Pet Access Doors

[austinfrog]

I am in the process of replacing sliding glass doors and windows in my house. There are very few options out there for incorporating pet access doors, especially if I want to replace my sliding glass doors with french doors. As a single guy, if she has no access door, she can only go out when I'm around. So that aspect is appealing.

My question is, would you prefer your doodle to have an access door of its own?

In other words, should I keep trying to find an access solution -- short of drilling a new hole through the bricks and drywall -- or just keep letting her out on my own?

The only problem I have is that Maya does not like to be outside with out me and if I needed her to be the door wouldn't work. Plus Maya loves the rain and mud so I can just see her going outside when it's raining and getting good and muddy and then coming back in and then taking a nap on the couch!

[L's Mom]

We considered a doggie door as well, but just like Maya, Lucas loves all things dirty!!! So, out of fear of what he may bring in, while unsupervised... we opted... no access door.

[lauren46]

Another thing you might want to think about (depending on where you live) is doggy-nappers. LDs and GDs are expensive, therefore at high risk for being dognapped.

We would never use a doggy door just because we live out in the country so we'd have problems with other animals.

[MaxandMe]

we can't use doggy doors due to
racoons, fox, squirrels, opposums, chipmunks, SKUNKS, and more hahhaa

[annabelles mom]

We've had a dog door for 15 years and love it ! I have the ability to close if off if I want AB in the house, i.e. rain, barking etc. We have a 5' tall chain link fenced yard with locks on the gates, which she has never attempted to go over or under, we also had the door when we had our labs and they did very well also.
None of our dogs liked strangers, and go balistic barking if anyone enters our yard or our neighbors yard, so I wasn't worried about someone hopping the fence and carrying them off.

We don't have ours in the patio door anymore, we put in a new storm door in kitchen a few years back and got one that had a dog door in it, I like it better than having it in patio door, but patio door one worked well for the 10 or 11 years we used it

I think it depends on your dog, type of containment you have and the area you live in but I can't imagine not having a doggie door. When we go to the kids or D's Mom, Annabelle just stands there and looks at us like "where is MY door?"

[annieG]

I have had doggy doors and they have been great and they have been awful....depends on your dog and your yard. If I had one now, Tanner would go out and bark and bark and drive everyone nuts.

I had one dog that took my dirty laundry out of the doggy door while I was at work....bras and panties everywhere

[Cinsmom]

My mother lives in town and she gets a stray dog through her dog door every once in a while. She has a fenced back yard and everything. She doesn't have a problem with her dog getting out of the yard, but somehow this dog will find it's way in. One day she'll find out whose dog this is!

I don't have one because I want to be home when my dog is out, plus all the critters mentioned by Annmarie.

[Dizneydoodle]

We have one here in Melrose and one in our house in Nh and I would never be with out one. Dogs love them and we just keep an eye on them when they head out Melrose lead downs to a fence off doggy yard and if we want to let them have access to the full yard we open a few other gates I can see them from every window and with 3 dogs I don't think I would ever get to sit they go in and out all the time I can see them from many windows when we are in NH and again we just keep an eye on them and they do fine they like to see us as much as we like to see them Yes they do come in dirty some time but that happens . We have never had any other creature enter I don't think the dogs would allow it and if we are away we close the door up. Melrose is in out glass patio door and is ok but a lot of air comes in at times the one in NH goes through the wall and is very tight I love that one.

[TexasDoodle]

We have one and it's GREAT! I wouldn't want to live without it

[lmtoth2]

Annie - that is so funny! We thought of getting one, but Dexter is so naughty still...I can only imagine what he would bring in from outside...and bring out from inside...

[gene]

I'm planning to install one this spring summer. When I designed the layout for my fence, I had a doggy run put in so that it will be all 6 foot fence and I can put a lock on the gate to keep them in and others out. I'll let you know when I get it in place.

[BAD]

We've used and loved doggie doors for over 25 years. When remodeling our last house we had the architect design one. We had a couple of labs who loved it. And it certainly freed us up. We lived in the Santa Monica Mountains and never had a critter try to come into the house.

When we moved back to No. Cal our house didn't have a good place for a dog door, so we went without. It was a pain. But when we got Abbey a few months ago we figured out where we could put one. We bought a great quality door directly from Hale Pet Doors. Then had it installed into the kitchen wall under a desk. We even had to add three steps outside. It took Abbey no time to start using it. We lock it at times, but mostly it is open. Ours has double flaps so it doesn't let any cold air in. Check out Hale Pet Door on the web they have lots of good ideas and are very helpful.

[blueteal]

No doggy door here as Denver would have to spend the
day rounding up the cats....................

bahahhahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[deepnite10]

it s great to have a doggie door..with 3 dog s running around the house it s difficult to keep track of their potty schedule..

a little dirt clean up is alot better than doggie poo