18 Best Electronic Dog Doors (Reviews Updated 2022)

Best Electronic Dog Doors

Image	Electronic Dog Door	Rating
	1. High Tech Pet Power Pet Electronic Pet Door	99%
	2. PetSafe Wall Entry Pet Door with Telescoping Tunnel	96%
	3. SureFlap Microchip Pet Door	93%
	4. Solo Pet Door Automatic Electronic Dog and Cat Door	89%
	5. PetSafe Electronic SmartDoor	85%

6. Power Pet Electronic Pet Door

Power Pet’s motor-driven doors open under their own power when activated by an ultrasonic collar provided for your pet. The translucent door panel, made of super-strength, bulletproof resin powers upward into its stylish housing. Completely weather-proof with an airtight seal, this extremely reliable product will keep the wind and uninvited animals out of your home.

• Easy to install
• Keeps unwanted visitors out.
• Durable and weatherproof.

7. PERFECT PET The All-Weather Energy Efficient Dog Door

The structural foam molded plastic of the Perfect Pet All-Weather Dog Door makes it energy efficient no matter what your climate. The double vinyl flap creates an air pocket for even more energy efficiency. This product comes with a lockout panel to keep your pet inside when you chose to put it in place.

• Energy efficient in any climate, even extreme cold or heat.
• Lock out Panel can be put in the front or the back of the unit.
• It can be installed in doors or walls.

8. Ideal Pet Products Designer Series Plastic Pet Door with Telescoping Frame

The patented edges of this product’s flexible vinyl edges won’t warp from use or extreme weather. The floating bottom threshold seals each time correctly, and the product has an impact-resistant frame. You won’t have to worry about your pet getting out with the lock-out slide

• Works with most doors, even if they are hollow.
• The frames will adjust to frames from 1 1/4 in to 2 in thick.
• Flaps replaceable through company.

9. BarksBar Original Plastic Dog Door with Aluminum Lining

This door will work for dogs up to 100 lbs. It is durable, has been bite and chew tested, and will keep out unwanted guests. It comes with a removable self-locking slide panel to restrict access when not in use.

• Installation takes less than 25 minutes.
• The soft and flexible heavy duty vinyl flap is easy to use and comfortable for pet.
• This product is well made and a great value.

10. Plexidor Weatherproof Dog Doors

This product has large dimensions for bigger dogs with overall dimensions of 16 1/2 inches wide by 20 1/2 inches tall. This versatile door can be installed in stud, brick, block, or concrete walls up to 12 inches thick. The saloon-style doors are durable, shatter resistant, and are an energy-efficient product.

• This product is proudly American made.
• The PlexiDor comes in a variety of sizes.
• It comes in white, bronze, and stainless aluminum.

11. Dog Mate Large Dog Doors

This product is a sturdy product made for large pets. It’s well insulated and works well with pets who like to go in and out a lot. The thick plastic flap seals well to keep the weather out.

• Comes with a three year warranty.
• Works best with doors that are thick.
• Robust and long lasting product.

12. Best Dog Door eXtreme Performance Dog Doors

A perfect door for your dog to get fresh air when it wants to go outside. The aluminum alloy frame lasts longer than plastic doors. The weatherproof magnet flaps close securely for energy efficiency, and a security panel can be locked in place to keep unwanted visitors out.

• The flaps are thick and rigid.
• The door is very sturdy and works great with big dogs.
• Easy to install.

13. Endura Flap Double Flap Wall Mount Pet Door

The wall mount door is designed to withstand heavy winds with its three-sided adjustable power magnets holding the flap shut. This award-winning single flap door keeps out winter cold and summer heat for energy efficiency. The secure clip lock keeps your pet in when you don’t want it outside, and prevents unwanted visitors from coming in.

• The aluminum frame doesn’t rust.
• Comes with everything needed to set up the door: aluminum tunnel, frame, and flap, single or double depending on what is wanted.
• Company has excellent customer service.

14. Freedom Pet Pass Insulated Dog Door for Doors

This airtight and weatherproofing provided by DoubleMag technology that makes this a draft-free dog door. Proven to keep out extreme weather with insulated flap that keeps your home comfortable. The locking clear acrylic security panel is easy to use.

• This door product continues to work for years after purchase.
• This door is good for cats or dogs.
• The magnet-to-magnet seals around the flap making this door airtight.

15. Gun Dog House Door

This heavy-duty product is made with a die-cast aluminum frame and a 1/4 inch acrylic door. This product is built to last and backed by a ten-year warranty. This energy-efficient product can withstand whatever the elements throw at it.

