Opinions on Doggy Doors??

[lovespandp]

Originally Posted by Amazing Yorkies

This is what I do too. My run is covered. Love it!

Keeps my ratty baby safe

[Ellie May]

[quote=Yorkiemom1;4189821]

Originally Posted by Sami_girl

I am thinking about getting one. I have to wait a few months cause Pixi is still too little but I really want to stop using potty pads and have these girls go outside. I have a big gated yard. The fence needs to be repaired which is another reason I have to wait. I will make sure there is no ways out.
What is your opinion of doggy doors? In other words, do you think it is safe to let little dogs like these outside unattended at times?[/QUOTE]


ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, UNQUESTIONABLY NO!!!!
These dogs are a "hot ticket item"....people are willing to try to snatch them from their owners arms, in broad daylight, in crowds of people, in public places....why would anyone let such a hot ticket item be allowed to come and go, unsupervised and left unattended? Would you allow your toddler outside unattended and unsupervised? Small dogs of all breeds, but especially Yorkies, are high dollar quick turn around items....there have been many, many cases of these dogs getting stolen from back yards....
Then there are the predators that can take small dogs...owls, hawks, coyotes, bob cats, snakes....alll these are dangers to your baby....even if you live smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood....and it only takes a second for your baby to be carried off or bitten by a posionous snake. I hate doggie doors and I will not sell my babies to people that have doggie doors.

I'm guessing people are going to be mad at the above. That said, I agree with this point of view. Even taking animal attacks out of it, what about theft? It takes ten seconds to cut fncing with the right tools. Most people do not know if their dogs have a bee allergy. Dogs are smart, but I treat mine as if they are one year old. Thy cannot process danger signals and react accordingly as an adult human can. If I wouldn't let my nephews do it, then I don't ket the dogs. They are supervised. One is a six pound yorkie and the other is a sevnteen pound nonyorkie. There is plenty of dog theft around here anyway.

To each their own. I I don't want to go outside I leash pup, send them out storm door with my hand hooked to leash inside watching through door window.

[Yorkiemom1]

And just food for thought....about thefts.....they steal little digs because they are easier to snatch and bag and get away with them quickly, where they are sold as
"pocket pups, ppurse puppies, etc....but dont think your medium size dogs are safe.....these dogs are stolen and sold to research facilities for pretty good money! I am not sre people are aware of that.....

[lovespandp]

Ya I dont think it is a good ided to allow your little one to be outside unattended.

[Sami_girl]

[quote=Ellie May;4189865]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

I'm guessing people are going to be mad at the above. That said, I agree with this point of view. Even taking animal attacks out of it, what about theft? It takes ten seconds to cut fncing with the right tools. Most people do not know if their dogs have a bee allergy. Dogs are smart, but I treat mine as if they are one year old. Thy cannot process danger signals and react accordingly as an adult human can. If I wouldn't let my nephews do it, then I don't ket the dogs. They are supervised. One is a six pound yorkie and the other is a sevnteen pound nonyorkie. There is plenty of dog theft around here anyway.

To each their own. I I don't want to go outside I leash pup, send them out storm door with my hand hooked to leash inside watching through door window.

[quote=Yorkiemom1;4189821]

Originally Posted by Sami_girl

I am thinking about getting one. I have to wait a few months cause Pixi is still too little but I really want to stop using potty pads and have these girls go outside. I have a big gated yard. The fence needs to be repaired which is another reason I have to wait. I will make sure there is no ways out.
What is your opinion of doggy doors? In other words, do you think it is safe to let little dogs like these outside unattended at times?[/QUOTE]


ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, UNQUESTIONABLY NO!!!!
These dogs are a "hot ticket item"....people are willing to try to snatch them from their owners arms, in broad daylight, in crowds of people, in public places....why would anyone let such a hot ticket item be allowed to come and go, unsupervised and left unattended? Would you allow your toddler outside unattended and unsupervised? Small dogs of all breeds, but especially Yorkies, are high dollar quick turn around items....there have been many, many cases of these dogs getting stolen from back yards....
Then there are the predators that can take small dogs...owls, hawks, coyotes, bob cats, snakes....alll these are dangers to your baby....even if you live smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood....and it only takes a second for your baby to be carried off or bitten by a posionous snake. I hate doggie doors and I will not sell my babies to people that have doggie doors.

Yes, I leave my toddler outside all alone all the time. He's 4 years old. He's old enough right??
By unattended, I meant in my backyard, while I was home, not when we are not home. I was giving it thought and wanted opinions. I guess I got yours, albeit not in the nicest way. I take care of my dogs very well and would not do anything that I feel would put them in harm's way.

[llcornell]

I have a dog door and love it. I work long hours and my dogs will not use a pee pad so it would be horrible to expect them hold it. My dogs are 11 and 16 lbs so they are not tiny but I think even with a smaller dog I would still be comfortable. My yard has a concrete cinderblock wall that is very tall so you cant see in or out. Its beyond secure for dogs. I worry most about bee's or spiders but mine dont hang out outside they pee and go back in. My current foster is the only dog Ive ever had that worries me with the door and its because she spends her whole day outside rolling in the grass her chance of bee or spider bite is greater. I guess it depends on the dog, fencing and neighborhood.

