[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by theporkieyorkie

I can't answer for Yorkiemom1, but I won't ever install a doggie door. The doggie door is there so the dogs can go in and out on their own free will...unattended. I don't want my boys going outside unattended, ever. Too many things can happen to them if they are outside by themselves. Just recently, someone had to rush their dog to the vet bc it got stuck in a snow bank and the dog wasn't there for very long....there are lots of other animals that are bigger than a yorkie and can hurt them....possums, coons, stray cats and dog, hawks...heck, even a bee sting can kill one of these little ones quick. Not to mention that people steal them. I would not want to give my dogs the freedom of going outside like that. Once in a while, I'd leave my sliding glass door open in the summer....but I'd always be right there to watch my pup if he went outside. I never let him out of my eyesight.

My younger dog was a rescue that was found wandering the streets. It took them a month to trap him. I am sure someone left him outside unattended and that's how he was able to run away like that. He's very lucky to be alive.

I have a friend who has a doggie door. It works great for him while he's gone long hours at work, but he has a bigger dog. I am sure there are lots of people who let their dogs out unattended, but I am just too paranoid to do it.

There are people who patrol there fences to check for problems regularly. Also mine is never left home alone so if she is heard going out the doggy door she is watched. There are dogs who have escaped from burning to death because there house caught on fire and they had the doggy door to escape out. No I would never think they are good for dogs small enough to be dinner for a bird to go out into an open back yard but there are cases that it's ok. Even with small dogs it should not be 100% marked as a bad idea because there are exceptions to the rule like a kennel attached to the doggy door that has a top and sides so nothing can get to them.