We have two active dogs and five acres, and we’re sort of lazy.  I mean, who wants to keep letting the dogs in and out all day and night?  So a few years ago, we bought a pet door – the kind that just slips right into the patio door and can be removed at any time.  I can hardly remember what it was like to live without a pet door, and I don’t want to ever go back.

Sure, we have had some issues with our pet door.  Like the time Penny the red heeler brought in an entire dead crow and left it on the kitchen rug.  Imagine my surprise when I walked out that morning to see a huge crow lying on his back with wings spread.  And then there was the time the neighbor’s awful little Min-Pin somehow got into our fence, came in the pet door, and woke us up by peeing all over the edge of the bed because our little Boston terrier was in heat.  In five or so years of having a pet door, however, those are the only two major incidents.  The crow was removed, the dog’s owner politely warned (okay, I’m sugar-coating it), and we haven’t had any other major problems since.

The benefits have been numerous.  If you are a worrier like me, you probably wonder what would happen if your house caught fire while you were away.  I used to be so bad, I would call the house while we were gone for lengthy trips to make sure the answering machine picked up.  I reasoned that the house must be okay if there was still power to the machine.  With a pet door, I don’t have to worry about my animals being trapped.

Potty training is much easier too.  The two dogs we have now were puppies this year and when I hear of other people still having issues in the house at three months, I am thankful for the all-access door that lets them go when they need to until they are old enough to know how to hold it.

All in all, I am very happy we bought that pet door.  It saves us countless trips to the door, keeps the dogs entertained by giving them freedom, and gives me peace of mind when we are away.