You’ve just settled in for a night of binge-watching your favourite show on the television when your dog goes to the door demanding to be let out. You obliged and 5 minutes later, it wants back in.  If you’re tired of getting up and down or leaving your door ajar to let your pet in or out then you need a pet door.

How to choose a pet door

Modern pet doors come in sizes to suit all dogs and cats and are designed to suit most doors including, wood, glass, sliding and screen doors.  To get the correct size, start by measuring the width of your pet at the hips and the shoulder. The larger measurement of the two is the size to go for and then add an additional 5cm for dogs and 3cm for cats to ensure the correct size. When installing the door, the correct height is 1-2cm below the belly of your pet.

Training your pet to use a pet door

Most pets will quickly learn to use their new door, it’s as easy as placing a few treats on the other side of the door. Nervous pets may initially need the flap on the door taped up till they are confident with moving in and out of it. Use a treat on the other side of the door to encourage your pet to move through it. Remember, plenty of praise and reward will go a long way to making this an enjoyable process for your dog or cat.

To prevent unwanted cats from entering through the door, there are doors available that read the microchip of your cat and will only open when this chip is presented. Some doors feature electromagnetic locking systems where the cat wears a small magnet on its collars and this opens the door for the cat when it comes into range.                   

 How to install a pet door

There are special doors to suit installation in glass doors and windows. These are best installed by a qualified glazier to ensure that the integrity and safety of the glass.

It you are a renter or have a glass sliding door,  a pet patio door insert is a great option. These slip directly into the existing door frame and your sliding door can be locked against it. They are quick and easy to fit and come in colours to that suit most aluminium sliding doors. They can also be used in the sliding screen door track during summer.

For more information about installing pet doors, contact the store on 024862 1175.

© weknowpets 2020