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This is the first time I've had a doggy door. It was so helpful in potty training Usher. This is also the first time I've lived in the city. So, that might make a difference, too. I wouldn't have one if he had access to sheep or even to staring at them through the fence. So, I'm just wondering about other's opinions on doggy doors. He has a fenced back yard and I feel better leaving him for 4-6 hours or so if I'm going to a kids birthday party or something- not all kids like dogs. He can be inside and stay cool, it's pretty warm here and let himself out to go potty. I could crate him, but he's good alone in the house now. Just wanted to get some opinions as I'm moving soon and am wondering if I should put in another. Also, if I had 2 dogs would it be more of a problem? Thanks in advance for your advice.

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Dog doors can be great and neat solution for when you leave the dog alone, but there are several potential problems. The dog can pick up bad habits outside like chronic barking, digging, or figuring how to get out of the yard. The dog is also more vulnerable to being teased, picked on, accidentally let out by a meter reader, stolen, or even poisoned. I used to do the dog door/backyard combo with my dogs and it worked fine for the first 3 dogs. Then my sheltie became a nuisance barker when I wasn't home to correct her. This probably led someone to think she'd make good target practice for a paint ball gun. Fortunately, none of the shots hit her but that was the end of her being outside without supervision. And after that experience, I no longer let any of my dogs have free access to the backyard. Two of them would bark too much, which my neighbors don't deserve and with Quinn, I mainly worry he would eat things he shouldn't.

 

It is great for potty training, though it takes the dog a bit longer to learn to hold it when they are used to going out as the need arises.

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We have a dog door that is in our screen door. That way we can close and lock the inner door for security reasons and the dogs can't just come and go whenever they want. During nice weather we will leave the inner door open while we are home so they can go out but that's only when we are here. I would never leave my dogs outside or with access to the outdoors while we aren't home. Too many dangers out there. Plus I don't think that a dog that learns to use the dog door is really housetrained. They know to go out when the urge strikes but they don't know how to hold it if they can't go out immediately.

 

I still use a crate for my 5 year old dog when I'm not home. He loves his crate and jumps in whenever I put on my shoes and tell him 'sorry, you're not going'.

 

I guess I would say a dog door isn't a bad idea but I would put it somewhere that they can only access it when you want them too...like a screen door.

 

Olivia

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I had one for Cheyenne when we lived in town. It was great. So when we moved to the country, we put one in. All the dogs use it. We are way, way out in the sticks. None of the dogs have escape issues. Nor are any of them barkers. Cheyenne barks only if she thinks someone is coming here. (Like an extra loud car down on the road) Skip only barks at night at the wild life. For myself, I couldn't live with out one. Nor would I want to. And with 6 dogs, it is a jewel. If I had a dog that would escape at every opportunity and I was unable to keep him contained, that would be different. I have never lived where I worried about people poisening my dogs. Guess it could happen. And if I am in town, and it takes longer than I thought, I never have to worry. Also when it rains, they can go out and play in it and then I get to come home to a muddy house! :rolleyes: But they would do that any way!

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Also when it rains, they can go out and play in it and then I get to come home to a muddy house! :rolleyes: But they would do that any way!

 

Before I stopped using the dog door when I was away, I had a gate built to keep the dogs in the kitchen to keep the mud and other gunk contained in just that part of the house. :D

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I have a lock on my gate to the back fence, also the doggy door has a partition where you can lock it or leave it open. For example, when I water the back yard- Usher is a hose freak, I need to lock the doggy door to keep him IN. Or else, we have a major mud problem. If I decide to let him water play right before I turn it off, I can lock him OUT until he dries off- no mud. I have seen some remote collars that don't allow any other animals in, for example a possum or a stray cat.

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Guest TheRuffMuttGang
Plus I don't think that a dog that learns to use the dog door is really housetrained. They know to go out when the urge strikes but they don't know how to hold it if they can't go out immediately.

 

Bingo!!

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Doggie-door: No. Not viable for me.

 

I agree with the dog probably really housetrained thing if the dog has always only had a doggie door .... and though they *might* be, if you always use a doogie door, you don't really know do you? So getting a doggie door after housetraining is done would be ok for me for this reason.

 

Also, since it rains here 9mos out of the year, I'd have a mud fest in my house. The DH already hates the dog hair, mud paws would be unacceptable. I currently have a 1/2 shower inside the back door that washes off paws all fall/winter/spring long.

 

Oh yah, and horse manure in my house, because Diesel and Jaida roll in it in the summer fairly regularly. Muddy paw shower doubles as all year long cozy doggie shower/bath.

 

I also don't want them running out greeting the UPS man when they aren't supposed to be.

 

No doggie doors here.

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Plus I don't think that a dog that learns to use the dog door is really housetrained. They know to go out when the urge strikes but they don't know how to hold it if they can't go out immediately.

 

I house trained 2 puppies with a dog door. It did take them longer than my other puppies to realize that sometimes they needed to hold it, but they did eventually figure it out.

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