Dog doors are plentiful but the type you select will depend on several factors. The size of your pet, the type of doorway you intend to use, the safety in you neighborhood, and more. When you go to look for dog doors, either online or in a store, keep your options open but plan ahead.
For Doors
Designed to be placed within an existing door, these devices require you to make a hole within the door itself. Available with either one or two flaps they can provide a reasonable amount of insulation against the weather. These type of doors are ideal if you have a fenced back yard for your dog to play in while you are out for the day. Your pet can go out to run around, eliminate, or just enjoy the sunshine.
For Walls
Wider than door mounted versions, these can be placed in a wall, as long as you aren’t cutting weight bearing beams to install it. While there aren’t as many sizes available and you want to make sure it can adjust to fit a variety of wall thicknesses, it can be a very practical solution if you don’t have a back door to use. You may need to frame out the wall if the door you choose doesn’t come framed. Use caution if you frame it yourself as electrical lines are lethal.
Sliding Glass Doors
In many homes, the back door is a sliding glass door. Until recently, that meant you had to use the wall if you wanted a dog door. Now you can get a door specifically to fit within the track of a sliding glass door.
This door has the advantage of mobility; if you move, you can take it with you. Careful measurements are important for a good fit, but there are several models available and they can accommodate all but the largest dogs safely.
Another version of this kind of door fits right into the glass itself and requires a glazier to install. These doors are really only suitable for small dogs and cats.
Electronic Doors
These really are the safest of the doors in many respects. The door will only open if it is approached by the animal wearing the right collar. Each door is fitted with an electronic receiver that unlocks when it “hears” the right radio signal. This allows you to keep out other animals or people who might try to break in through the door, while keeping children safely in the confines of the house.
Safety
All doors available have some sort of locking mechanism; either a panel you insert or a latch you can lock. These features allow you to determine when the door is accessible and keep out the weather when needed. These panels are usually designed to slide into place which makes them easy to install and remove.
Dog doors are great accessories. They provide both you and your dog with a greater degree of mobility and freedom. For a dog that has never seen a dog door, it may take a little training, but once they realize that they can get outside on their own, they never look back. Now your dog can have the perfect amount of freedom with a dog door and invisible dog fence.
There are two consistent sources of dog barking collars available to you. You can find the collars either online or at a pet store. Some vets and trainers sell the collars as well, but the majority of owners buy them at the first two locations.
If you purchase a collar at a pet store, make sure you have a long talk with the associate that is helping you out. A collar has to be right for your animal or the whole exercise is pointless. The collar should fit snugly without impeding movement or breathing. The functional unit needs to stay where it belongs, over the voice box even when your pet moves around.
The weight range for the particular collar should match your dog, and your dog really should not be near the edge of the specified weight range. An electric collar that is overpowered for your dog will cause unnecessary pain. One that is too weak will be completely ineffective, causing you to give up in frustration.
If you are purchasing online, then make sure you understand the specs completely. Look for adjustability, a good return policy and excellent customer service. Your selection online is usually larger, and you can read reviews on each type of collar by searching the web for a specific model.
A barking collar will only be effective if you work with your dog to control the barking. No dog should wear a training collar for more than a few hours a day, and they should never be used with anxious or fearful dogs. Consider your dog’s personality, his needs, and habits when purchasing, and you should do just fine.
It can be difficult picking the correct dog gate for your home and pet. There are so many choices available, between pet stores, online vendors and specialty outlets, your options seem endless. There are three basic dog gate types, and each is most suitable for specific living situations and pets.
The tension-mounted gate is a product that works on the principle of friction. The attachment sites are spring loaded and therefore press firmly against the doorjamb or wall. This is great if you live in a rental because you don’t have to install anything into the walls. In an ideal situation, the most that remains after you take down the gate is some smudging on the wall. Realistically, if you need a lot of tension so that your pet doesn’t push down the gate, you might dent the walls some. Therefore, this gate is best for lighter, smaller dogs.
The hardware mounted gate uses hardware inserted into the studs in the wall or into the doorjamb. This is a much sturdier gate, and with multiple sets of hardware available from most manufacturers, you can use the same gate all over the house. For a larger dog, this is a good choice. If you eventually remove the hardware, you will need to patch and paint the walls. Additionally, because this gate is more difficult to move, you will want to make sure there is a door incorporated into the design.
