Tom
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Has anyone modified their screen door to include a doggie door, or created some sort of insert to provide the function? If so, and photos would be appreciated.
Doggie door
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Boat Bum
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Tom
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Thanks. We have a (more expensive) version of that in the outer wall between our family room and deck at home. Looks like it wouldn't readily work on our RV, because the "solid" part at the bottom of the screen door is too short. Looks like I need to modify the door to be able to insert one of those doggie flaps.
Reinigm
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I was curious. What do you do to keep wild critters out?
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Tom
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If you're talking about at home, the "door" is a double flap and, after 10+ years, nothing but our doggies and pups have used the door. But, when we leave for the summer, the door has a solid plastic piece that slides down over the opening to keep anything from using the door. Same thing we use if we have workers outside our house and need to keep pets inside. See this example:
Tom,
We have something in our antique (nearly) coach that works quite well. Because of the coaches uncommon shape, screen doors that are available are very expensive and difficult to install. So I bought a "Magic Magnetic" screen door and several yard of inch wide Velcro®. I needed a whole door and you don't. You make a door section at the lower edge of your door.
It took the one door we had then about a day to figure out how to work it. When we got her a smaller sister, she followed and watched. We lost the big dog last year and just got the existing a new younger sister so the old dog will have to teach the new dog.
Matt
We have something in our antique (nearly) coach that works quite well. Because of the coaches uncommon shape, screen doors that are available are very expensive and difficult to install. So I bought a "Magic Magnetic" screen door and several yard of inch wide Velcro®. I needed a whole door and you don't. You make a door section at the lower edge of your door.
It took the one door we had then about a day to figure out how to work it. When we got her a smaller sister, she followed and watched. We lost the big dog last year and just got the existing a new younger sister so the old dog will have to teach the new dog.
Matt
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Tom
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Thanks Matt, I forgot about the "Magic Magnetic" option I've seen on someone's coach. I need to stare at our door a while to see how I'd use it.
When we raised pups (4 litters total), it used to be fun to watch a whole litter try to get through the doggie door/flap at the same time.
Sorry about the loss of your 'big' dog. Regrettably, we had to have our youngest (9 year old) euthanized last weekend, thanks to a brain tumor causing seizures. Not fun to watch, and less fun to try to understand how she felt and how she tried to deal with it. When 3 different meds didn't help, we and the vet agreed it was time to put her to sleep. Our remaining dog is the 13 year old Mom.
NY_Dutch
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Our daughter has a pet door that locks until it senses a tag on her dog's collar. I don't know what brand it is though.
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Tom
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That's a great feature.
Deb&RickTX
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Matt_C and Tom, my deepest sympathies on your recent losses. Our oldest left two weeks ago, and left a big hole in our hearts.
A friend has the magnetic screen door in her house. It would work great for a pet flap as long as you don't need to keep outside air out.
A friend has the magnetic screen door in her house. It would work great for a pet flap as long as you don't need to keep outside air out.
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Tom
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Thanks.
Yes, the magnetic screen would merely replace the existing screen door in our RV, so no difference in outside air coming in. Obviously, there would be times when the main door is shut, and we'd take a cue from doggie that we needed to open the door so she could go outside.
chuckbear
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While this is a great idea at your stick and brick, I think it's a bad idea for an RV. Every campground we have been in has a strict leash requirement when your pet is outside. Unless you are boondocking, and even then we would not let out pets just run in and out as they please in a strange place. You might never see them again and your neighbors would probably not be happy. Chuck
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Tom
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We're on our own RV lot which is 100% fenced to prevent pets getting out. So maybe not such a bad idea for us?
Deb&RickTX
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The only caution is to be aware of potential predators. Small dogs that can go out without the owners necessarily knowing can be taken by coyotes, hawks, etc. The greatest danger is at night, or at dawn/dusk.
Gary RV_Wizard
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I fitted a lexan panel in the lower section of my RV screen door [for other reasons]. Basically just cut to size and clamped into place at each corner with little triangular brackets, screwed in place so it was removable. If you did something similar, it should be rigid enough that you could install most any standard pet door. A question, though. Isn't there a substantial step-down on the outer side of the door? Down to the top step? Could the dog negotiate that?
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Tom
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In our case, there's a 7" metal panel below the lower screen panel. The 7" metal panel isn't high enough to accomodate a doggie door, so a lexan panel would necessarily replace the screen panel above it. I doubt our aging dog would be able to jump over that 7" metal panel, through a doggie door, and land safely on the top step. It would need more surgery on the door to reduce that metal panel.
Dick Zeiter
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Going through the door and falling down onto the steps could possibly injure the dog. If you’re on your own property why don’t you make a little platform (porch) that’s the same height as the bottom of the indoor bottom step. The dog could walk comfortably and confidently outside and then go down the steps from the platform which would be like a little mini porch.
It might also help prevent you from falling out the door. I have nearly fallen when going out. I know an older person that was in the hospital awhile after falling while exiting.
It might also help prevent you from falling out the door. I have nearly fallen when going out. I know an older person that was in the hospital awhile after falling while exiting.
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Tom
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Thanks Dick. The metal steps are attached to the coach. That "porch" would prevent us or the dog from getting to the top step, and it would be a long drop to the second step. Several neighbors have constructed a large wooden porch and steps, replacing the attached coach steps. This does essentially the same as what you're suggesting, but it's a project. Also, neighbors need help storing the (heavy) porch/steps at the end of the season and bringing them out again in the Spring.
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