working on him going in the right place but do dogs naturally tell you they want to go out? Fozzie only walks around restlessly but never makes a noise. Also, after he wakes up sometimes I can't get him out fast enough, but all of that is a different problem which is in progress.

[Mario Niepel]

Unfortunately not all dogs figure out by themselves how to tell you that they would like to go out. My older dog Jake learned by himself to give me a woof in my face when he wants to go out. With Sammy, I have to be way more alert since he is extra subtle. He has a way of sitting close to me and leaning into me a little when he needs to go out.

In any case, though, there are ways to teach a dog to perform any action before a potty break. Rining a bell, barking, pawing a door... or, of course, going through a doggie door to the outside. :)

[Clair Taberner]

we have a doggie/cat door for all the animals to use. it's a biggish one(i can fit through it n have when i've locked myself out :roll: ) it's great as poppy in particular is a doggy who every 10 mins wanted in or out, she's the reason i got one originally, and so i upsized it as amber grew and grew and then couldn't fit out! i will definitly get another one if i moved house, but i would do the thing with the dog house as it can get draughty if the winds up :)

[perropremiero]

You could always build a doggie door the way the lady did in the video link.

http://www.obsoletepc.org/?uddoor

:)