The stand-alone gate is just that–an expandable fence that is balanced on four or more long feet that are covered in a non-slip material. This gate is great if you don’t want to touch your walls at all. Depending on the stickiness of the foot material, it can be difficult for your dog to move, but these gates tend to be the shortest, so a dog may opt to jump over them. Additionally, a smart dog will see how you slide the gate to get through and potentially figure out how to do it themselves.
Dogs are wonderful, affectionate and loving, but sometimes they just won’t let you have a moment’s peace. Any dog owner knows that there are just times and places where you don’t want your dog to follow you, either out of a desire for privacy, space or safety. The simplest solution is to install a dog gate.
Dog gates are designed to allow you, the dog owner, an area free of your pet. Whether you choose to use a gate all the time for some areas of your home, or to use a gate to keep your dog safely out of the kitchen when you cook, a gate is a useful tool. Every dog needs to accept some boundaries, and dog gates are a great way to introduce this concept. For nervous dogs picking a gate that can be seen through can reduce the anxiety of being separated physically. For most dogs a simple slat fence is perfect; adaptable and expandable, these gates can span most areas but may need to be hardware mounted for larger spaces. Be sure to make the enclosed area more comfortable if they are gonna be in there for long periods of time. For instance put his elevated dog bowls and his dog bed. That way he can eat, drink and sleep whenever he wants.
Tension mounted gates are best for small areas, and with smaller pets. Tension mounts can damage walls but are easiest to take up and down. Hardware mounted gates are more stable and can cross larger areas, but require permanent changes to the home. Both these gate styles can have swing doors that allow you to go back and forth easily as part of the design. Make sure you measure your space and view your options so you pick the right gate for your needs.
Licking is a comforting behavior that a puppy learns from his mom as she cleaned him and weaned him and most dogs will carry this behavior long into adulthood. Let’s face it, dogs lick things. Sometimes this behavior can become a bit excessive even bordering on compulsive so it is up to us as owners to control this behavior before it becomes damaging. In most dogs a little excessive licking is not a problem to the dog himself, but can annoy you and your guests.
It is important to understand why dog slick in the first place. They lick you because they are trying to show you affection, gain attention and get approval. They will also lick because it has a calming effect that they remember from puppyhood. Other dogs simply lick you because it tastes good. Humans are salty and dogs like the taste. They can also lick out of habit. When they were puppies you thought it was cute and gave them attention for it so now they like to do it and think you like it too. As they grow up people stop thinking it is cute, but the dog is the last to know. Some dogs have a dietary imbalance or other underlying medical condition so always get your Veterinarian involved to rule out medical problems. The worst case lickers do so obcessively and can lick their legs, paws and tails until the fur comes off and sores appear. This is a worst case licking scenario those and these dogs often have severe separation anxiety. Regardless of the level of excessive licking your dog engages in; there are steps you can take to reduce this behavior.
The first step in shaping canine behavior is to never give any type of attention to your dog when he exhibits an unwanted behavior. Often people have reactions to behavior that are negative; however, they still provide attention to the dog and any attention is good attention to most dogs and reinforces the very behavior you wish to eliminate. You can practice getting your dog not to lick you directly from your living room sofa. Simply sit down and wait for him to start licking.
When he licks, do not push him away because he will think it is a game and try again. All you need to do in this instance is calmly and quietly get up and leave the room. While pushing him away is more convenient for you it provides attention. If you walk away and ignore your dog he will eventually learn that his licking makes you leave and when he doesn’t lick you stay. When you come back in the room and sit down you can praise him with a soft pet or a good boy if he does not lick when you sit down. Do not make eye contact with him at this point because it will likely encourage him to lick you again.
If you have a dog of the smaller variety who tends to sit on your lap you will need a different strategy. As you calmly and quietly hold your dog on your lap he might choose to begin licking. In this case you can not simply stand up and leave the room because your dog is on your lap. Instead, quietly pick up your dog and place him on the ground before quietly leaving the room. If your dog is particularly excitable when sitting on your lap you will have to repeat this process many times before it is effective. If done properly he will learn that he does not get to sit on your lap if he licks excitably.
Another trick in discouraging this behavior is to think like a dog. If your dog continues to lick you try channeling your inner puppy and squeal or yelp in pain. Dogs will remember their mothers discouraging snap or growl when they made her yelp in pain and will be less likely to repeat the behavior. Remember, dogs want your approval and love so show them what you do not want by rewarding what you do. Your dog will eventually learn that he is welcome amongst his people when he is not licking them incessantly.