• Comes in many sizes for small or large pets.
• Chew and scratch proof.
• Double hinged springs on door to make sure it shuts properly after pet has passed through.

16. Revival Animal Health Dog Door

The Magnador Two-Way Pet Door has a heavy-duty magnet that keeps the door secured with 30 to 40 times more strength than standard magnet door. The close fit frame keeps out bugs, critters, and debris. The door is made of chew resistant high-impact polystyrene that is durable enough to withstand heavy use.

• Comes in bronze or white.
• The product is sturdy and long lasting.
• The door is tough enough to take a lot of use from big dogs.

17. Trixie Pet Products 2-Way Locking Dog Door

The two-way locking door is suitable for medium to large dogs. The silent action transparent door flap is attached to a durable plastic frame with a metal bar base. A removable metal panel keeps out unwanted visitors and pests.

• Will work with metal or wood doors, even in mobile homes.
• The door will work with a screen door, depending on the door type.
• The door is well made and reasonably priced.

18. OWNPETS Pet Screen Door

This self-closing and lockable door with a built-in magnet will close automatically when your dog comes and goes. The doors are made of high-quality ABS material for a long-lasting product. The door can be locked to keep your pet inside when you don’t want it to go out.

• Easy to install.
• Works well with screen doors.
• Fits pets large and small.

Electronic Dog Door Buying Guide

Knowing what you need to consider before buying a dog door is important. There are a lot of things to keep in mind when it comes to buying an electronic dog door. There are a lot of factors that go into it. You have to worry about installation, as well as getting the right size for your dog. Some dog doors are labeled as large, giving the impression that they are intended for large dogs, when actually they won’t fit anything over 100 pounds. You have to become informed on the electronic dog door market if you want to get the perfect door for your dog.

Of course there are other considerations as well; including what type of technology is used to open the door. You want to allow your dog to get in and out when they want to, but you also want some level of control, and you especially want security to keep other animals from getting in. These are all things that we will be covering in this buying guide. This buying guide will be able to show you everything that you need to know when it comes to buying a dog door, and help you with all of the various factors that you need to weigh. Just like cooling pads for dogs, cooling vests for dogs or a dog ramp for older or disabled dogs, you want something that fit your dog perfectly, almost as if it were made for him or her. Let’s look at all the factors that you need to consider.

Benefits of Electronic Doggie Doors

There are definitely some benefits to electronic dog doors. Just like a GPS tracker for dogs and dog activity monitors allow you to keep tabs on how much your dog is exercising, electronic dog doors are useful tool to make sure your dog is healthy as well. If you have a fenced in yard, you don’t have to take your dog out for a walk with the pooper scooper and poop bag in hand to allow your dog to go to the bathroom. They can choose when to go out and use the bathroom in the yard, and you can give them their own space that they can play in as well.

One of the major benefits is that you provide major comfort and convenience for your dog. Even if your dog is trained to go to the bathroom at certain times of the day, that doesn’t necessarily mean that their body is always going to cooperate; being able to go to the bathroom when they need to go, especially when you are out of the house, at work or sleeping at night, can be extremely beneficial to the bond that you form with your pet. Can you imagine having to go to the bathroom very badly and then having to hold it for several hours?

Another thing that happens when you give your dog their own electronic dog door is that they are able to spend more time outside playing in the yard. A smart dog door allows them to go out whenever they like and run around the yard, burning pent-up energy, and increasing their heart rate and blood pressure which makes for a much healthier pup. A dog door with collar lets them go out when they want and come in when they want, ensuring that they do not have to spend too much time outside of when it is too hot and that they can spend less time crashing through the house and knocking over your stuff.

Also, being able to go outside can relieve anxiety. Some dogs have anxiety when their owners are away, and they end up chewing something inside the house like your shoes or a roll of toilet paper because they are bored and anxious. Being able to go outside and see other people or different scenery will prevent boredom and anxiety to a large degree. Finally, getting a doggy door actually allows your door to last longer. Dogs often scratch at the door when they want to go out or come in, and this can cause wear and tear on your door, rip your screen up sometimes, and put undue pressure on it that will wear out the lock as well as the doorjamb.

Types of Electronic Dog Doors

To understand electronic dog doors, you first have to understand the mechanism by which they work. There are five main ways that electronic dog doors operate. The goal of each of these methods is to allow your dog to get access to go out and play with automatic fetch machines or other toys without any other animals having access. That goes for all of your other pets that you want to get in and out as well of course. Each of these methods is a little bit different, and each one has their own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s look at each of the mechanisms and operating principles of electronic pet doors in detail below.

