Dog Doors for Doors

Pet Doors to Install in Doors

The door mount doggie door is what most people think of as a pet door. It's as simple as cutting a hole in the back door and screwing it on to grant your pet access to the yard. Pet door mounts are pet products that are all designed to easily install in flat-surfaced, solid core doors. Hollow-core doors, including metal doors, are no problem if you make sure you've chosen a self-framing dog door or cat door. Self-framing cat doors are perfect for easy installation in an interior door. Getting a cat door for interior doors is also a great way to hide the litter pan or to keep the dog away from the cat food. If you have somewhere else you would like to install, you might find our installation problems page helpful. 

Dog Doors for Doors FAQs

How do I decide which pet door is best for my home?

There are quite a few things to consider including how well the pet door seals, insulation value, appropriate size for the pet, wind resistance, and specific features. Check out the links below for more detailed information. 

How are the expensive pet doors different?

The more expensive pet doors have better insulation, better warranties, better aesthetics, and more durable flaps and parts meaning less maintenance cost in the long run.

What are the best pet doors for extreme weather?

The Patio Pacific Endura Door with the double flap option is one of the highest performing for extreme weather. The Hale models in the double flap version seal well for a flexible vinyl type and are easier to open for timid or weak pets.

Patio Pacific Endura Door	Hale

What if I want to close the door at night, how can I do that?

Most doggie doors (with the exception of kennel use type doors) will come with some way to close when not in use. The more common types are the “slide-in” closing covers, such as with the Endura Flap Pet Doors. A neat feature of the Hale is that they offer a “sideload” option in case there is something above the pet door like a window sill. This way you can actually slide the cover in from the left or the right side.

What is a side load option on dog doors?

A locking cover that slides in through the side of the frame instead of from the top. This avoids the problem of the overhang above the dog door which could interfere with the operation of a locking cover like the Hale.
	Hale: Side Locking Cover Vs. Top Locking Cover

How secure is it?

Most pet doors come with a locking cover and these can be quite sturdy and it is frequently easier for someone to break a window instead of breaking through your pet door to get in. That said, the sad reality is that if someone wants to find a way into your house the pet door is not going to be able to stop them. There are additional locking devices that can help though, especially the Watchdog Security cover.

What are more economy-style doors if I'm not too concerned with insulation?

Some economy-style doors include the Magnador 2 Way Pet Door, the Petsafe Freedom Pet Door, and the Ideal Original or Deluxe Doors.

What size should I buy?

The size of the pet door you need will depend on the size of your pets. You want the top of the flap to sit at least 1 inch above the tallest point of the tallest pet's back. The width of the pet door also needs to be adequate for your pets to comfortably walk through, and the height of the flap should be tall enough that the pet door can be installed low enough for your pets to step through. Watch a video on our Measure Your Pet Guide.

Where can I find the size hole that I need to cut in my door for this pet door?

When browsing for specific pet doors, there will be a Size Chart that will list what we call the “rough cut-out dimension” that is needed to determine the size that needs to be cut in your existing door. You can see an example of a pet door size chart below. However, we really recommend that you hold off on making any cuts in your home's door as pretty much all of them will come with instructions and templates to make the installation easier.

I have a Great Dane and an 8 pound Yorkie. What dog door should I get? 

Hale offers some of the best dog doors that are great for large size and small dog sharing because the flap is easy to push and giant-sized doors are offered. Another option would be to get an electronic dog door so that your 8-pound Yorkie isn't trying to push open a Great Dane-sized flap. You want to make sure that you measure both pets to get the size that comfortably fits both pets. You don't want the step over too high or the flap too low so the big dog is left having to crouch.

I don't have a dog, I have a cat. Which door can I use?

You can use the same generally flexible flap models of smaller dog doors or you can go with the cat doors that have the more rigid or polycarbonate flaps like the Cat-Mate 235 or 221 Large Cat Door. For more options, check out our full selection of doors just for cats. 

What is a 4-way lock?

These locks allow 4 settings and are only available on pet doors with rigid flaps.

In-Only: When the cat comes in, they cannot go back out again. One possible use would be a case where you want the cat in at night. You set the pet door for "in only" in the evening.

