Do you know what your dog is up to when you are not around? Many dogs spend all day lying around waiting for their owner to come home. When you finally walk in the door, your dog is excited to see you and go outside. Although it’s nice to be appreciated, it is important to let your dog work off all of that excess energy. The easiest way to give your dog a bit of freedom while you’re away is to install a sliding glass dog door or screen. Doggie doors are the perfect solution to give your dog access to the outdoors when you can’t be home.
Advantages of Installing a Pet Door?
Convenience for you – Early morning or mid-night potty breaks can really wear on a pet owner’s patience. Not to mention the guilt you feel for leaving Fido home alone while you work late. A sliding glass dog door can provide pet owners a level of convenience that the dog can go potty even when no one’s home to take him out. No more fear that he’ll pee on the carpet and no more guilt that he’s bored all day.
Convenience for your pet – As hard as it can be on you to constantly let your pet out, it can’t be easy on him to hold his bladder waiting for you. Imagine if you had someone telling you when it was time to go to the bathroom. With a pet door, your beloved companion can go to the bathroom whenever he wants. That means fewer accidents and unpleasant surprises.
Exercise and stimulation – Although it’s nice to spend the day inside once in awhile, imagine how bored you’d get if you spent all of your time indoors. If your pet never leaves home or only leaves for walks, he’s probably bored. Boredom is bad for your pet’s health, both mentally and physically. Simply allowing him access to your yard can make a huge change to his world. It may be just a few square feet to you, but the sights, sounds, and smells of the yard are exactly the kinds of stimulation pets need to feel alive.
No more scratching at the door – If you have a dog or cat who scratches at the door or wall, you may notice that those little claws can cause some serious damage over time. Of course, if you had a pet door you could avoid this issue all together.
Energy savings – You might worry that the hole in your glass sliding door will let out too much heat, but modern pet doors use effective weather seals to keep your home temperature steady. And, by not fully opening and closing the door as much, you are very likely to save money on your heating and cooling bills.
What Do I Need To Consider Before Installing A Pet Door?
Pet Size – How large is your pet? Pet doors are designed for a wide variety of pets from the largest Saint Bernard to the smallest chihuahua. Measure your pet’s height to the shoulder and width as their widest point (i.e. shoulders, hips, or waist). The difference between a dog door and a cat door (or cat flap) is really only a matter of size.
Location – Where do you want to install your pet door? A pet door can be installed on virtually any barrier between the interior and exterior of your home, however they tend to be installed on doors and windows. The thin barrier and centralized location works well for most pet owners. They can also easily be installed in glass panels next to the door, a common feature in many entryways.
Security – If you have a small dog or cat, your pet door will probably be too small to worry about security. However, if you have a large dog, the pet door might be big enough to let an adult human through as well. You may also want to consider the wildlife in your area. If you have particularly friendly stray cats or raccoons in your neighborhood, they may attempt to use the pet door. Many pet doors come with a variety of locking features including time-based options or electronic locks keyed to your pet’s collar.
Weather Seal – To keep your home temperature stable, you will want to make sure that you install a pet door with adequate weather sealing. At Glass West, we use Hale pet doors with energy efficient PVC vinyl flaps, nylon pile weather-stripping, and alnico magnets to make sure that the door closes tightly after your pet has passed through. Check with your local glass installation company for more information about pet door options in your area.
