Dog Door Options

[Nushie]

Hi,

We haven't actually got a dog yet but we are pretty close to it.

I had it set in my mind that we could get a patio dog door like the ones that 'Pig in Mud' make. Thought that would be a great option and seemed to solve all my problems. However our sliding doors are a little odd. First off, they are double sliding doors, which means i have to be able to lock both sides instead of just one. Second and most annoying problem, is that the glass doors are on the outside of fly screen and they actually slide back on the outside of the solid glass ends.

So it means that I can't even use dowel / steel rods in the runners to keep them secured.

This has pretty much shattered all our plans. We were hoping to allow the dog access to the balcony (which is quite big) and put the toilet out there.

Has anyone encountered either of these problems before? We rent and the agents don't want us to drill into the doors to put in pin locks.

Any ideas / suggestions / theories would be great. I would much rather the dog have access to the balcony instead of having a doggie loo in the laundry. But if that is the way it has to be, so be it.

Thanks in advance

[poodlefan]

Have one installed in the glass of one of the sliding doors.

You can always replace the glass.

[moosepup]

Eh, double post.

Edited April 20, 2010 by moosepup

[moosepup]

If you can't make any physical changes to the doors then I don't think there's much you can do. I don't know if I'd be comfortable having my dogs out on the balcony when I wasn't there anyway. What if you end up with a fence jumper?

[WoofnHoof]

I rent what I do is go to a secondhand place with measurements in hand and buy a screen door, cut a dog sized hole in it and replace the existing door with that. A door without a key is usually about $100 max and a new lock is about $15, it's cheaper than replacing glass and heaps easier.

[Nushie]

I don't know if I'd be comfortable having my dogs out on the balcony when I wasn't there anyway. What if you end up with a fence jumper?

You do make a good point. Maybe we are best to have the toilet in the laundry anyway.

The toilet we have bought is a pet loo which will be emptied and cleaned each day so hopfully it shouldnt smell too much. We also have a cat which we clean up after as soon as we know she has gone to the toilet and that doesnt smell.

Edited April 20, 2010 by Nushie

[Burkes]

Well as long as your balcony is safe I reckon these look pretty good.

They are spring loaded doors which slot into your sliding door track and your door butts right up against it and locks in place. In summer you can move it from the glass door track to the screen door track.

http://www.piginmud.com.au/joomla/pet-patio-doors/index.php

[moosepup]

Well as long as your balcony is safe I reckon these look pretty good.

They are spring loaded doors which slot into your sliding door track and your door butts right up against it and locks in place. In summer you can move it from the glass door track to the screen door track.

http://www.piginmud.com.au/joomla/pet-patio-doors/index.php

Nushie already talked about these in her original post and why they weren't suitable. :D