Out-Only: When the pet goes out, they cannot come back in again. A possible use for this setting would be a case where you want the pet out during the day. You'd set the flap on "out only" in the morning.

Locked: This setting allows no entry or exit.

Open: This setting allows the pet to go in and out freely in both directions.

Will a pet door installed in my door allow my pet to go in AND out?

Yes, all the doors will allow your pets to enter and exit. However, there are certain door models that will give you control over your pet's ability to go inside only or outside only. These are generally going to be smaller cat doors with the 4-way locking feature or in the larger electronic doors such as the High Tech Power Pet and PetSafe Passport doors.

What do you think is a good simple door for a large cat?

We recommend the Cat-Mate 221 or the Ideal Large Cat Flap.

I need a doggie door that will let the dog out but keep the cats inside, what are my options?

The best way to guarantee the indoor pets stay inside is with an electronic dog door. Larger pets will have two options: 1. PetSafe Smart Door 2. High Tech Power Pet. The prices of these doors do escalate. Both doors require your pet to wear a collar key in order to enter and exit. The Power Pet is the only automatic option, where the flap actually opens up and down. For non-electronic options, the best option to consider is the Endura Flap Pet Door. This is because the larger the flap, the harder it will be for a cat to push. These flaps are made of 2 pieces with side and bottom magnets, thus making them heavier than average. Double flap models are even better. While this is an option to consider, please note it may not guarantee cats cannot use it--often, cats just get scared of it or are too small to push.

I have Bernese Mountain Dogs and Great Danes, is there a pet door specifically for Extra Large Breeds?

The Extra Large version of the Endura Flap is a viable option, at 12"w x 23"h. Also Hale makes a Giant size at 15-1/2"w x 27-1/2"h, as well as custom dimension dog doors if you have very specific needs. There are more economical options, although they tend to be less durable, like the Ideal Super Large Ruff Weather or the PetSafe Freedom. Ultimately, we suggest that you measure them and choose the brand that would be the most suitable. You can find out how to measure your pet accordingly here.

My dog won't push on a flap. Do you have a dog door that would work?

Any of the motorized doggie doors would be good in this situation, as the High Tech Automated Power Pet Door. These actually have flaps that slide up and allow your pet to go through without having to manually push open a flap.

Does it frame out the door itself?

Most all dog and cat doors for door installation will frame out the interior of a cutout, there are a few exceptions, like the Pride or Magnador. We do list the framing range for all the pet doors on the details tabs of the product pages, so just make sure that you double-check the door you are looking at will work for your situation.

What exactly does it mean to be "self-framing"?

A self-framing door means that the pet door has a flange that will go into the cut-out in order to cover it up so that you don't have any of your house door's core exposed. This is one thing that makes installing through a hollow core or foam core door much cleaner. Below is an example of a self-framing door installed:

Do all pet doors have the option of having double flaps?

Not all pet doors have the option of having double flaps. The Endura Flap and Hale pet doors offer this option, along with several others.

What is a double flap pet door?

A double flap has two flaps, usually one on the inside and a second one on the outside of the house. It's a great idea for extreme weather conditions, both hot and cold. For the harshest climates, we suggest the Endura.

I want a double flap door that isn't $300 for my large dog, what would you suggest?

The Petsafe Extreme Weather or Ideal RuffWeather are good economical choices.

Petsafe Extreme Weather	Ruff-Weather

I want a crystal clear flap, which doors can I get?

Hale would be a good choice for more severe weather, although if you were looking for something with a little less insulating capability or are on a budget, the Ideal Ruff Weather, Ideal Original, or the Ideal Deluxe models could work for you.

Hale	Ideal Original	Ideal Deluxe

What is the thickest my door can be before I need a wall mount instead?

Over 2" is generally when pet owners would consider a wall entry pet door. A wall kit provides the same easy access for your pet, allowing them to go potty when needed, so you don't have to let them in and out.

Is the installation easy?

That highly depends on the type of door, surface material, and your handy skills. Please refer to the installation instructions for your specific product in order to help understand the difficulty of the installation. These can usually be found on the product page under the “Installation Instructions” tab. We also provide resources that can help locate an installer for your product.

