Dog Doors

[ObedienceGrrl]

Okay.....a few questions for those of you who have doggie doors:

1. Do you have cats? If so, how do you keep the cats from going out the dog door?

2. Do you allow your dog's access to the door when you are not home?

3. And if so, do your neighbors ever complain of them barking?

4. What happens on days that are wet? Do you still let your dogs come and go as they please and track mud everywhere?

I think that's all for now.....thanks!!

[courtnek]

well, I'm of no help. My dogs are so big that any door big enough to let thme out would let an averaged sized human (100 lbs or so) squeeze in as well, and I dont trust that around this neighborhood. also, it would let my cats out. it would be nice, because I have an inside door leading to the kitchen which can be closed, and the entryway could go straight down to the basement, which has cement floors and is unfinished, so no mud problem. easily mopped.

[behle]

courtnek napisał(a):

well, I'm of no help. My dogs are so big that any door big enough to let me out would let an averaged sized human (100 lbs or so) squeeze in as well...

Ditto! I don't really think a human would squeeze in with the boys in here, but I don't want to take chances. Besides, Ben would be in and out so much in the winter due to his infatuation with snow that I'm afraid our heating bill would go through the roof!

My niece has a doggie door for her two hounds that opens into a secure fenced yard. Her cats snuck out of it on a regular basis, so they have had to keep it locked. :roll: :roll:

Her dogs are not happy... 8)

[courtnek]

now I HAVE heard of doggie doors that have electronic "sensors" on them, tied to a chip in the dogs collar. the door will not open until the chip comes within range and unlocks it. same to get back in. that may not stop the cats, depending on how soon it took them to figure out they could slip through with the dogs, but its still safer than a regular dog door. the downside is that they're expensive...

[ObedienceGrrl]

Well, that answers that.

Our yard is fenced, but that wouldn't contain a cat.

And my cats are indoors only.....no exceptions. I'd lose it if one of them got out.

And yes, our door would be giant as well, since Dakota is 125ish pounds.

But....I'd be VERY worried about the neighbors. The GSDs are VERY vocal if someone is within 'seeing distance' of the house, so I'd hate for them to be a nuisance to everyone.

Oh well.....worth a try!

[Malamum]

1. Do you have cats? If so, how do you keep the cats from going out the dog door? No cats

2. Do you allow your dog's access to the door when you are not home? Yes, they can go in and out their door 24x7

3. And if so, do your neighbors ever complain of them barking?
Nope. Though being Mallies they aren't barkers.

4. What happens on days that are wet? Do you still let your dogs come and go as they please and track mud everywhere? Yes. Our dog door is in our laundry door which then goes into the kitchen. We then shut the kitchen doors so that is as far as they can go. The area is tiled so I'm not that fussed about muddy footprints in there.