I was recently reading through some of my favorite dog and pet websites and ran across a discussion about electric dog fences. There were basically two different opinions on the subject. Before I get into the discussion let me explain a little more about what an electric dog fence does exactly.
Electric dog fences fall into two basic categories. Those that are considered underground invisible dog fences require an actual copper wire to be buried around the perimeter of the area you wish to use to contain the dog. The other type the of electric or wireless dog fence uses a radio frequency instead of an actual copper wire like the underground dog fence. Both of these types of electric dog fences have the same basic use.
You equip your dog with a collar that will give them a warning when they are approaching their limits. If the dog ignores the warning sounds emitted by the dog collar and gets too close to the boundaries of the electric dog fence then they receive a small shock to stop them in their tracks. Proper use of either of these types of electric dog fences require some training with your dog so they know exactly where they can go.
The big argument of the electric dog fence is because of the electric shock the dog receives if they go to close to the boundaries of the containment area. One opinion is that any negative reinforcement is bad and basically constitutes animal cruelty. The other opinion on the electric dog fence is that with proper training the dog will not endure any pain and will be kept safe by not leaving the safe haven of the yard. I can understand both sides of this argument and realize that there is a give and take with an electric dog fence. If your using an electric dog fence just because your lazy and don't want to train your dog, then this is definitely not the way to contain your dog. If you take the time to properly train your dog and use the electric dog fence as an added tool to keep them from the harms of a busy road then I personally think it's OK. I would much rather my dog got a small shock from the electric dog fence than get hit by a car.
There are plenty of videos out there that show you how to train your dog properly when using an electric dog fence and any new dog owner should view them before ever considering either a wireless dog fence or the underground dog fence. I do agree that negative reinforcement isn't the best way to train your dog but if you use your electric dog fence properly the dog shouldn't experience any shock unless its to save his life. I'll try to cover more on electric dog fences including training and installation in future articles.
Electric Dog Fences Are They Cruel?
Dog Doors And More | Buying A Puppy
Now that spring is here and the weather is getting nice parents will start thinking about buying a puppy for their kids. When buying a puppy there are several things that need to be considered besides what breed and sex to get.
Space- do you have a large enough yard or house for the specific breed of puppy your going to purchase? Every puppy is going to be playful and want to romp around the yard, so you need to make sure there will be plenty of room. Do you need to install a dog door? Is your yard fenced in or will you used an electronic dog fence?
Training- how are you going to train your new puppy? Are you going to take it to obedience classes? Many people opt to train their puppies without the aid of a professional trainer. There are many videos and books available to help you if you should decide to train your puppy at home.
Time- do you have time for a puppy? Raising a puppy can take a lot of time, especially when they are very young. Do you work all day? Will someone be at home to look after the puppy? Perhaps you will decide to utilize a puppy day care center. They are fairly new to the pet world but are quickly becoming popular with pet owners. If you do decide to take your puppy to day care make sure you verify their credentials.
These are just a few of the things you should consider before you purchase a new puppy. Take the time to read up on the individual breed of dog you choose. Some dogs just don’t do well indoors or with children. Caring for a new dog is just like raising a child it takes time and patience
Electric Dog Door
Dog Doors have come along way from the old stick of wood and rubber flap days. Technology has allowed us to create some amazing improvements to the standard dog door. In today's market you can get a dog door for just about any purpose. The newer designs have become less of an eye sore and more convenient than ever.
Today's dog doors come in many different varieties and prices. You can buy a dog door to mount though your wall. They make an electric dog door that opens and closes on its own. There are electronic dog doors with sensors built into them to tell the door when to open and close. These electronic or electric dog doors can be purchased to mount in patio doors, storm doors, walls, and entry doors. The newer patio dog doors are especially nice as they are designed for sliding patio doors without screens. They are made to fit your existing door frame.
In addition to making automatic dog doors the pet industry has also developed automatic sliding patio doors to accommodate our pets. They open and close the sliding doors by themselves, its just amazing what technology has provided. The new plastics have allowed for dog doors to become available in a wide range of colors to match the exterior of your house. It has also allowed for custom designed pet doors that go into windows for your cats. With security being a big concern new technology has brought us high security dog doors as well.
I'll cover some of the more specific aspects of each of these different types of dog doors in posts to follow, so please come back and visit us at Dog Doors and More.
Dog Doors And More | Installing A Pet Door
In my previous post I discuss how to install a dog door in a patio screen. Today I'll cover how to add a dog door to your back door or garage door. The steps are pretty simple but a bit different and will require a little more work than discussed in my other article.
