Pet Doors (for garage)

[JohnnieMo]

I live in Canada, and with winter now here I find that my little rascals (cat and dog) are getting stuck outside in the cold occasionally. In the summer it wasn't a big deal, but now with the temps dropping, I want to ensure they have an escape.

My new garage will be heated, and before I finish the finishing I want to install a weather proof door for the little critters. One is a doxador pup. He will probably be around 30lbs fully grown. The second is a fat cat (probably 12lbs). I would like something they could both use to get into the garage on cold days when we are not home (but they insist on being outside).

I've looked around and have seen lots of options online and in store, but I thought I would inquire with the GJ community. Something like this is what I had in mind. It would be mounted in the wall (2x4 construction), beside the man door.

Here is a picture of the garage.





Here are a couple pics of the little donkeys.





Any advice or experience is appreciated. I don't want to cut a whole in the wall and design a door only to discover the door I buy breaks in the cold or doesn't work for these two.

 

[AirJunky]

We've had the pet doors with the flaps coming into the living area of our home in the past. But got tired of hearing the things open & close every time the dogs went in & out. Plus we had a few wild animals or neighbor pets come in occasionally. Or the wind blowing it open. In the end we bought one of these electronic doors. The dogs each have a magnet on their collar that opens the door for a few seconds. The cats learn how to tailgate in & out behind the dogs. It keeps the other animals & wind out. And it's super quiet. Pretty happy with it. Their not cheap. But the benefits are worth it.

 

[MDSPHOTO]

We used this in-wall unit and have been very happy with it.

http://www.moorepet-petdoors.com/SB72w-p/sb72w.htm

 

[rweaver]

I just installed the one in your pic in garage wall bought from home depot and the black labs and cat love it. Holds closed with high wind no problem don't buy the wall kit you can use some 1/4 rod and nuts and fill the gap between outside/inside with scrap wood or metal.

 

[rburke65]

I'm in Ohio and I just installed the same one as in your picture. These are designed to be installed in a door! I installed mine in a wall as it was replacing an older pet door. According to the Internet the kit that they sell isn't worth the $75 that they charge. I bought some thin plastic sheeting to cut and fill in the area between the inner and the outer halves. The problem is the supplied 1/4-20 Phillip head screws are also made of the door application. I wasn't spending $75 for 8 long screws and the company would not sell me the longer screws, so I cut some 1/4-20 allthreaad and welded some ? 3" extensions on the supplied screws. The tricky part is drilling holes through the wall both straight and level so everything lines up so the screws hit the threaded hole. I bought the BIG unit....16x24". My 2 dogs and the one cat ....and I ....love it. Seals the heat in and the cold out so much better than the old single one. The directions we real ****. Take your time. Good luck!

 

[StupidSheet]

We bought this one for the 'shop cat'. http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/petsafe-big-cat-door-flap-1423273p.html#.VloaDOLwsYo Works great because it has different settings so you can lock the cat/dog in if you want. Say if at night you want to keep the animal in and all you do is turn the knobs and once they come in they are locked in for the night. It can be left unlocked as well.

Only problem is it's starting to get cold now and I've noticed it freeze up slightly once so far this winter. I'm not sure what it will be like when it gets really cold here. I'll try and let you know.