Dog doors are great. They offer convenience and accessibility, but what about that big hole in your door? Some pet owners put their dog doors in an exterior wall of their home, but then what do you do when you decide to remove the dog door? If you have a sliding glass door, patio pet doors allow you to install a dog door in your home without all the hassle.
Patio dog doors give you the convenience of a pet door without having to have a permanent fixture. They are generally more expensive than traditional dog doors, but you won't have to spend the money replacing your front door or repairing a hole in your wall when you're done with one.
You may be thinking that you don't need to invest the money in a dog door for patio, but for some pet owners the convenience is worth the cost. You'll begin to appreciate the investment when you're sitting in your recliner watching the news and your dog lets themselves out to use the bathroom in the backyard.
The Best Patio Pet Door for Dogs
1White Patio Door with Pet Door
by Ideal Pet Products
This white aluminum patio door comes with a safety glass and a soft vinyl door flap. It can fit sliding glass panels 93.75-inches to 96.5-inches tall. The package from Ideal Pet Products offers a nice seal to keep the flap down, and a draft stopper to secure the gap between the panel and sliding glass door.
Installation was quick and stress-free, and no heavy tools were needed. A magnetic strip runs along the bottom of the door that automatically keeps this patio pet door for dogs shut. We were pleased with the door’s aesthetic appearance and functionality as a pet door on our patio. With the correct measurement of the intended space for the panel, we found it quick to install.
The whole process did not even take us half an hour. The dog was happy to find their door to freedom and were quick to learn to use it. The flap seal and insulation kept the draft and critters out; however, it only lasted for a few weeks. Other materials were used instead, and if you are handy with tools you'll no problem with this slight setback.
- Designed To Fit Tall" (Up To...
- The Ideal Choice For Rentals....
- Adjustable Height: 93-3/4" To...
- Medium size 7 x 11-1/4"...
- Patio panel frame color is...
With some minor improvisations, like sealing off air leakage between the sliding and stationary doors, we found the Ideal Pet Products patio dog door to work perfectly for us. Some other pet owners, however, thought that the additional expense and work were something that they didn’t expect from an easy-to-install doggie door.
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2Freedom Patio Panel Pet Door
by PetSafe
This pet door from PetSafe allows dogs easy access through the sliding glass door on the patio. It arrived with detailed instructions and included the necessary hardware for quick and easy installation. This panel dog door features a durable white aluminum frame with tempered glass, weather stripping for a secure seal, and a flexible and tinted flap with magnet closure.
Also included was a latch kit for installing a lock if you choose. Three colors and two adjustable heights are available as well. The three major reasons why this was a good buy for us: it's made of durable materials; its price is reasonable; and it had three colors which made it easy for us to match with existing colors in our home.
Shipping was prompt and the door got to us in perfect condition. The PetSafe Freedom door was also the perfect fit, with strapping that worked. The lock was not that substantial, but similar doors usually didn’t have latches provided. So for us, this was still comparably better than most pet doors we've owned before.
- PERFECT FOR APARTMENTS AND...
- ADJUSTABLE SIZING: The patio...
- DESIGNED FOR LARGE PETS: Flap...
- SECURITY LOCK: The latch kit...
- CONTROLLED ACCESS: Use the...
Meticulously taking the correct measurements of the dog and the existing patio door frame will save you from disappointments. Most customers who were not so pleased with this door generally had the wrong-sized door for their situations. The pet door should have adequate clearance for dogs to pass through. Both the flap opening and riser height must be considered. Those who did not take these matters into consideration, found doors that their dogs didn’t want to use.
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3Fast Fit Patio Dog Door
by Ideal Pet Products
This patio pet door from Ideal Pet Products is made of a tough aluminum frame with tempered safety glass. The frame has an adjustable height from 77 5/8 inches to 96 inches. It is ideal for 8-foot doors. It allows pets to pass through a 5-inch x 7-inch flexible flap. Installation was quick and easy, and there was no assembly required.
It arrived with a draft stopper, lockout slide and security lock to keep unwelcome visitors out. This quick-install pet door was also easy to remove should it be necessary to install it in some other places. We particularly liked the beautiful door’s appearance and quality. Installation of this doggy door was straightforward and took only a few minutes.
Some improvisations were needed, though, on the panel and stripping for a tighter fit and more efficient insulation. The locking device was not really heavy-duty, but this was definitely better than nothing. You may need to buy and install additional securing mechanisms for your Fast Fit Patio Pet Door.
- Designed for ALUMINUM sliding...
- The ideal choice for rentals....
- Adjustable height 77-5/8" to...
- Features a 5 x 7" flexible,...
- Available in two finishes:...
When asking other pet owners, some didn’t find it as easy to install this door, and encountered problems getting a good seal. This was a minor problem, though, which additional stripping solved quite easily. Some others thought that the tall panel moved forward and backward slightly. With additional screws fastening the upper portion of the panel to the frame, this was solved and made the whole panel more stable.
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4PetSafe Freedom Patio Door for Dogs
by PetSafe
This fourth best patio pet door for dogs includes an extra-large panel door with a flap opening size of 13 ¾ inches x 23 ¾ inches. This is perfect for pets weighing from 12 lb-220 lb. It is made with a tough aluminum frame with reinforcing brackets for the corners. It came with detailed instructions and templates for quick and easy installation. The pliable flap is tinted and closes using a magnetic mechanism.
Weather stripping makes everything tight and sealed. A slide-in closing panel controls pet access and can be locked when not in use. Small to large sizes are also available aside from this XL size. The first thing we noticed about this size is that it's gigantic. It's one of the largest dog doors we've seen.
Huge dogs will have no issue passing through the flap. Installation was generally easy, but we did not use the plastic screws provided. Overall, we liked the sturdiness and elegance of the PetSafe Freedom Door, but not the hardware and other items that came with it.
- GIVE YOUR PETS FREEDOM: No...
- SOLID ALUMINUM FRAME: Designed...
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: Includes...
- CONTROL YOUR PETS’ ACCESS:...
- EASY DO-IT-YOURSELF...
This is not a draft-free door, and cold winds will really to pet owners in windy regions. A slight gap or leak could cost a lot of money in energy bills, and so the inefficient gasket seals were the main concern for us. We suggest the use of more durable weather stripping and magnets in future revisions of this patio pet door for dogs.
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5Patio Pacific Thermo Panel 3e Pet Door
by Endura Flap
The whole assembly of this fifth best patio dog door is excellently designed for adding pet doors to existing sliding glass doors or patio panels. A draft stopper further secures gaps.
- HEAVY DUTY ENERGY EFFICIENCY:...
- DESIGNED FOR SLIDING GLASS...
- VERSATILE INSTALLATION:...
- DURABLE AND SECURE: the Endura...
- LIFETIME GUARANTEE: Endura...
This pet door has endured endless abuse from a burly dog but we still expect this to last a long time. Unlike other dog doors, we found this very easy to install, durable, and perfect even for broad-chested and heavier breeds. The door’s sealing magnets could withstand strong mountain winds.
When asking around, some pet owners were unhappy when they took wrong measurements of their existing doors or frames. The panel that arrived didn’t fit like a glove and had caused much disappointment.
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