It’s a typical scene. Your dog starts scratching and whining at the door, so you let him out. Two minutes later, your dog wants to come in. The process is repeated so many times you feel like pulling out your hair. Before you end up bald, consider investing in a dog door.

Dog doors are installed in one of your home doors and allow your pet the freedom of coming and going into your yard at will. To properly use this door you need to have a fenced yard. Your dog can access the yard when they need it, and return to the home without having to interrupt your schedule constantly.

Installing a dog door isn’t difficult with the right tools if you are somewhat handy. If you don’t feel up to the task, have a handyman come out and take care of the job. Once the door is in place you will need to teach your dog how to use it. Introduce your dog to the door by approaching it together and show your pet how the door moves and what kind of noises it makes. For dogs that have never seen a pet door before, it can be a bit intimidating. Let your dog sniff and paw the door if they want to. Open the door so that your pet can see the yard. If you have a helper, let them stand outside and call your dog.

If your dog goes out willingly make sure they get back in just as easily and your job is done. For a reluctant pup you may need to gently push your dog through a few times letting them see that nothing serious will happen and that they get to go outside. You can also bring over a friends dog that knows how to get through a dog door and let them demonstrate. Once your pet has learned how to use the dog door, freedom of movement is achieved.

Dog doors come in a variety of models. The most typical is a simple mechanical door that is sized properly for your pet. Doors can be locked from the inside to prevent intruders from entering, be they human or animal. Another type is electronic. Your dog wears a transmitter on his collar. When your dog approaches the door, the transmitter is recognized by the sensor in the door and the door opens. This keeps all other animals from using the door, a nice feature if you have animals that roam your neighborhood unsupervised.

When combined with proper fencing a dog door can provide both you and your pet with freedom. Knowing that you can leave your dog at home while you work, and not having to worry about accidents if you get caught there late, is quite a relief. Not having to jump up every time your pet wants to go out or come in frees you to do other things around the house. Once you have installed your door, you won’t recall how you got along without it.