Doggie Door

[AliandShooter]

So my dog is potty trained, but we recently had a job change although I only work 3 days a week I work 12 hour shifts. I don't have anyone who can let my dog out and its just harsh to have him hold it that long so Im considering getting a doggie door. Does anyone have any experience with this? I should also add he's 65 pounds

[Nancy & Echo]

I have a mini, so maybe that makes a difference? Since sometimes I work at night, I put 2 potty pads in the kitchen (which makes it much easier to clean). I think Echo sleeps most of the time when I'm gone. I have a doggy door, but neighbors complained Echo would get outside and bark or howl. (She will go out of the doggy door but not in.) I wouldn't want to pay whatever anyone would charge to come to my house and let her out at 2am.

Everyone needs to use the system that works best for them in their circumstances, and everyone's circumstances are different. Just look at all the risks and benefits and possibilities that you can foresee.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

You are so right that different things work for different people and when circumstances change, they and the dogs have to figure out something new. 

Our dogs also will bark when they go outside - but they are barking in response to the neighbors' dogs who are left outside 24/7 and bark all the time.  We are home at night and if they bark, we shut outside access. Our Springer Spaniel had separation anxiety and if he was left alone barked and howled in his worry.  It made us so sad.  We were able to adjust so that he wasn't ever left alone (either with our other dogs or a kid), but it was really hard.

I wonder if you work with Echo to come back through the dog door is she'll learn to come back in.  We used treats, but we've had multiple dogs for so long and we stagger getting them so the older ones teach the newer ones pretty quickly.

[Christine]

Hi,

You have had some great advice.  I also agree that I would not feel comfortable with having my dog go at will outside with no one around.  We have a doggy door, but only use it when we are home with her and it is nice out....no cold air coming in! Lol. It is in the screen of our sliding door.  (As a side note, a big raccoon came knocking at our sliders the other day, and we all thought. Thank God the doggie door was shut! This guy wanted in! Lol)

I have a mini golden doodle that uses potty pads when needed.  99% of the time she goes outside, but she maintained the ability to use the pads when needed.  I find it very easy and convenient in the rare event I am gone for a long time, but she is not a huge dog weighing only 20 lbs.  

Good luck!
Christine & Nala

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I have doggie doors in two homes. One with a yard that is more of a courtyard with 8 ft CBS Block walls surrounding it and the only grass is what is between the flagstone pavers.  The rest is raised flower beds. The gates are locked so no trespassers at all and it is in a gated community so very little traffic. We have taken every precaution and being as that house is all tile, the little bit of dirt or leaves they bring in is minimal and easy to clean.  I love having the peace of mind of knowing they can come and go as they need. That if I do get caught somewhere for an extra hour or so, they are not home uncomfortable.

Yes, they bark at noises and run out and chase birds, but where in this world can one live in a neighborhood with people around you where dogs don't bark?  It only happens when they hear strange noises within their range and that is one of the reason I got dogs. Security and early warning of outside dangers.  They are both 65 pd dogs, and their bark easily scares off any trespassers. I'd like to see someone try to get them out over an eight foot wall.  Anyway, they mostly just go out to go potty and come right back in. Especially in the summer. (Arizona).

The second house is a totally different story, large yard, lots of dirt, electrified fence to keep them in and all other life out, be it deer, elk, raccoons, javalina, other dogs, etc. Again they bark, not excessively, at all life and movement around them, they eat apples and fruit that has fallen off trees, they love finding sticks and chasing each other around the land and generally just being dogs. All this while we are home and watchful. We do close the doggie door when we leave this house, or late at night, due to all the wild life surrounding us so they don't run out barking in the middle of the night and little critters don't try to get in.  It is very possible to have a doggie door and your dogs be safe. My two have made it to the ripe ages of 10 and 8 without incidence and I feel it would just be cruel to keep them locked in all day, even with indoor potty spots. They are a lot less bored having access to the outdoors and they get much more exercise this way. I am not an overly protective dog owner, I guess, not that feeling uncomfortable with having a doggie door makes you one, but I feel have enough common sense to facilitate a doggie door safely.  It's all up to what your surroundings and home are like and your comfort level as well as knowing your dog/s well. 

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I agree that your home in AZ sounds safer than most... but to be devil's advocate there's still the risk of a rattlesnake or something sneaking in and biting one of your dogs when you're not there.  Of course that can happen while you're home too but if you're away then there's no way for you to get them help in time.

I guess like you said you are just less paranoid than some, but I'd never be comfortable with leaving my dog home alone with access to the outside. 

Our home is more like your 2nd (though it's just a suburban back yard, won't have a fence until Spring 2020 anyway) and there are way too many things for my dog to get into for me to ever leave her there alone when I'm not home.  If we had something like your first house then it would certainly be more tempting but I still don't think I would do it.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I am so glad you mentioned rattlesnakes. DRC has heard of several cases where there was a poisonous snake on a back porch, or on property where the dog was allowed to run loose. I personally couldn't live anywhere where a rattlesnake on the patio would be a possibility, but for those who do, letting dogs go in and out of the house alone with nobody home could be a death sentence. 

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Yeah my DH's parents spend their Winters in AZ... one time they came back from Canada to find a rattlesnake IN their barbecue in AZ.  Scary.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Beyond scary, lol. I can't even look at a picture of one. Opening the barbeque to find that inside would put me in a cardiac unit. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

But the thief/snake/ wildlife problem can happen whether you have a dog door or not when you live in an area less citified. Even parts of my urban town are rural enough. But once an owner assesses their area, their yard and addresses their particular issues with habitat, fence, dog, it isn’t an issue of diligent owner vs careless owner.  As good loving owners we all take care of our pups as best as we can in keeping them safe and happy. As for me, I love my dog door and being able to have one would be very high on my list should we move. I get really, really tired of leash potty walking my boys when we travel— talk about some unsafe conditions! times three. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I do not at all mean to suggest that people who use dog doors are carelss owners. It's not something I would feel comfortable with, although if my situation was different (no possibility of digging out, no mud, not living on a corner lot, etc) it might be. But I am also NEVER away from the house more than 3 hours, so it's just a non-issue.

The pottying on leash issue is actually made better by going outside with your dogs. Even though I have a fenced yard, Jasper is usually on a leash in the yard, so that I can stop him from some of the less endearing puppy behaviors, like digging, eating things he shouldn't etc. There are times (like before bed) when I leash walk him inside the yard for his last potty of the evening, because otherwise he thinks it's playtime, and I am not playing in the dark at 11 pm, lol. Going out on the leash signifies to him that we are out there for potty only. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I know you didn't imply that - but I wanted to address it in general.  The use of dog doors needs to be supervised itself and some people don't do that, which IS careless. We have had our catastrophes and scares while using one but I think we have finally become pros.  E-fences scare me to death so I get your reluctance regarding a dog door. 

If I had to potty walk my dog on-lease EVERY time he needed to go out, I would most definitely have only ONE dog. :-}    If I lived in the snow, like so many of you do, and needed to clean snow and slush off them each and every time, I would have only ONE dog. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I had to potty walk my dogs on leash for 28 years. And I did only have one at a time. Having a fenced yard is such a treat for me.