Safety Worries When Buying a Pet Dog Door
If you’re looking for a pet dog door, you should know how that installation can affect the security of your home. Dog doors of the traditional variety, often just a frame under a door or on a wall, are often just plastic flaps. Supposing sturdier materials are used in higher quality flaps, it’s still an extra egress for you to worry about. If you’re seriously thinking about buying a pet dog door, here are some considerations to keep in mind.
Size is crucial. Don’t just get any doggie door, there’s a height to consider. One problem with having big dogs is the corresponding dog door size – if it fits them, it will also fit a smaller person. Whoever can fit in that dog door could be anyone – your child, someone else’s, or a short thief. You wouldn’t want a child stuck there, and possibly injured. Also, if your dog can get in and out, other animals in the neighbourhood can, too – racoons, other dogs, etc. So it pays to determine the right height for your doggie door.
Where to place it. Some dog owners automatically place their dog doors on their front doors, where neighbours and potential thieves can see and assess it. It might be best, safer, to install the pet door on your back door, which often leads to a backyard anyway. Or to any other house door beside your front entrance. The last thing you want is to give thieves a clue on where to start testing entry.
What type you need. Traditional flap-type doors come also in versions where the door is made of harder plastic. Also, there are often lock actions you can select from. You can have the door swing both ways – to the inside and outside, or one side only, or only inside and then gets locked. This one side setting has advantages and disadvantages. It could lock itself out or seal itself in – at least you know your pet is safe, but you’ll be harassed when your dog wants to get out again. An automatic pet dog door is actually a long-term investment in both pet and home safety. Your dog wears a specially equipped collar, one that the door senses when the dog is near; the door, consequently, opens only when the dog is near. Having a doggie door is a great benefit for both owner and pet – you won’t have to worry about accidental potty incidents (should your dog be kept inside the house for too long), and the dog can feel free to come and go as it pleases.