Pet Doors for Bebop

As fall approached, we knew we wanted a doggie door for Bebop. As first-time dog owners, that wasn't obvious at first. We had trained Bebop to ask to go out by ringing a bell at the back door. It's great to see that training work, but there were a few problems with that: - Our ears aren't the best, and we didn't always hear Bebop's gentle ringing. - A missed request can lead to an "accident". - Indulging Bebop's every "unneeded" interest in the outside isn't that much fun.

With all that in mind we started shopping for a doggie door. The electronically controlled doors appealled to the geeky owners, but after reading reviews, we decided on more basic technology. However, we didn't have ideal conditions for placing any door adjacent to our rear patio slider. Eventually we settled on the offering of Pet Door Products. This Salt Lake City company builds a new thermal pane structure within the existing patio door frame. That new window contains a magnetically sealed pet door flap from Endura Flap.

Bebop entering through her new door

Bebop adapted to the new door within 24 hours, and it was a hit for all of us! She takes care of her business whenever she needs. In moderate Fall weather, sometimes she enjoys going out to sun herself on the deck. Whenever one of us goes out the door, if she isn't right with us, in just a few seconds we hear the click-click of her door as she barges through to follow us.

Since I spend a lot of time in the shop, it wasn't long before we were wanting a pet door there, too. In mild weather, I was leaving the door of the shop open for her to come and go between the shop and the house. She knows that her main job is to keep track of each of us, and that allowed her to stay on task. With cold weather though, I'd close the door and she'd be stuck on one side or the other.

The entrance to the shop posed its own challenges. I wasn't going to cut into the fine door that I built in 2008, and adjacent to the door was masonry that would prove to be challenging. Eventually, though, I just went for it, and purchased a through the wall double flap pet door from Endura Flap.

The shop door as installed in 2008. I made the door of cherry and walnut. Details of that project are here.

Interior opening

Exterior opening with new Endura Flap installed

After installing the dog door, it was pretty easy to see that I had a challenge, because I knew that my skill at masonry destruction far outweighed my skill at masonry reconstruction. I was fortunate to find a mason who could do the job for me.

Masonry work completed

This is the work of Shawn at TeschMasonry of Mountain Green, Utah. He made it look like it was meant to be!

Since the door has two flaps, one inside and one outside, it took Bebop a week to adapt to it. But now, she is a pro, and goes in and out to keep track of her people and satisfy her desires. It works for everyone!

It all makes for a happy dog!