Doggy door and other changes!

[linz06]

I am wondering how many of you use a doggy door, and how many of you use it in cold weather?

I know many of you who know us are probably wondering why we need a doggy door if we have a dog who has her bladder expressed by us....

Well...

For the last couple of years we had been contemplating adding a second dog, but then Layla had her problems and our lives were derailed for awhile as you know! We haven't been actively looking, just keeping our eyes open. We don't want a puppy because we both work full time now and don't have all the extra time needed to train a puppy! We were mostly keeping our eyes open for seniors or special needs dogs who many people aren't willing to take on.

Well yesterday I saw a posting a local rescue made on Facebook for Adopt a Senior Pet Month. There was a picture of two little dogs, a bichon cross and a yorkie cross, who are seniors and best friends, who can not be seperated. They are so adorable and it just spoke to me. Layla is now 6 years old and she could have some companions for her golden years! We could still bring Layla into the city with us during the day for expressing, and the other two could keep each other company at home while we're at work. It just seems perfect!

Well, we got home and filled out an adoption application last night and explained our situation and Layla's situation, and said we hoped we could do a trial and see how well they'd fit into our lives.

Tonight we will go to the foster home and meet them, and we will take Layla for another meeting later, and if that's all good, we can bring them home for a trial. Whether it works for us or not, I hope they find a good home, but I really do hope we're the ones who get to give them a good home!

So back to my original question... we have been seriously thinking about installing a doggy door so that they can go out when they please during the day while we're at work. I have never had one before and I'm not sure how they work exactly and if they'd let a lot of cold air in when it's -40 outside! We would be installing one in the wall if we do go that route, since we just have french doors to the back yard and we can't install there because of the glass.

[Lovetodream88]

Rescueing two older dogs sounds awesome My yorkie is bigger at 16 pounds and we have used a doggy door sense she was a year old. I love the doggy door a lot and am realizing how awesome it really was sense until Callie is completely healed and given the ok to run and jump she cant use hers and I have to take her out on the leash. Ours is a panel in our sliding glass door and some cold air does leak around it some. Most doggy doors that I know of have a little panel that slides over the doggy door to lock and close it which can be done during a time its very cold. If they are very small I would be worried about other animals or birds getting them.

[Britster]

Sounds like an awesome situation! I am so happy for you guys and I am sure Layla will be happy. You guys are such awesome doggy parents - any dogs would be lucky to have you as parents.

As for the doggy door, I wouldn't let a dog out when the people aren't home. That would make me nervous. How tall is your fence, and even so, I'd worry about birds or other things getting in. I haven't had a doggy door in years so I can't remember if cold air came in, etc. We used one for our German Shepherd but kept it closed off when we weren't home.

When I get my own place, I'd love to have a doggy door though for when I am home!

[linz06]

I was worried about it when we're not home too actually. I was hoping someone would say they use it when they're not home and it's totally safe! But that's something we'll need to talk about now. I am not sure how big they are either! I will know more tonight when I meet them.

We may be trying to pad train as well. I really wanted to avoid that this time around, because Layla used to pee on anything on the floor, including rugs. Well, now that Layla is disabled, she NEEDS rugs for traction so they are all over the house!

I think we're going to have to look at this a lot more closely and I have more questions for the foster mom tonight! I know she works the same hours I do, but I also have a commute on either side. I wonder if they normally hold it during the day and just go out before and after.

Hmmmm....

[loveyorks]

I have the panel in the sliding door as well. I live in Quebec and in winter we do feel the cold but it's something that we live with and we manage. However that door is closed during the day when not at home. My yard is doggy proofed but I am too worried about someone getting in the yard and taking the dogs or worst letting them out of the yard.

[yorkiemini]

My dog (4 lbs) loves her doggie door but does not get access to it when I am not around. Worry about hawks and such as well as anyone opening the gate etc. Also I had a cat try to get in the door once and have heard about other critters finding their way in.

[gracielove]

I think doggy doors are great for the most part. It depends on where you live. If you have a really good secure fence that no one can see though it would be better than if you have one that people can see them in the yard. Also make sure that hawks and owls are not a possible problem. You did not say how big the dogs are but I assume they are on the small side.
They do make some very good doggy doors designed to help seal the cold out. Make sure you get a good one. Do you know your neighbors? Will they watch out for them? If they only went out to go potty it would be good but if they stayed out for a while I would be concerned depending on the neighborhood.

[Teresa Ford]

Doggy doors are great. My Yorkies only use their little door when I can keep an eye on them. Lily (the Lab) wears a special thing on her collar to open her big doggy door. But it is locked at night. Both doggy doors are on the screen porch so the dogs can only use them, if the French doors are open and we are home.

[LunasMomma]

Hmmm....Maybe since safety when you're not home is a concern, you could build some kind of smaller fence enclosure (with a roof) that the doggy door leads into?

And bless you for wanting to take in those senior babies I hope that you get them, they'll be so well cared for!