How do you install a doggie door?

• Measure your pet from feet to shoulder to make sure you have the correct flap size
• Check your installation kit to make sure you have all the parts necessary
• Mark the rough opening on your door according to the template provided
• Cut along your marked lines using the appropriate saw
• Loosely screw the interior and exterior frames on to make sure the pet door will be level
• Once you are sure the pet door is level, securely tighten both frames into your door and add the hole plug to cover each screw head if provided
• Typically, the security cover on pet doors will go on the inside of the home, if you have separate security, install it last

Please note, that each pet door installation will follow these general steps, but each door has its own set of hardware and steps. Most of our pet doors will have their unique installation instructions here on the website, so please check those out!

Can I install it myself?

In short, it depends. If you are handy and comfortable with power tools, yes you can install it yourself. If you are not comfortable with power tools we recommend having someone else do it for you.

What tools are required?

Generally, you will need a drill, level, saw, and screwdriver, but installations vary per model, so you can find the exact tools needed under the "Installation Instructions" tab on the product page of the product you are interested in.

How do I cut it?

In general, you would want to use a Sawzall with the proper blade for cutting the material that the door is made of. It is easier if you make sure to drill the appropriate pilot holes in order to get the blade angled correctly. If you have questions on this it is best to hire a professional.

What doors can they be installed into?

Today nearly every pet door on the market is self-framing though not all and you should remember to check, especially if your door is hollow-core. The self-framing door gives a professional look at the end of the job. It also makes it easy to seal everything in, keeping the moisture out of the inside of the frame and preventing damage to the pet door or the door itself.

It does not matter what material the door is made out of, as long as your door material is sturdy enough to support the installation of the pet door. You will also want to make sure that your door is the appropriate thickness for the pet door you are planning to install.

However, one situation where it does matter is if your door is made out of metal and your pet door you are trying to install is an electronic door. In this case, you may have a problem with the functionality of your pet door. This type of situation would require a wooden frame between the door and the pet door, and the special instructions for installation would help guide you through this process. 

Can I install a doggy door in a door that has panels or an irregular surface?

Pet doors are designed to install on a flat surface, but you can install a dog door in these types of doors. The best way to do this is to straddle the recessed area of one of the panels so that the doggy door sits on the flat area in the middle, on the side, and below the recessed panel. The doggy door frame will cross the recessed area on the top, so you will be left with a gap. The easiest way to fill this gap is to get battens or shims from a local hardware store, and cut them to fit into the gap between the door and the recessed panel. When that gap is mostly filled in, caulk the remaining areas to seal the doggy door to the surface of the people door.

It's best to use a pet door with a flexible flap whenever there's a chance that the surface isn't perfectly flat. The reason is, rigid flaps can easily bind in their frames if there is any misalignment, whereas flexible flaps are more forgiving. Here is a link to some solutions to common installation problems on our site.

Here are a few pictures to give you a better idea of where to place your doggy dog in this situation, or check them out on our website for more detailed information:

Can I install it in a door with panels (french door)?

You can install pet doors in french doors and there are 3 ways. If you have a door with individual glass panes you can use the Hale Custom Dimension door. If you have one complete sheet of glass that is dual-pane or tempered you will have to replace the glass. The new glass unit should have a pre-made opening to install the pet door through (see pet doors for glass here), and this option will require the help of a glass company. The last option would be to get the glass unit with the pet door preinstalled, an example would be the Pet Door Guys Through Glass Doors. This would also require help from a glass company to install and take the measurements.

Can I install a pet door into a garage door?

Yes, a dog door can be installed in a garage door, but it is probably hollow and may be thinner than an ordinary door so we recommend going with one that is self-framing as described above. Although, there are a few issues that arise such as how the flap may hang when the garage door is open as well as the overall safety of your pet in an area where cars may be coming and going. As a result, we don't particularly recommend this option, but a few products that would work include the Endura Flap pet doors as they have significantly more magnet strength to keep the flap in place when the door is raised and doors with rigid flaps like the Cat-Mate 221 or Dog Mate as it won't change shape or warp if it hangs for prolonged periods of time.

Endura Flap	Cat-Mate 221

Does it matter how thick the door is?

