A dog door sounds like the perfect solution,
right? But are dog doors dangerous? Although a dog door can provide
an enticing level of freedom and convenience for you and your dog, there are
some potential dangers associated with them.
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| Why can't we just let ourselves out? |
Before installing a dog door in your home, be aware of these 4 potential dangers:
Invaders of the furry kind
With most dog doors, there’s nothing to prevent
other animals from discovering this magical portal to your castle and entering
at will. The neighbor’s cat may slink in
to sleep on your furniture, or the local raccoon might decide the fruit bowl on
your kitchen table is irresistible! In Florida, alligators have even crawled
through dog doors! Personally, I can
deal with a cat or a raccoon but an alligator?? No way!
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| It would be great if your dog could let herself outside with a dog door, but is it safe? |
Invaders of the human kind
The real danger isn’t wildlife or the
neighbor’s pet crashing your pad, it’s the human variety that is
the most dangerous. According to FBI crime reports a robbery takes place
approximately every 15 seconds!
Think your dog door is safe from intruders because it’s small-dog size? Not so. Your dog door doesn’t need to be Mastiff- size in order for an intruder to gain access. My neighbor, an elderly woman named Connie, was robbed few years ago. She had a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a dog that weighs about 15 lbs. Apparently, one of the thieves brought a child along on the heist to gain initial entry to the house. The kid slipped through the dog door and unlocked the main door for the real perps to get inside!
Think your dog door is safe from intruders because it’s small-dog size? Not so. Your dog door doesn’t need to be Mastiff- size in order for an intruder to gain access. My neighbor, an elderly woman named Connie, was robbed few years ago. She had a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a dog that weighs about 15 lbs. Apparently, one of the thieves brought a child along on the heist to gain initial entry to the house. The kid slipped through the dog door and unlocked the main door for the real perps to get inside!
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| Is it safe for us to be free to roam the yard while you're at work? |
There are electronic dog doors that open with a collar. They open, close and lock automatically via a battery operated device
on your dog’s collar. Sounds great, but if a dog is anything like mine, as
soon as anyone approached the back door they’d be right there
barking. They’d be inadvertently opening
the dog door for the intruders with their electronic collars!
Danger Beyond The Dog Door
Another consideration
is that if your dog has entry to your yard on his own, is the yard itself
secure? Could your dog jump the fence if
sufficiently motivated? Could someone
from the outside jump the fence and steal your precious pooch right out of your
yard? Although we had a 6 foot concrete
wall around our house, common in the Phoenix area, we never left our dogs in
the yard unattended.
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| I would love to lounge in the yard all day but not if it isn't safe! |
A Danger To Small Children In The Home
The last potential
danger is the scariest of them all. Small children have been known to crawl
through dog doors and get injured, wander off, or worse. In 2008 a 3 year old boy crawled out of a pet door and fell into his family's backyard swimming poor in Ahwatukee, Arizona. Tragically, he did not survive.
Advocates in Florida reported that “ In the last decade there have been at least 100 incidents of small children squeezing through a pet door and incurring an injury. 50% of those occurrences ended in fatalities” They also stated that “A 38 lb baby can easily crawl through an 8 x 11 opening” See KATVs report on dog door safety and potential dangers to children, pets, and your personal property.
Dog doors for big dogs as well as dog doors for small dogs can pose a danger to children. 100 incidences over the course of a decade may sound small, but where child safety is concerned even one incident is too many!
These are all important things to consider if you’re thinking about installing a dog door. Convenience is great, but safety comes first. I’m not a fan of dog doors, and we don’t have one for our two dogs, Icy and Phoebe. The important thing is to do your research and be aware of the potential risks of dog doors and decide whether or not a dog door is right for you.
What are your thoughts, were you aware of all these potential dog door risks? Leave us a comment, we always love to hear from you!
Advocates in Florida reported that “ In the last decade there have been at least 100 incidents of small children squeezing through a pet door and incurring an injury. 50% of those occurrences ended in fatalities” They also stated that “A 38 lb baby can easily crawl through an 8 x 11 opening” See KATVs report on dog door safety and potential dangers to children, pets, and your personal property.
Dog doors for big dogs as well as dog doors for small dogs can pose a danger to children. 100 incidences over the course of a decade may sound small, but where child safety is concerned even one incident is too many!
These are all important things to consider if you’re thinking about installing a dog door. Convenience is great, but safety comes first. I’m not a fan of dog doors, and we don’t have one for our two dogs, Icy and Phoebe. The important thing is to do your research and be aware of the potential risks of dog doors and decide whether or not a dog door is right for you.
What are your thoughts, were you aware of all these potential dog door risks? Leave us a comment, we always love to hear from you!
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