How To Measure Your Pet and Choose a Pet Door
Measuring Your Pet For That Right Fit
OPENING WIDTH: a little wider then the widest part of your pet.
OPENING HEIGHT: measure from the top of the shoulders to the chest just behind the front legs.
We recommend the "Cardboard Test" to ensure correct size for your pet. Using the OPENING SIZE measurement in the charts, cut a hole in a piece of cardboard, and see if your pet can pass through easily. Or wedge open a house door the OPENING WIDTH, and block off the OPENING HEIGHT (starting just above your pet's shoulder) and call your pet through. Pets duck their heads as they push open their doggie door or cat door and step through it, so ideally you should install the pet door with the top of the opening just above your pet's shoulder. But any position will do as long as your pet can open the door and get through comfortably.
If you have any questions please feel free to call Pet Access Solutions.
Choosing a Pet Door
Types of Pet Doors
There are many types of dog doors and cat doors on the market today. The four most popular types of mounting methods available are: Door Mount, Wall Mount, Window Mount and Patio Pet Panels. The one you choose will depend on where you want the door installed and/or whether you want a permanent or temporary dog door solution.
- Plexidor Mount Pet Doors: Are the most common type of pet door purchased. Door mounted Pet doors should be considered a permanent addition, as you will need to cut a hole into your door to install this type of pet door. It is important to make sure that the pet door fits your dog properly prior to cutting the hole in your door. Door mount dog doors can be further specialized to fit into the type of door that it is mounted into doors such as glass doors and French doors.
- Plexidor Wall Mount Pet Doors: Are mounted into an exterior facing wall in your house. Wall Mounted dog doors should be considered a permanent addition as it requires you to cut an opening into your house for installation. It is important to make sure that the pet door purchased fits your dog properly prior to cutting the hole into your house. Installing a Wall Mounted Pet Door requires either a professional installer or “handy” person. Please make sure to evaluate the intended wall location for your dog door prior to installation for any electrical, plumbing or ducting that could limit your ability to install the dog door properly.
- Window Mount Pet Doors: Window mounted pet doors are typically used for cats, allowing them to enter and exit the house through a sash window pet door. Most window mount pet doors are temporary, easy to install pet door solutions that do not require cutting holes into walls or doors. However, please read the manufacturer’s description carefully as some of these products are more permanent solutions that involve screwing the door into the window frame.
- Pet Door Design Patio Door: The Pet Door Design insert replaces the glass in the sliding or fixed panel of your patio door. Its unique mounting system is built to exact width, height and thickness of your existing glassunit and requires no special fasteners . The Pet Door Design will allow your patio door to slide, function and lock as originally designed,
- Allow your screen to work normally.
- Maintain your doors built in efficiency. The system comes with new double pane safety glass. Your weather stripping still lines up and seals properly.
- Allow Secondary locks and alarms to work without modification.
- Maintain full unobstructed view.
- Easy to remove. If you sell your home or no longer have a pet, the original glass can be re-installed in minutes.
- One touch opening, the security cover easily removes when in use. Security cover with deadlock adds security and is weather tight when closed.
- National brand pet opening comes in four sizes and features an efficient magnetic closing strip to help prevent drafts. The solid aluminum frame is both durable and attractive.
- Patio Pet Panels: Patio pet panels, also known as sliding glass dog doors or patio door dog doors, are a temporary pet door solutions appropriate for renters or for anyone not wanting to cut a hole into a home’s door or wall. The patio panel pet door is installed on the inside the track of sliding patio doors. It is important to know whether your sliding glass doors are aluminum or vinyl as most patio pet panels will fit only one type of sliding doors but not both. Please make sure to measure the width of the patio panel that you intend on purchasing, and test your home’s sliding glass doors to ensure that the remaining clearance after installation is adequate for human passage.
*Find the minimum width he needs to be comfortable. The flap you purchase must be at least that wide. But there isn't much value in having one wider.
