There’s nothing nearly as safe and comforting for household pets as our cozy homes. When nature calls, however, dogs depend on us to get outside. And even the laziest couch potato (animal or human) needs a daily dose of the great outdoors. Having a pet door makes going out easier for everyone.
A pet passageway could be a simple frame having a flap or a high-tech electronic opening. It might be installed in a door, inserted in a slider track or built into a wall. Many are easy to install yourself, while others would be better left for professionals. We’ll go through the possibilities here – and reveal some design-forward options.
Selecting the best Pet Door
A Clever Custom Tunnel
Before we look at several of the standard types of pet doors, here’s a custom pet portal to drool for. This passageway for a couple French bulldogs was part of a renovation inside a 1906 Seattle home. “These funny little French bulldogs are important to our client, so their happiness was considered throughout the design,” says Kit Kollmeyer of Robert Edson Swain Architecture and Design.
The exterior dog door leads to a tunnel below the kitchen’s lower cabinet behind the kitchen counter. The tunnel is carpeted inside, which will help clean paws before dogs enter the kitchen and “is really fun for them,” Kollmeyer says. The top lifts and so the tunnel may be vacuumed.
Installed in a Door
A simple pet door meant to be installed in a home’s exterior door includes a frame of aluminum or plastic and one or two hard or soft flaps that pets pass through. With all the different pet doors, normally, this is the simplest to install yourself.
Consider that plastic can be flimsy and break; flaps and aluminum have a tendency to expand and contract with changing temperatures, eventually becoming warped. Most pet door companies sell replacement flaps.
Models with dual flaps tend to be more energy-efficient; some extreme-weather models utilize three flaps. Some have lock-out panels that could be slid into place for security when the door will not be in use.
Built-In Pet Doors
Some companies sell doors with pet pass-throughs already built in. Larson Storm Doors features a pet door built in as well as a strong pet-resistant screen.
Installed in a Wall
Sometimes a pet door installed in a wall leads exactly where you want your furry friend to stay in your home – as an example, a utility room, kitchen or laundry room. This can be an unobtrusive way to get a pet into and out of your house. It involves cutting an opening in a wall and installing a pet door frame, flap and in some cases a tunnel for deeper walls. Do not attempt this yourself if you don’t have the right tools plus some mad wall-cutting skills. This is a project best taken on by way of a carpenter or trusted handyman.
You can create a pet door through a wall yourself if you’re super handy, but there are major considerations to look out for, for instance what’s behind the walls. “I wouldn’t ever suggest that a homeowner cut into their exterior walls without knowing what they’re doing,” Kollmeyer of Robert Edson Swain says. “All sorts of things are packed into walls, like electrical or plumbing that could certainly ruin someone’s day if they were cut into. Also, any openings in exterior walls need to be well waterproofed so that rain doesn’t leak into the stud bay.”
Electronic Pet Doors
Electronic pet doors allow only pets wearing sensor tags to go into or exit through the door. The door and tags may be programmed to allow pets in and out at certain times during the day, and the door remains locked at other times. Some electronic doors can be set to work with an animal’s microchip. An added bonus: The Humane Society says pet doors with sensors are the best method to keep out raccoons, skunks as well as other unwanted wildlife.
Sliding-Glass Door Panels
Some companies sell panels with built-in pet doors for sliding glass doors. They slide in next to a partially open sliding glass door. Few tools or skills are required for installation. Ensure that there’s a locking mechanism if you intend to leave the panel constantly in place. Some models include weatherstripping that adheres onto the side of the panel.
Doors for Cats
Pet doors really are a no-brainer for dogs, as long as they’re exiting into a safe, enclosed space say for example a backyard. But for health and safety reasons, some discourage the use of pet doors for cats, unless it’s to an enclosed outdoor playhouse, or “catio,”
For those who have an indoor-outdoor cat, do not forget that cats would prefer to travel through doors with hard flaps they are able to see through as opposed to soft flaps that brush against their backs, reported by PetSafe.