You may be wondering, "What size dog door do I need?" With so many different dog door sizes on the market, there is no universal size for small, medium, large, or extra large dogs. This video gives you a brief demonstration of how to properly measure your pet for both height and width.
This is how you are going to measure your pet for a pet door. First, you're going to open the door the intended flat width and call your pet through. You can use a normal door too. You don't have to use a sliding glass door. Measure from the ground to the tallest point of your pet's back. Loki here is 23 inches tall. Make sure that your pet can step over the intended height off the ground that the pet door is going to sit. This is six inches, and Loki is fine with that, but his pet door is actually going to be only 5 inches off the ground. Cut the flap size out in a piece of cardboard to be absolutely sure that the size will be correct. The top of the flap should be at least one inch above the top of the back. Higher for very fast or active pets! The lower the step-over height, the better off your pet will be. This is a 10 inch x 19 inch flap. So, with a 5 inch step over plus the 19 inches, the top of the flap will be 24 inches off the ground, which is perfect for Loki, who is 23 inches tall. This cardboard method also works great for cats. This is a 7 inch x 7 inch flap size. You can block the sides of the cardboard in the top with some more cardboard or the help of a partner. This is how you can try before you buy!
Width, height, and step-over height are the three measurements that you need to take in order to determine what size pet door you need. Please note that these measurements work primarily for dogs, as cats are able to fit into spaces much more restricting than dogs.
Width: Measure the widest part of your pet’s body (usually the chest) to determine the width. To ensure that your pet can comfortably fit through the pet door without having to squeeze, add one to two inches of space.
Height: For best practices, the height of the pet door needs to be one to two inches above the tallest part of your pet’s body, which is the top of the shoulders. To determine the height, measure from the ground to the top of the shoulders. Make sure that your pet is standing up straight during the process for the utmost accuracy. Once you have this height, add one to two inches for added space. If you have a hyper, energetic pet, it is recommended to install the flap two inches above the top of the shoulder in order to ensure that they do not scrape their back while running through the flap at a high speed.
Step-Over Height: The step-over is the length between the ground and the bottom of the flap. Most pet doors require a step-over of at least 3” to ensure that the structural integrity of the installation location is not compromised. The step-over should be no more than ⅓ of your pet’s body height. Installing it too high can make it difficult to go through the flap when your dog reaches an older age. So, for example, if your dog is 24” from ground to shoulders, the step-over should be no more than 8”. For homes with pets of varying sizes using the same flap, make sure the step-over height is no bigger than ⅓ of your SMALLEST dog’s height.
In order to test that your measurements are correct, we recommend two methods.
Method 1 - Opening the Door for Width & Step-Over: Open a door as wide as the measurement you've determined for width. Add a replica of a step-over (cardboard works) to the bottom of the door opening. Then call your dog through, making sure that he/she can comfortably pass.
Method 2 - Cardboard Cut-Out: Take a large piece of cardboard and fashion a replica of the pet door measurements, including the width, height, and step-over height. Once you’ve successfully cut out a hole that resembles the flap size, call your pet through the cardboard cut-out. If he/she goes through comfortably, then you know that size will be suitable.
For more information about our cat and dog doors, go to www.petdoors.com or enduraflap.com/
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14 окт 2024