[SWHouston]

I have one, and it's the most convenient thing I've ever had !

I have three, and I would be running back and forth numerous times a day, if they couldn't get out to Potty by themselves.

Beyond my generous recommendation...
One must consider the hazards of allowing his animals outside.
IF you don't have a very secure yard, AND, protection from areal predators, then you'd probably better go out with them.

They can be handy as a pocket, but considered on an individual basis.
One thing people forget to consider is, those Doors can be closed off, if there is some reason to do so.

[Lovetodream88]

Honestly I think saying you don't sell to people with doggy doors is kinda terrible because there are set ups like Lovespandps that would be super safe for a tiny dog. I also think it does depend on the neighborhood, the dog, and such. We don't have coyotes and Callie is to big to be pray for a bird. Most people would probably look at Callie and think shes a mutt anyway but we have dogs on both sides of us that would bark if someone came up to our yard in fact I think every house in our neighborhood has at least one dog and most allow there dogs to run free or have electronic fences so I think in the very slight change someone came here wanting to take a dog there are many much easier to steal then mine. Who is in a very strong fence to high to climb with both gates have a lock on them. But to each there own I know I would NEVER EVER put my dog in danger and love her more then anything or person. She is my life. I also know I check on her if she has been out there longer then two minutes everyone in my house does.

[JasmineNoelle]

I have a doggy door in the den where I spend the day with my girls. When I am not in the den then I just close their doggy door until I get back. My back yard can not be seen from the road or any neighbors. It is chain link fence with three strands of barbed wire at the top. The girls like to spend time on the covered patio in their "chairs" watching the birds feed after they potty. In addition on side has a privacy fence along with the chain link and barbed wire. We have used a doggy dog for years without any injury to the girls. However, I will add, what has worked well for us might not for others.

[FlDebra]

I won't have one here as my yorkies are too small to be out without supervision. Besides the real danger from birds of prey, I also have a pool. We have fire ants, cow killer ants, bees and wasps, rattle snakes, water moccasin, copperheads, hawks, and even eagles. Like others mentioned, our treasured yorkies are targets for lowdown, dirty dog-nappers. There are also more chances for accidents outside -- things like choking on a stick or pine cone or hurting their little legs or back from running, jumping or taking a tumble. Think of them like human toddlers. They need to be watched.

[Marhcarter]

My yorkie is not allowed in the yard off leash and we don't have a fence. What we do have is a deck that is 10+ feet off the ground with a baby gate at the stairs so Huey is confined to that area when outside. This is where he goes to potty and to lay in sunbeams. I would love to have a doggie door for the deck door and it is on our "to do" list...eventually. Right now, we just leave that door partially open so he can get in and out when he wants. Spring and fall, this is OK. Winter and summer, not so much. This door is NEVER open unless we are home, of course, and any doggie door would have to operate along the same rules, because that fool dog will bark at anything in the yard and we must quickly call him back inside when he gets started. So, my opinion of a doggie door is both yea and nea, depending upon the particular circumstances.

[Lisa and Pic]

Personally, doggie doors scare me, unless the pups are going out in something that is totally enclosed.

There is a thread on YT, but I cannot find it, about an awful incident that happened with a doggie door. It made the news and was in El Paso, if I remember correctly. Anyway, even though they had a huge, tall, stone fence around their yard, somehow their neighbor's dog got over the fence and went through their doggie door into their house. The people came home to find their dog had been killed. Very, very sad.

[Lisa and Pic]

I did find the thread I mentioned in the post above. It was from 2009 and such a sad story involving a doggie door.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...yesterday.html

This is the news video.

Family Upset After Dog Is Killed | KTSM News Channel 9 | News, Weather and Sports | El Paso, Las Cruces, Juarez

[MandiesMom]

Originally Posted by Lisa and Pic

I did find the thread I mentioned in the post above. It was from 2009 and such a sad story involving a doggie door.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...yesterday.html

This is the news video.

Family Upset After Dog Is Killed | KTSM News Channel 9 | News, Weather and Sports | El Paso, Las Cruces, Juarez

While I know "flukes" happen in this world and sometimes - just crazy crap is going to happen. This is still super sad and yet another reason not to have one. I'm not against doggie doors (as I originally said), but I think you need to look at a case by case basis and see what is safest.

[gracielove]

Please don't feel judged because some of us may seem over protective to you. Everyone has different circumstances that they have to deal with. It's just that the Humane Society and other animal organizations have been putting out warnings for a couple of years now about how small dog thefts have been on the rise. Many of the backyard fences I have seen are very easy for a thief or animals to enter through but it is very possible to have a security fence that works well.

We have seen so many reports of hawk and coyote attacks! Both can easily get by a fence. If you don't have those kinds of animals in your area then it is not an issue. If no one steals pets in your area then maybe you don't have to worry. I know they make dog doors that can be locked at night to prevent animals from going in or out.

We had a dog door for our Yellow Lab and it is a really convenient thing to have under the right conditions. I wouldn't have one now for any size dog because of where I live. But like I said, it is a wonderful convenience if you have all your bases covered. What is safe for a 15 to 20 pound dog is not necessarily safe for a 3 to 10 pound dog.