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OT Dog door for winter.. homemade?

pfarber

Cast Iron
Joined
Jun 11, 2006
Location
Gordon, PA
I am in need of a new dog door for the shop. Store bought ones are $120+ for the size I need.

Anyone have a good idea for a dog door that will seal OK and not cost me over $100?

I had one, but the thick rubber door ripped off the hinge and I cannot repair it.
 
Double-door with a 1-dog-length insulated chamber to help seal out the drafts
 
I don't know how big (or mean!!) your dog is, but keep in mind that it doesn't take much of a hole for a young burglar to get through.

What would be REALLY cool is if you could train the dog to open a remote lock
 
The dog door I have now has an insert that can close the opening when needed. If they want in, they'll get in.... thats what the windows are for
 
The one that I had setup last yr was that vinyl strip stuff like on a walk in cooler or even a constantly traveled overhead outside door - where you just walk through it. The strips are maybe 5" wide and hang loose/together.

The wind WOULD blow them, but it was better'n nothin.

We just added on to that end of the building - so I am wondering what I'm gunna doo now?

As for theives - can you imagine being on your hands and knees shimmying through a tight space and find Marmaduke on the other side? Not sure what that act would take? More balls or stupidity?

BTW - There are TWO of those things that go through the door here - and their both 100#ers. Just in case anyone was git'n any stupid idears?


Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
We've got a Hale Security. They are horribly expensive, but we've had one for 5 yrs without any maintenance. Two flaps secured with magnets seal out everything below a 40 mph direct wind (slide in plexi sheet to solidly block it if needed). Ours is in our living room, don't notice any drafts or anything. But they are insanely expensive, so I'm prob not really helping :D
 
The pet doors that are factory made are WAY overpriced. I bought just the replacement vinyl flap on Ebay for $10, cut the hole, framed the opening and hung the flap with a strip of metal, very easy.
 
pfarber,
I have German Shepards but my dad (RIP) loved his dachshunds. He built a sliding dog door with just a couple pulleys, a rope and a water bottle.
There was a little furring strip on the door they could nudge with their noses to open and the door would close right behind them.

Maybe something like that could work for you.
 
1/8" - 3/16" flexible vinyl sheet, a hinge or two, a few pop rivets, and a magnet. all available from mcmaster-carr if you don't already have them, and they will be there in two days or less. might not look as pretty as the original, but it will work.

jon
 
I have a homemade dog flap in shop been there over 25 years now,it has 1 heavy rubber(think mud flap)then 2 pieces of inner tube type rubber.I also have a sheet of 1/8 alum. for a giloteen type solid door included in the assembley.There is a dog leg (not from the giloteen)on the inside to help with the little draft that does come in.It took awhile to get it right,it has worn into operating very smoothly,I have a dog cemerty here,never less than 3 dogs at a time,inthe corner of shop where door is there is a small pen with another door so as I can allow them into shop or not,this is where their food and water is,nothing stolen 27 years.
thats my story,well part of it.
GW
 
Looks like pvcstrip.com (if they are still in business) is gonna get a call from me on Tuesday.

A strip of that PVC stuff is $10.... the rest is up to me.
 
For security, I have seen dog doors online that use a special collar on the dog that will only open for the dog. As you could imagine, certain areas have problems with racoons and other rascals making intrusions into people's houses. Geez, that's frightening.
 
Only coon I ever had come through the doggy door had much slobber on it and was barely alive. Pretty sure it didn't come through under it's own power.

Now I doo not currently have a doggie door rebuilt after the addition, and rat now I'm thinkin' the timing couldn't'a been any better as there was a small gift brought to the front door a cpl weeks ago that had a white stripe and a somewhat annoying smell to it!

Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
If they get through the fence, past the hounds, in the dog door, up the stairs and into the house, then I deserve it.

Right now its just to convieniant to have them come and go as they please without opening doors every 10 minutes.

I did get the strip of PVC and it looks like it will work fine. Got an 8ft x 12in x 1/8th in strip... should be able to make lot of dog door flaps out of it.
 
We've recently had problems with some young coons coming through the cat door. One night we had three, and had to grab them and throw them out. Seems that at least one revisits on occasion, though my son did shoot him with an airsoft gun the other night. At least that one knows how to go back out the same door.
 








 
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