Microchip: Microchips are one of the best ways that a smart doggy door operates. You may have heard of micro-chipping before when it comes to pets. That’s because when you go to the animal shelter and rescue a dog or cat, they will often ask you if you want to pay extra for micro-chipping. In fact, some animal shelters already provide micro-chipping as a matter of course. This allows you to track your pet down if he or she gets lost, as well as allowing people to notify you if they happen to find your dog or if he or she gets hurt. Electronic dog doors can be made to you work with existing microchips so that you do not need anything extra to trigger them.

Magnetic: Another method is with magnets. Magnetic doggy doors are doors that are based upon a couple of different principles of magnetism. In the first, there is a magnet on your dog’s collar the pulls a lever when they approached the door releasing the mechanism to open it. In the second principle, the dog door detects the magnetic field that is being generated by the dog collar and opens. In either case, the motion is smooth and since magnets do not have a power source, you do not have to change batteries or worry about your dog not being able to get out because the batteries are dead.

RFID: RFID is another method of controlling dog doors. RFID stands for radio frequency identification. RFID is how animals are tagged in the wild. RFID and magnetic dog doors are very similar in the way that they function. The RFID device senses the presence of another RFID embedded device within a specific electromagnetic field. The tags contain information and if that information matches the other device, then the door opens. It is a really great system because it virtually eliminates the chance of a false positive and another animal getting in. However, RFID tags are the most expensive.

Ultrasonic Waves: Your electronic pet door might also use ultrasonic waves. Ultrasonic waves are high-frequency sound waves that communicate with sensors on the dog door. The main advantage of using this particular method is that you’re able to adjust the sensitivity yourself, so you can decide how close your dog needs to get in order to open the door. In addition, ultrasonic waves can be directed, so if your dog is not actually heading for the door with the intention of going out, then the door will probably not open.

Radiofrequency Chips: Finally, radiofrequency chips are the more basic form of RFID. They work on radio frequencies and open the doors based upon those frequencies. However, there is no information embedded into the signal that tells the door whether or not it is okay to open it. That means that if another dog wearing a radiofrequency chip were to approach the door, it would open for him or her just as if it would open for your own pet.

Choosing the Right Size

Choosing the right size is also extremely important when you’re shopping for dog doors. What you have to keep in mind is that the size of the dog door does not necessarily correspond to the size of your dog. For example, a medium door may not fit all medium-size dogs. The thing that you want to look for is the weight that is listed. But even then, you may have to go a little conservative. That’s why the most failsafe method for determining whether or not a dog doors going to fit your dog is by measuring.

Let’s start with measuring your dog. The tallest point of your dog is going to be the top of their head, but they can duck it down to a certain extend to get through a dog door. However, you shouldn’t measure any lower than the top of their shoulders. If they can keep their head level with their shoulders and back while walking through the doggy door, then they will be able to fit through comfortably. You also want to measure width. Choose the widest point of your dog, which may be right in the center of their belly, and determine how many inches they will need to get through a dog door.

From there you have a few things to keep in mind. First of all, the height of the passageway should be two inches higher and two inches wider than your dog. So if your dog measures14 inches high, then you want a dog door that is at least 16 inches. Remember not to measure from the bottom of your whole house door, but measure from the bottom of the dog door because there may be a couple inches difference if there is a lip that they need to step up on top of.

Another thing you want to keep in mind is whether your puppy is still growing and could gain a few inches in height as they get older, or whether your dog might have the propensity to become obese and have a hard time fitting through your dog door. Electronic dog doors are fairly expensive, and you only want to install one single time. That means that you want to allow little extra room if you have the habit of feeding your dog is much as he or she wants to eat, or if you expect your dog to grow a few inches in the next few weeks or months.

Finally, keep in mind that if you have flaps to prevent your heat or air from getting out, they can cause your dog anxiety if the space is pretty small. That’s why you may want to allow another couple extra inches if your electronic dog door uses a tunnel with plastic flaps that they need to walk through, or if the dog door opens or closes fairly quickly. You don’t want to cause your dog anxiety while they are using your doggy door.

Where to Install an Electronic Dog Door

Knowing where to install your electronic dog door is important. When it comes to an automatic doggy door, you have pretty much two standard choices. You can either install your pet door in one of your regular doors, which is the most common practice, or you can install it in a wall. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. If you decide to install it in a door, then you don’t have to worry about electrical wiring or anything else in the wall and it is going to be a lot easier to install. In addition, your dog is going to be going out the same door that you do, which likely leads directly to either the front yard of the backyard.

