High Tech Pet Doors – What To Look for and What to Avoid in Electronic Dog and Cat Doors

Pets Articles | February 9, 2011

Pet Doors are becoming more and more popular with pet owners today. Accordingly, pet companies are offering a plethora of dog and cat doors, from a simple cut out with a rubber flap to the highest technological electronic doors imaginable. When you’re ready to spend big bucks on the high-end electronic doors, you don’t want to be disappointed with the workmanship of the door. This article will give you information you need, to make an informed decision before making your purchase.

Electronic pet doors are produced by many companies that all claim to have the best product on the market. They are made to install just about anywhere, within another door, cut into a wall, a window, alongside a sliding glass patio door, and even within a screen door. Electronic pet doors can be costly but they have many advantages over conventional pet doors, especially if you know what to look for when purchasing one. Let’s break down each element to see what you should look for and what you should avoid.

The first feature of a pet door that makes it popular with buyers is keeping unwanted pet friends out of your house. There are many pet doors on the market that at first glance look like they will fill this bill but don’t always deliver. Most fall short in the area of not having any sort of locking feature going from inside to outside. You ask, why would I need a locking feature going from inside to outside? When my pet is in, there would be no feasible reason why I would need the door to be locked from inside out. Actually, there are 2 very good reasons. First and foremost, you don’t want an intruder to be able to open the door from the outside, simply by pulling it towards him and crawling in. Secondly, if you have raccoons in the area, you probably already know that these creatures are clever beyond imagination. Most of them won’t take long to learn that they can do the same thing as the intruder. A little experimentation by these astute little creatures will quickly reward them with a free meal. When choosing electronic doors, make sure that they have the capability to automatically lock both ways when the door is in the down position and that the lock will automatically release when the pet wants to go out again. Some have the feature to manually lock both ways but in order for the pet to go outside, have to be manually unlocked..

The second feature to look at in an electronic pet door is the way in which the electronics are handled. Some work via a chip implanted under the pet’s skin, others work via a pet collar, still others via a magnet attached to the existing pet collar. Many doors, especially the magnet type, have electronics that simply unlock a flap that the pet then walks through. Others are motor driven and actually raise up into the top of the door panel, lowering once the pet is through the opening. These doors are preferable in that they are more secure against intruders. Some are designed with very strong lexan that is actually so tough as to be bullet proof. Some are designed with a deadbolt locking system. Doors of this type are virtually intruder and raccoon proof.

The third thing that you’re looking for, especially for those who live in a cold climate, is the weather seal of the door. One of the biggest complaints of electronic door owners is that they are flimsy and not insulated sufficiently against cold weather. There are doors all over the spectrum in this area, from the ones that let in drafts like a broken window, to some that are so tightly sealed as to keep out ants and other small insects, so when buying your door, make sure that it has a good environmental seal.

The last thing you’re looking for is eye appeal. When making a major purchase such as this, you want your door to be attractive to look at, especially if it’s located in a place that is fairly visible. If you don’t like looking at your door, you won’t be satisfied with even the best built electronic door.

If you follow these few simple guidelines when purchasing your electronic pet doors, chances are, you will have made a purchase that will make your life easier, your pet happier

, and satisfy you for years to come.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marilou is an article contributor and reviewer of High Tech Pet Products. As a pet lover, she employs several hours a day researching the multitude of pet products on the market to provide commentary on what to look for when purchasing pet doors, pet fences, trainers, bark control devices and other pet accessories.