Dog doors ensure your pets can get the exercise and freedom they need without putting your home at risk. There are many kinds of dog doors, so it can be hard to pick the right one. To help you decide, we’ll look at seven important factors to think about before you buy a dog entryway. Let’s get right into it…
Door Type
There are many options, each with a different price, size, location, and ease of installation. If you want to buy from an online store, carefully go through their website to see all the available options. It’s important to pick the right one for your pooch and your budget. These are the five main types:
- Wall doors
- Flap or storm doors
- Sliding door cutouts
- Lockable door latches
All of these entryways are inexpensive and easy to install in different ways. The one you choose will depend on your budget, where you live, and your canine’s breed. You also need to factor in how safe you want your home to be when making the selection.
Where the Door will be Installed
When choosing where to put in a dog door, factors you need to consider are the material used, size, and safety. You need a dog entryway that is both easy for you and your tyke to use. The entryway should also be simple to open and close whenever you want.
It might also be better to use a ramp or gate that your dog is already used to. This way you don’t have to try to get it to learn how to use the new entry system. You can put doors in garage doors, sliding doors, or walls.
Picking the right spot is important for both the cost of installation and the safety of your dog. If your hound spends most of its time outside, choose a garage entryway so it can come inside when it gets cold. If your pup spends most of its time inside, choose an entryway that leads straight to the garden.
Measure your Dog and the Area where you want to Install the Door Before Purchase
You need to make sure that your dog will be able to use the entryway without any problems. To do this, you should weigh your dog and measure its width at its widest point. You can visit https://www.petmd.com/ to learn how to measure a dog. The widest point is usually around the shoulders, just below the neck, or across the biggest part of the head.
The entryway should be wide enough to fit your dog and strong enough to hold its weight. Dogs that weigh up to 7 kg only need a small doggie entryway. On the other hand, dogs that weigh up to 45 kg will need a large or extra-large entryway.
You could also choose an adjustable latch, which gives you more options as your pet grows. Once you know what size pet entryway you need, check the area you’ve chosen. You need to make sure there’s enough room to put it in.
The Cost of Purchase and Installation
It’s important to think about price because installing some doors, like wall flaps, will cost a lot more than a door latch. The cost of the pet door will also depend on how easy it is to install. More difficult doors will need to be installed by a professional, which will cost more.
Think about Weather and Temperature
Think about how well the pet entry seals against heat or cold in the winter. If your access lets the cold winter air in, you might need to lock it in the middle of the night. Another thing to think about when it comes to temperature is direct exposure to summer sun. Direct exposure to sun can warp the plastic and make the pet entry less durable.
This proves that the material is very important and shouldn’t be chosen without proper thought. Choose a door latch if you live in a mild environment. It will let in the cool air in the summer. It will also give you more options for opening and closing the door in the winter.
Consider Your Dog’s Growth
Don’t just pick a pooch’s entry with only the present in focus. You should also think about what will happen if your pet family grows in the future. It’s always advisable to buy a pet entryway that is big enough for your biggest pet. Alternatively, you can select one with an adjustable door latch.
Adjustable door latch is one of the ways to keep other animals from using your dog door. You can read this article to learn how to keep other animals from using your pet doors. Using a large entryway or adjustable door latch ensures you don’t have to re-install the entry as your pet family grows.
Consider Security and Safety
It’s good to let your pet run around, but don’t forget to keep your home and pet safe. If you are installing the pet entryway into an existing door, you need to be careful. Make sure it is one that can be fixed and locked. That way, someone won’t be able to reach through the door to open it.
The security of your home is also affected by the size of your pet entryway. Children and small people can easily get into your home through larger pet entryways. But pet doors do keep thieves out because thieves are less likely to break in when there are dogs around. Making sure your pet entryway can lock and open makes your home ten times safer.
It is said that 70% of all break-ins happen because inside information, sometimes from contractors, is shared. The construction team is another important safety factor to think about. It’s less likely that you will need help installing a pet entryway if it’s easy to do. If the door latch can be locked, choose a do-it-yourself pet entryway that doesn’t need any outside help.
Conclusion
These seven factors will help you pick the best dog door. If you follow this article, regardless of your pet’s size, we are certain you’ll find the perfect option. Don’t forget to measure your dog before you purchase.