[linz06]

We met the dogs last night and completely fell in love. I HATE that someone treated these babies so badly. Kash, the "bichon" mix (looks very maltese to me and the foster mom!) was so snuggly right off the bat. He didn't care that his foster mom was still there, he was licking our faces and falling asleep in my lap and rolling over for tummy rubs! Izzy, the female yorkie mix, was a little more timid. Their backstory is unknown. Someone left them at a vet's office after hours and they were found and taken to the rescue when nobody claimed them. They were severely matted and in bad shape.

Izzy had been used for breeding, so they may be puppy mill dogs. They thought she had cancer when they first got her because she was so lumpy. They removed her mammary tumors and the results came back and they were okay, not cancerous. She had terrible teeth though. When her foster mom got her, she was feeding her a treat and a molar fell right out into her hand, and it was totally black and neon green. She ended up having all her teeth pulled except three, and she just got done antibiotics for all the infection in her mouth. That poor little girl! She also has cataracts, which I've never dealt with in a dog before, so I'm going to need to do some research. But no wonder she's so timid with humans

Kash is more outgoing and friendly, and he didn't have as many issues other than a matted coat. He did have some bad teeth too, but just the front ones were removed. From his canines back, he's all good and cleaned up now!

I have just fallen so in love with these dogs and knowing their past wants me to give them a good home for the rest of their years. I have requested a trial home visit, either for a day or overnight, and see if Layla is at least accepting of them being in her house.

As for doggy door, we're discussing it still. I think we may try to pad train them instead. Scott is adamant that he can put in a doggy door himself, but he's never done it before, and I don't think the middle of winter is the best time to try cutting a hole in the house. We had problems with Layla peeing on carpets as well, but when she started pad training, her pad was on carpet so I understand how it could have felt the same to her. Maybe it will be different if we keep the pad in the plastic pad tray, so it won't be confused. We also have to figure out how Kash can pee on a pad! I think I've seen her someone said they will wrap a pop bottle or something with the pad so males have something to aim at! We'll have to figure something out!

[linz06]

As for our house and neighborhood, we have about a 4 foot tall chain link fence with privacy slats, but we want to put in about a 5 foot wooden fence one of these days! But we've got what we have for now.

We live in a really small town, less than 1000 people, and we know most people on our street well. Our neighbors on one side are pretty close to us. They have three kids and the mom stays at home all day. The kids always kick or throw toys accidently over our fence, but they never come into our yard. We throw them back when we notice, or if they really want them, they will ring our doorbell and ask if we would grab them and throw them back over. Our house is on a corner lot, and across the street is a senior's home and they are always out and about and keeping an eye on our place too!

Our back deck is surrounded by a 6ft high vinyl privacy fence, so even if someone were to come into our yard, there is no way they could tell that someone isn't also outside with the dogs.

As for birds and other things, I'm trying to look into that now. I've never heard of birds attacking any animals around here, but I'm checking into the types of birds we may have. Kash and Izzy are both probably around 10 lbs, close to the same weight as Layla.

[yorkieusa]

Hi Lindsey,
How kind of you to consider rescuing seniors. If they are not housebroken at all, then I think it would be almost impossible for you to housebreak them when you are not at home with them all of the time. Does the rescue not have anyone in mind to rehome them with that stays home all day? Otherwise, I think they sound like wonderful little dogs.

[linz06]

They are actually totally housebroken. Kash had marked a few times in the foster home when he first got there. Then he was neutered, and either from that or just now knowing his new surroundings, he hasn't marked in weeks. They both cry at the door to go outside to pee.

I thought if they are that good at going outside, it might be best to keep them going outside, which is why we considered the doggy door. But, if they do come live with us, it might not be too hard to get them to pee on a pad while we're at work. Lucky for us, we can make Layla pee anywhere If we get her to pee on a pad in the morning, and then put Kash and Izzy in an x-pen on our tile floor near the back door, with just their kennel and the already-peed-on pee pad, they might catch on to that's where they're supposed to go too. I'm not sure. Either way, accidents on the tile won't be too hard to clean up until they get the hang of it!

[yorkieusa]

That's wonderful news. I was afraid they weren't housebroken at all. Bring 'em on!

[linz06]

They are also crate trained, which is nice! The foster mom keeps them in a little kennel together during the day. At night she said she even leaves the door open, and Izzy will still stay in there all night. We will get an x-pen with enough room for them to get out and play a little bit, but still have the kennel in there for comfort.

They are so attached to each other, the first night they were seperated in different kennels (they were worried because they weren't spayed or neutered yet) they cried and whimpered all night until finally the foster mom opened the kennel doors and let them be together. They cuddled up together and slept in one. Even last night as we were leaving, Izzy was looking at her foster mom and whimpering, and Kash came over and sniffed her ears and licked the top of her head, like it's his responsibility to make sure she's okay. It is the sweetest thing ever. They just love each other so much!