The Truth about Doggy Doors

Twice over the past few weeks a customer has called to ask how to seal up their doggy door because the cold wind is blowing right through.

There are many more options for doggy doors than what is available at the local big-box and pet stores.

The options available online and at some local pet stores include:

Keyed entry dog doors. Your dog wears an electronic collar that unlocks the doggy door as the pet approaches for entry. These units will help to keep stray pets and wild animals out of your home. There are ways to lock-out the doors so they remain locked.

There are pet doors that install in the door, the wall, a sliding patio door, screen doors and window units in the case of a few cat doors.

There are pet doors that are double-paned to assist in keeping the cold weather out of your home with high quality weather stripping to seal the edges.

 

The "Cadillac" pet door is made by Plexidoor and opens like a saloon-style door with 2 side doors and spring-loaded so it closes automatically.

Cutting a hole into your door or wall and installing the "cheaper" style doggy door may cost you more money over time in lost energy than installing a high quality door from the beginning. As it goes with most things in life, the cheapest price does not add up to the best overall value. The $30 doggy doors could cost you an extra $30/month in energy loss during the extreme cold or hot months. Add that up over a few years and you'll quickly see that the best doors are the real bargain.