How Do You Fill a Pet Door? (Solved!)

While there are a number of ways to fill up a pet door when you are no longer using it, if you just need a ‘quick fix’ until you replace the door, then there’s an easy way to get this done – by taking advantage of the existing framework.

Measure the dog door, making a note exactly where the existing screws are present, so that you can take two thin sheets of wood and cut them to the same shape. By doing this, you can simply remove the frame and screw these pieces in to create a simple, solid barrier for the opening.

Wood dough will help you to fill in any cracks, or you could use silicone caulk, and the resulting seal should weatherproof it and give you a nice temporary solution until you can properly replace the door.

For the rest of this article, we’re going to answer popular questions on the subject of sealing up a removed dog door and for ‘souping up’ existing ones, just in case you want to upgrade security or insulate them against the weather.

Read on for important information on adding a little DIY to fix or enhance a dog door!

How do you fill a brick wall pet door?

Brick wall pet doors are the easiest to fill in, though you will need to do a bit of measuring and you’ll need masonry tools in order to cut the bricks to properly fill the hole. After that, it’s a simple matter of applying cement, putting the bricks in place, and slowly filling the rows in until you’ve sealed it off.

This won’t require a lot of skill, although if you don’t have tools for cutting the brick then check with your local hardware store and they can likely help with the sizing.

How do you fill a plywood wall dog door?

To fill up a plywood dog door, the easiest way to go about it is to cut a piece of plywood to a very slightly smaller size than the hole. Apply epoxy on thick around the edges and push it into place, checking from both sides that you have pushed it in evenly.

Let the epoxy dry, then give it a good sanding, and you can paint right over the spot to make it look as good as new!

Is it better to replace a door when removing the dog door?

Depending on the cost and type of the door where you had the dog door installed, replacement should certainly be considered. Some doors, especially hollow-type doors, become especially vulnerable once you install the dog door in the first place.

While it could certainly be repaired, if someone knows that a dog door was there, they might be able to give it a few swift kicks to destroy the patchwork and gain access to the house. As such, if it’s an outside facing door and not an interior dog-door, replacement is well worth consideration.

How do you replace a sliding door glass pane when you don’t need the dog door anymore?

If you didn’t get a pane with the dog door installed, but rather cut the original pane, then you should simply get a new sliding glass door pane to put into place. You really can’t patch up a glass door so that it will be aesthetically pleasing and properly insulated against the outside.

With a new pane, however, you can simply seal it into place and the sliding glass will be good as new.

How do you block a sliding glass dog door?

If you simply wish to block a sliding glass dog door, the easiest way is to install a lock, but if you want something more permanent then you should either replace the pane or you could simply use a sealant to secure it into place so that it doesn’t not move anymore.

Unfortunately, the caveat of installing a glass door dog door if you haven’t saved the pane is that there is no easy way to simply seal it that is going to be aesthetically pleasing – you’ll have to spring for a new pane instead.

How do you fix a hole in a dog flap door?

One of the easiest ways to seal a hole in a dog-door flap is to simply use thick plastic and adhesive. Cut two squares of plastic and apply adhesive to both, so that you can place each square on both sides of the flap. Leave the flap undisturbed until it dries and you have a basic, serviceable patch.

How do you winterize a pet door?

Winterizing a dog door or a sealing job from a removed dog door is easily done. Silicone caulk is one of the easiest methods, as you can use it to go over any cracks to effectively seal them up to keep out the heat or cold from outside.

Weather stripping is also easy to install and can winterize a dog door or a repair job quite easily and inexpensively.

How do I stop wind from blowing in my dog’s door?

If you are considering sealing up your dog door because too much wind is getting in, a simple workaround that lets you keep the door is the installation of magnets.

By nailing in a metal strip on the base of the dog door and then affixing magnets to the base od the flap with adhesives, you can create a makeshift seal that will help to keep the flap in place when your dog isn’t using it.

How do you secure a dog door from an intruder?

If you are considering sealing your dog door for security reasons, then you might be interested to know that you can purchase alarms for a dog door when it is not in use or even upgrade to a locking microchip door.

Microchip doors are one of the easiest and most effective options. By means of RFID technology, the door can sense when the microchip in your dog’s collar is close and it will unlock the door when they are near. When your dog goes away, the door locks again, making this a great way to help secure the door.

You can also install added security, in the form of cameras or motion sensor lights, and these are also great ways to balance out the security risk that comes with having a doggy door.

How do you keep animals from using a pet door?

 If you are worried about animals using your dog door, rather than sealing it off you could go with options such as an auto-locking microchip door, which will only open when your dog is nearby, or you could go with some more ‘homebrew’ deterrents.

Cinnamon, for instance, helps to keep away snakes, and making sure that you never leave food in the room inside, opposite of the door, can help to keep animals from finding the door in the first place!

Kevin "Ken" Davies

My name is Ken and I’m one of the staff writers at Petloverguy.com. I’ve cared for pets most of my life starting with hamsters, turtles, and snakes. Then moving up to parakeets, guinea pigs, and even ducks.
I currently live with two yorkies and a chihuahua mix.