Most pet doors accommodate interior and exterior doors up to 1 3/4 - 2 inches thick, but it varies per model. If you have a particularly thin door, then take a look at our Storm Door recommendations. You can find the exact measurements under the "Details" tabs for any of the doors. A great option is the Endura Flap Pet Door for Thin Doors. It installs into doors less than 1-1/8" thick. 

Every self-framing pet door has an adjustment range that indicates the thinnest and the thickest doors it can be installed in. If you go too thin, the pet door is loose and prevents it from fully fitting into the hole in the door, creating more room for moisture and potential damage to the door. If you go too thick, the inside and outside frames do not meet leaving your inside rough cut-out exposed. So it is important to measure the thickness of the material that the pet door will go into beforehand and make sure that figure is inside the range of the pet door you are considering. 

Note that you can always shim out the opening if the door is too thin. Clever work with a router can fix the case where the door is too thick.

How thin can the material I install in be? Can I put it in the kick panel of a screen door?

Nearly every self-framing pet door will fit the “standard” interior door dimension (1 ⅜ “) and the “standard” exterior door dimension (1 ¾”). A few high-end exterior doors now are 2 ¼” and a few pet doors will accommodate that (such as the Endura Flap). Likewise, many pet doors will adjust to quite thin dimensions. Several cat doors start at zero!

For your screen door kick panel, the ideal adjustment range would go to zero since your metal might be a little less than 1/16”. If you need to, of course, you can use thin shims around the hole you cut to get the necessary thickness. Be sure you leave enough door framing top and bottom for the strength of the door.

What doors can I get that come in colors?

The Hale and Pride brands offer dog doors in a few different colors, such as bronze, white, satin, tan. In addition to those in the Pride they also offer black and adobe.

Are any of these pet doors fire-rated or okay to use on my fire door?

No, pet doors are not fire rated but can be installed into a fire door so long as you can cut a hole in that door. Please consult your insurance agency before installing a pet door into a fire door.

I would like a cat door for indoor use for a litter box going into the closet, doesn't need a flap so what would you recommend?

Do you have a cat door for interior doors?

The Cat-Mate 234, 235, or the larger 221 models can be used for inside applications and are a perfect choice if you are trying to hide a litter pan behind closed doors. 

Are there electronic cat doors for garage doors?

Yes, It depends on the thickness of your garage door. Aluminum garage doors require a cat door that can mount to a thin surface. If your garage door is wooden, it will require a cat flap that can accommodate its thickness. One brand for aluminum garage doors is Cat Mate. You will want to read about each pet door's features and mounting requirements to determine which one is best for your home.

Do you sell Aluminum Pet Storm Door?

Yes, we have three pet door options for the Glass and Vent Storm Doors. They are the energy-efficient Endura Flap Pet Door, vinyl flap PetSafe Freedom Door and acrylic flap DogMate Pet Door.

Do you have doors with aluminum frames?

Yes, Patio Pacific, PetSafe Freedom, Pride, Hale, Gun Dog House door, and Mason Company Pickwick offer aluminum frames. Click here to see a nice comparison chart of all of these products in one table.

What pet doors can I use for my thin storm door?

We highly recommend the high-quality Patio Pacific Endura Flap for a storm door, one of the bestseller pet doors, as it can frame down to ½” in the single flap version. If insulation and energy efficiency isn't a concern or you need it to go just a bit thinner, then we recommend the PetSafe brand in the Freedom or Plastic versions. For other options or cat doors for storm doors, you can find them on our Pet Doors for Storm Doors page.

Do you have a storm door with a large dog door available?

Yes, we have the Glass and Vent Storm Door with Endura Flap Pet Door pre-installed.

Patio Pacific Endura Flap	Freedom	Plastic

What if I need a specific size door that will fit in an existing hole or specific area?

In this situation, we would recommend Hale Custom Dimension Pet Door for Doors because with a custom dimension door it makes it easier to fit an existing hole rather than making your existing hole fit different sizes of a pet door.

Where can I find a hole plug for my Endura Flap pet door?

Please look at the Replacement Flaps and Parts tab or type 19PPCKIT in the Search field at the top of the page.