How to Install a Doggie Door
07 Aug 2010
Installing a doggie door in your house so that your dog can come in and out without the help of a person is something that benefits both you and your dog. Your dog will be free to go outside in case it wants to play or needs to relieve itself, and you won’t have to interrupt your work, studies, or whatever activity you’re doing because you need to open the door for the dog.
With a doggie door you will not have to get out of bed late at night or early in the morning to put the dog out and that can save you a lot of hassle. Now it is just a matter of deciding how to have the doggie door installed. You can call a professional to come and do the work for you but why would you when it is easy enough to do on your own?.
The Process
If you decide to do the installation yourself, here are a few tips that you can use as a general guide. To get started you first want to determine the door placement, where you are going to have the pet flap situated on the door of your home. You will have to take into account the height of your dog.
You will want the doggie door to be in a place where it will be easy and convenient for your dog to use it. Bigger dogs might require you to adjust the height of the doggie door, and remember that your dog may still grow, depending on its age. The size of your dog is also important to consider because the door will need to be large enough that your dog will not stand a chance of getting stuck in it on their way in or out of the house.
If you can, remove your door from its hinges before installing the doggie door, as you will be able to draw guiding lines and cut it better this way, as well as to place the door horizontally on a surface to make it easier to work on. A hardware store will sell you complete kits of doggy door that will have all the materials you need, including plans, a set of instructions, the doggie door itself, fixtures, hinges, screws, bolts, etc.
Just follow the instructions that come with the set, doing only one stept at a time, and you should be fine; then just put your door back on its hinges and you’re all set.
