How to Choose the Right Size Pet Door

  • Patio Door Installation:
    Conventional pet doors cannot be installed into glass patio doors because the tempered glass of the door panel cannot be cut without shattering.  Patio Pet Doors offer an alternative.  They are made to slide right into your patio door frame and lock into place securely.  Patio Pet Doors have a clear vision panel on the top and a revolving pet panel on the bottom.  They lock right into the frame and offer human passage between the pet door insert and the permanent static glass panel.  This can get a little tight if you install the largest patio pet doors, but it is still a useful passageway.

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  • Your Pets' Needs:
    Each pet is an individual as far as size, age, and agility.

     

  • Pet Door Height::
    There are two measurements to consider when deciding on the height of a door: The height of your dog at his shoulders (so he doesn't have to scrape his back as he pushes through the door) and the height of the step-over that he must make.
       
    •   height of your dog
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    • To measure your dog's height, stand him next to a wall and mark a small mark with your pencil at the height of his tallest point on the back. (In most breeds this is the shoulder area although some wolfhounds and greyhounds have a "roach" that is higher)
       
    •   height of the step-over or "RISE"
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    • To decide on the rise of your door, we need to consider how long your dog's legs are or how agile he is. A young, tall doberman can probably step over a rise 6-9" high with ease. A short, old basset hound might have difficulty with a 3" rise. If there is a setp on either side of the door, the step-up-step-down is also more difficult and the "rise" of the door should be made smaller to compensate.
       
    • To test your pet's step-over height, place a 2x4 or 2x6 in the doorway and call your pet over it to test his ability to get over it with ease (without jumping).

  • Pet Door Width::
    Some dogs are fat, others slender. To measure the width of your dog, swing an interior door not-quite-shut, then ask your dog to come through it slowly. Hold the door so that it opens gently and you can measure the width of the opening as he comes through. Add 1" to that width.

     

  • Determine the Flap Size You Need
  • The door size will be the height of your dog (plus 1") minus the rise height. That is a 24" doberman who can step over a 9" rise will require a door whose flap (or interior meaurement) is:
    25" - 9" = 14" high. The width should be at least his width (per your mesurement) plus 1".

     

  • More than one pet?:
    Measure BOTH pets as above. Use the height of the largest dog (plus 1") for the height of the pet door. Use the Rise dimensions of the shortest dog. Use the width of the widest dog.

    A 24" doberman with a 14" basset who can only step over a 3" rise would look like this:
    25" - 3" = 22" flap height.
    The basset is fatter, so get a flap that is wide enough for him to use with ease.

    Very small and very large pets: If there is a VERY LARGE disparity between the sizes of the pets such as a tiny terrier and a doberman, you may need to mount two different doors. (The weight of the flap may be too much for the tiny dog to push.) You may know this ahead of time and purchase two doors right off the bat, or you may want to try the large dog door and see if the terrier or cat will have the strength and tenacity to push it. Remember, however, that you want your pet to enjoy exiting through the door. Don't make it a chore.

     

  • Choose a Door
    Now look at the available sizes of doors. (You have probably already guessed that there may not be one exactly as you measured.) Choose the door that most closely fits your needs or larger. Do not choose one that is smaller than any measurement recommendation.

     

  • How to Measure for Mounting
    The top of the flap must be placed at least as high as the top of your pet's height measurement (plus 1") Our 24" doberman's door would be mounted with its flap 25" off the floor.

    The mounting height of the patio pet doors is pre-determined. You'll have to choose the one closest to your needs without the flexibility to change that measurement.

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