Doggie Door FAQ (9 Things You Need To Know NOW!!!)

As a pet owner, you are likely familiar with the doggie door. A doggie door is a small, hinged portal in a wall or fence that allows dogs to go in and out without human assistance.

Though they are common, there are some things every pet owner should know about doggie doors before installing one in their home. Here are nine of the most important FAQs about doggie doors!

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Do Dog Doors Let Bugs In?

Certain types of dog doors can allow bugs inside of the home. Ants, and other insects that can crawl, can easily climb up the door to the dog door and slip past it. Flap doors are the most problematic. Because they don’t tightly seal to the rest of the door, there are gaps that bugs can easily crawl through.

Electronic doors have a better chance of keeping bugs outside. When they close, they create a tight seal between themselves and the frame of the dog door. The only time a bug can pass through an electric dog door is when the door is open.

Do Dog Doors Let In Mice?

Similar to rats, mice are also capable of entering the dog door. While they’re smaller, mice are just as good at climbing vertical surfaces. Even if the dog door is high up off of the ground, the mice will likely be able to climb up to its opening and pass through it if it’s a flap door. You may also run the risk of them chewing on the flap door, itself. This can create holes in the door which may allow other pests inside of it as well.

How to Keep Mice from Coming in Dog Door

There are a few things you can do to keep mice from coming in through your dog door. One option is to cover the bottom of both sides with some sticky tape. This will prevent the mice from getting through.

Another option is to put some peppermint oil or camphor oil on a cotton ball and place it inside the door. This will deter the mice from coming in.

Finally, you can switch to an electronic dog door which will only allow your dog to enter and exit.

Can Rats Get Through A Doggie Door?

Rats are surprisingly good climbers. They may be able to climb up the normal door to access the dog door. Like snakes, they can push through a flap with ease. They’ll be able to raid your kitchen and make themselves at home within the walls of your home.

To ward off rats, you can keep a dog monitor on the flap door and a motion sensor. If something comes through the flap, then you’ll know what it is.

The best prevention method is to invest in an electronic dog door. Its solid door will keep rats from entering. The only way they’ll be able to get in through the dog door is if your dog is standing by the door and keeping it open.

Is It Safe To Have A Doggie Door?

It can be safe to have a doggie door provided that you take the right safety measures. Flap doors are the greatest security risk. It’s only a flexible piece of material that separates the outside world from the inside of your home. You can beef up security by including a security alarm and camera that is pointed at the doggie door.

Whenever something uses the door, you can be alerted to it.

If you want to make sure that you’re using the safest dog door, then you may want to invest in an electronic one. The door is durable enough to keep animals and burglars from easily accessing it. They’re also actual doors, instead of transparent material like flap doors, which ensures no one can look inside of your home.

Do Burglars Use Dog Doors?

Burglars can use dog doors in a few different ways. The first is that they can reach inside the dog door to unlock the human door. Flap doors are especially vulnerable to this method. The burglar can stick their arm through the flap and reach up to the lock. Once they unlock the door, they can simply open it and walk into your home.

Another way a burglar uses a dog door is to look inside of your home. Translucent flap doors can allow them an easy view of the interior of your home. They can look around for anything that they think is valuable.

To ward off burglars, you can have a tinted flap installed. This makes it harder for burglars to see inside of your home.

Electronic dog doors also close tightly. The burglar won’t be able to reach through to reach the lock inside of your home.

Can Snakes Come Through Doggie Doors?

Certain snakes may be able to use the dog door to get inside your home. If the dog door is close enough to the ground, a snake can stretch itself and push its way through the flap. Some snakes may be too small to reach the hole or too weak to push through the flap.

Larger snakes can access the home through a dog door using a flap dog door.

Electronic doggie doors can keep snakes outside. The door is an unmovable barrier that will only open when your dog nears it.

Do Coyotes Come Through Doggie Doors?

If the flap door is large enough for a coyote to fit through, then there’s a chance a coyote might come through a dog door in its search for food. Electronic dog doors can keep coyotes out of your home.

Do Other Animals Come In Doggie Doors?

Some animals may attempt to use the doggie door. Raccoons, drawn in by the scent of food, may sneak through it. Stray cats might as well. If the animal is small enough to use the door and smart enough to know how to pass through a flap door, then there’s always a chance they might enter your home.

Animals cannot easily pass through electronic doggie doors. Unless your dog is just standing by the door, keeping it open, the animal will only run into the solid door.

Are Dog Doors Energy-Efficient?

Because dog doors require a hole to be made inside of a door or a wall, they’re placing the insulation of your home at risk. Flap doors are not energy-efficient. They consistently let cool or warm air out of the home. The only way to make flap doors energy-efficient is to put some sort of internal door within the doggie door to block the air from escaping. However, this makes the dog door inoperational.

Electronic dog doors are a bit more energy-efficient. While there may still be some interior air that escapes through the tiny gaps of the door, the actual door, itself, keeps the air from leaving. Electronic doors make a tight seal with the frame of the doggie door. It doesn’t allow air to escape past it. Only when the door is opened can the air pass through outside.

If your dog is just standing by the door, activating the door, then warm or cool air from your home may be leaking out unnecessarily.

Can You Put a Dog Door in A Sliding Glass Door?

Yes. There are many commercial products available for installing a dog door in a sliding glass door, and the installation is much easier than one might think (unlike with an ordinary door or wall).

All that needs to be done is to slide open the glass door, insert the pet door, and then close the sliding door to lock the doggie door in place.