On the other hand, installing your door inside of the wall might take a little more work, but if you do not have a door that leads directly into a fenced in yard, it might be your only option. Just make sure that you get the installation kit that is intended for a wall instead of for a door, because they can be quite different.

Dog Door Construction Materials

The materials that your dog doors constructed out of are also worth noting. Generally, there are two different materials that you will be choosing from. There are plastic frames and then there metal frames. This is pretty simple to figure out, and it depends upon the size of your dog and how active they are. A plastic frame is usually going to be appropriate for smaller dogs or those that are less active. If you have an active dog and you get a dog door that is large enough for him to be able to pass through easily without brushing up against the sides, then plastic may be appropriate. On the other hand, metal dog doors are much more able to stand up to abuse. Of course the disadvantage with metal dog doors is that they cost more than their plastic counterparts.

A Word about Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is also an important thing to consider. The nice thing about dog doors is that they provide more energy efficiency than standard dog doors. That’s the reason the standard dog doors have flaps. They are intended to keep your cool air or hot air in depending upon the season, and to disallow the opposite temperature air from getting in from the outside. The nice thing about electronic dog door says that they provide more energy efficiency than standard dog doors because they close tightly when they are not in use. Just make sure that whatever electronic dog door you get seals up when it closes and that a minimum of air is able to pass through.

Programming Options

You have a few programming options when it comes to electronic dog doors, and you will want to evaluate them carefully before you buy. There are four basic options when it comes to programming your dog doors, but they may differ from one model to another. Obviously, you can leave your dog door open at all times. That means that your dog can go in and out as they please, whenever the door is set at this particular setting. You can also close the door down completely and prevent them from going in or out. This is a good idea if you want to keep them in at night, or if you prefer that they go out into the yard for a while and play while you do something indoors that might overexcite them or give them anxiety like vacuuming.

But some electronic dog doors also give you the option of restricting movement in a specific direction. For example, you can set it to allow your pets to go out, and once they go out they will have to stay out until you reset the door to allow them back in. The reverse may be true as well. You can set it to allow them to come back again if they are outside, but restrict any other pets from going out. Not every dog door has these options, but you want to look for them because they can be a really useful way to make the most of your electronic puppy door.

Dog Door Installation Options

When it comes to installation, there are definitely a few things to keep in mind. Installing a pet door isn’t that hard, and you don’t have to hire a professional, but you do need to have the right tools as well as the materials that come included with your pet door installation kit. You should also have a basic understanding of how the job needs to be accomplished. You can often find videos online that will explain to you how exactly to install your particular pet door, as well as the documentation that came with your door. Most of the products out there come with a cutting template already, but you will have to provide some kind of saw or other cutting tool yourself. Using the right tools depend upon the material of the dog door itself, as well as the material of the door or wall where you are installing it.

Electronic Dog Door Tips to Keep in Mind

There are a few tips do you want to keep in mind when it comes to installing and using a dog door. First, make sure that you are aware the dogs can gain and lose weight just like humans do. Do not make your dog door too restrictive. If your dog gains a few pounds, you still want them to build a fit through the dog door easily until you can get them back to their regular weight.

In addition, make sure that you choose a door that cannot easily be opened by nosing or pushing through. Most of the electronic dog doors out there will prevent intruders from coming into your house, but some of them are rather flimsy and will allow the entry of other dogs – especially if your female dog is in heat – as well as foxes or other animals.

Finally, make sure that the dog door that you choose has a warranty. You will not know if you are 100 percent happy with it until you have installed it completely and used it for a few days or weeks. Make sure that you can return it if you don’t like it and that if it breaks down it is covered by a good warranty.

Electronic Dog Door Review Conclusion

The bottom line is that there are a lot of things to keep in mind when it comes to choosing the right dog door. Your electronic dog door needs to fit your dog perfectly, and you will have to decide which of the mechanisms you like best. In addition, you want to determine whether you want a swing door, a vertical lifting door or horizontal parting door; where you install the doors also a consideration. All of these things must be evaluated in order for you to choose the right door for your pets. However, with this buying guide, you should have a major jump start on getting the right dog door.

Recommended Reading:

• Best Dog Bed
• Best Dog Crate
• Best Dog House
• Best Dog Playpens
• Best Dog Food Container
• Best Outdoor Dog Kennels
• Best Automatic Dog Feeders
• Best Electronic Dog Fence
• Best Orthopedic Dog Bed
• Best Dog GPS Tracker
• Best Dog Activity Monitor
• Best Automatic Fetch Machine
• Best GPS Dog Fence

Sources:

CNET

Gun Dog Supply

Arstechnica