1. Measuring your dog. In order to know how high to place your new dog door you will want to either measure your dogs height or the distance from the floor to your dogs chest. If you choose the first option this will then be the height for the center of your dog door. If you went with option two then this will be the height for the lower edged of your dog door opening. Using a pencil draw a horizontal line on your door at the determined height. Then you will draw a vertical line through the horizontal line using a Square at the location you want to be the center of your opening.
2. Using a template provided with your dog door tape it to the door in the location you want your opening. Make sure to position it according to your measurements , you don't want to cut a hole in the wrong spot and ruin your door. Now trace the inside of the template with your pencil, this will be your guide lines for cutting the opening.
3. Remove your door and lay it across a couple of saw horses. Drill a hole in each of the corners of the guide you have drawn on your door. You can now use a jig saw and cut away the material from the opening. Make sure the blade you use is designed for the type of door material you will be cutting. After you have your opening cut use a hand chisel if necessary to clean up any corner areas.
4. Position the front half of the dog door frame in the proper location and mark any screw holes that need to be pre-drilled. remove the frame and pre-drill the holes.
5. Now all that is left is adding the second half of the dog door frame to the exterior side of the door. Usually the manufacture will provide some sort of sealant or gasket to go around this portion of the door. Install the two halves per the instruction manual provided. Install the flap and make any necessary adjustments to locks, handles or flap locations.
6. Reinstall your door on its hinges and have your pet test out their new dog door.
I just want to remind you that these are just basic installation instructions to give you an idea of what your getting into before you purchase a dog door. Always follow the dog door installation instructions provided by the manufacture. I hope this comes as some help to you and makes your purchasing decision easier.
Dog Doors | Basic Pet Door Screen Installation
With nicer weather coming just around the corner, now is the time to think about installing a dog door for your favorite pet. Many homeowners are are reluctant to install them by themselves but it is a fairly simple process, especially when you install it in your patio door screen. My animals loved it once I gave them the freedom to come and go as they pleased during the summer months. It was also nice not having to get up and let them out into the backyard every time one of them wanted to go out. Once you have a dog door installed you'll be pleasantly surprised how nice they are. Here are some basic instructions for adding a dog door to your own patio screen door.
1. Doggie doors or Cat doors that are made to go into sliding patio screen door are usually installed in one of the the bottom corners of the sliding patio screen door depending on how your door opens.
2. To Prevent you from installing the Doggie Door in the wrong location make sure to mark it using some sort of tape or other material that wont come off. You would hate to cut a hole in the top of the screen instead of the bottom. Trust me this is a stupid mistake you will want to avoid at all costs.
3. Once you have your screen door out place it on the ground or a solid flat surface. You will need to locate a piece of wood slightly larger than the opening you plan on making for the Doggie door to place under the screen door. Make sure to put this under the screen where you previously marked it with tape. Installing the Pet door will require that you do a bit of hammering that is why this board is needed.
4. Your new doggie door or Cat door will usually come in two halves. One half will go behind the screen on top of the wood you placed behind the door. The other piece of the Doggie door will go on top of the screen. Make sure to follow the instructions that came with you specific model of Pet door. Each different model may have specific instructions not covered here. Don’t just throw the instructions to the side and ignore them, you don’t want to ruin your patio door and screen.
5. After you have the new Pet door securely in the place you want it, you can cut away the screen for the opening. Again follow your instruction manual to prevent any accidents.
6. Once the opening has been made, lay the top half of the Dog door onto the the lower half. Most of the time you will use a rubber hammer or mallet to seat the two pieces together. . Now you have to hammer the two halves together with a rubber mallet. Take care as you seat these two pieces together with the mallet that you don’t damage the new door.
7. At this point install any additional hardware such as locks and make sure they are aligned properly. Stand the patio screen door up and verify that your new Doggie door operates properly. Make any necessary corrections to the lock alignment at this time.
8. After having fully tested and you feel that everything is correct, reinstall the patio screen door. Your new Pet door is now ready for use. If your dog or cat is afraid to use the dog door , coax them with treats a couple of times to get them used to it. It may take a while before they fully understand what that the door is there for their use. It took my dog almost a week before he would start using it without assistance or being coaxed by treats.
Dog Doors and More | Welcome
Hi, Welcome to Dog Doors and More !! My name is Scott and I'm a dog lover. This blog is being created to introduce you to many products, suggestions, and ideas to make life easier for both you and your dog. I'll be discussing various topics here about dog doors, dog obedience, dog fences, dog training, and dog grooming. It is possible I'll stray into related topics about other pets but for the most part this blog will be about you and your dog. Again, welcome to Dog Doors and More we hope you enjoy your stay.
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