Dog doors have been around for a while now. They give you relief from rushing to the door every time your dog wants to go out. However, there are certain difficulties that conventional products possess, which can be prevented by getting yourself an electronic dog door!
Electronic dog doors allow your pooch to use the door whenever he wants; unless you program it not to. Yes, these automatic dog doors help you control when your dog can use the door. Not only that, these doors are way more secure than conventional dog doors.
In this article, we are going to take a look at the 5 best electronic dog doors on the market.
Editors’ Pick:
- Best-automated dog door
- Available in small & large sizes
- Works on both ac and battery power
- It is burglarproof and shatterproof
After days of research and going through dozens of automatic dog doors, team Pet Loves Best has determined the following 5 as the best automatic dog doors of 2023:
Contents
What is an Automatic Dog Door?
An automatic dog door provides easy access to your pet to move in and out of the house. Although it is pretty similar to a conventional dog door in many aspects, an automatic dog door provides you with a plethora of functionalities.
While the conventional dog door has to be manually locked or unlocked, electronic dog doors come with a timer that can be used to restrict the dog from outdoors during certain hours. You can also do this while you’re out on work and make sure that your dog cannot have a day out!
With automatic dog door, you can control the access to the door such as only in, only out, both in and out, or neither. Such access control is not there is the traditional ones.
Moreover, some electronic dog doors also allow you to have control over who can get inside of the house and make sure that they are only your pets and not a raccoon or a stray or not even a burglar.
These best dog doors open up themselves as a dog comes nearby. However, to prevent any false alarm nowadays such systems make use of directional sensing system to make sure that the door only opens up if the pet directly approaches to it.
Electronic dog doors work like a charm for both those who live in their own house and those who live in a rental. Some electronic doors can be installed in an opening without making a cut in the door or a wall – This is a significant reason why a lot of people prefer having an automatic dog door instead of a conventional one. Furthermore, such systems are preferred by people with their own house as well for easiness of installation.
How Do They Work?
Dog electronic doors function using their very own programmer. You can command this programming unit by using the control panel. Some of the electronic doggie doors come with a built-in control panel on the door itself, while some come with remote control operability.
Auto dog door opener also comes with a microchip or RFID that allows them to recognize your pet. Once reached near the door, it automatically recognizes the signals coming out from the collar or microchip and provides access.
An automatic dog door opener is a simple device that makes use of technology similar to that of automatic door you see in the malls and retails. Only here, rather than motion detection, signals from a microchip are recognized.
5 Best Automatic Electronic Dog Door of 2023
Now that you know what an automatic dog door is and the functionalities it provides, let us move to the review of top 5 electronic dog doors on the market handpicked by our expert team at Pet Loves Best.
1. Power Pet Automatic Dog Door PX-1
Power Pet electronic dog door comes with high tech functions such as 4-way access control, ultrasonic dog detection along with directional sensing, solid locking mechanism and more. This makes it the best automatic dog door on the market.
With a directional sensing system, there is no false alarm. The door will only open up if the dog walks towards it, making it open up like a car window. Also, there is 4-way access control that you can set up using the panel on the door itself – in only, out only, in & out, neither.
- Access Control: 4 way
- Dog Detection: Ultrasonic collars
- Locking Strength: High
- Timer/Scheduler: No
The programming part is easy due to the simple interface. Also, you can set the range for the door to detect your dog using this panel. The only drawback of this device is that it does not come with a scheduling mechanism.
Tip: With deadbolt locking of Power Pet Electronic, there is no chance for an intruder to break into your house!
The burglarproof doggie door comes with a deadbolt locking system. Therefore, as soon as the dog walks out it will lock solidly into place. Therefore, not allowing in strays or burglars to break into.
All in all, we’d say Power Pet Electronics is an amazing electronic dog door in terms of technology. It provides great benefits and costs accordingly. And hence, makes it to the top of our list.
- Door only opens if the dog walks towards it
- The solid plastic panel is said to be bulletproof and burglarproof as well
- It is impossible to lift the door up physically once it is shut down
- Comes in two sizes for small to big-sized dogs up to 100 lbs
- Allows 4-way access control
- Has ultrasonic collars that will detect the dog’s presence
- Can operate on both AC and battery power
- A bit costly
- No scheduling mechanism
2. PetSafe Dog Door With Collar
Petsafe is a trusted brand by the pet community. This PetSafe Electronic Dog Door comes with Smartkeys that you can install on your dog’s collar. With superior features such as full access control, solid locking, long battery life, and operability for multiple pets allow it to make it to the 2nd place on our best electronic dog door review.
Surprisingly, this Petsafe automatic dog door comes at a very convenient price tag compared to other products of the same category. You can either install it in the door or can purchase a wall kit and then install it in the wall as well.
- Access Control: 4 way
- Dog Detection: Smartkey
- Locking Strength: Moderate
If you own multiple dogs, this Petsafe Dog Door is the ideal choice for you. It allows to integrate up to 5 Smartkeys so that all your dogs can benefit from the automatic dog door. However, there is no scheduling mechanism associated with it. Hence, you will need to manually change the modes.
Tip: If you are on a budget or have multiple dogs at home, Petsafe Electronic Dog Door is just meant for you!
The following electronic dog door makes use of a battery. There is no AC power module hence you will have to keep the tabs on battery life. Nevertheless, there are clear LED indicators on the machine that will allow you to check the status of the door.
All in all, this automatic dog door stands out among the others due to the convenient price tag and of course, decent features. Yes, there are some downsides such as no AC power adapter and no timer. However, the price tag balances it all out and therefore, this is a great value for money deal!
- Comes with a weather resistant seal
- Smartkey activated collar
- Waterproof battery module
- Great for multiple dogs – supports up to 5 Smartkeys
- Can be installed in a wall if purchased externally
- Convenient price
- Operates on battery only
3. Plexidor Large Automated Dog Door for Wall
Plexidor Electronic Door is a premium product with excellent features such as state of the art RFID technology. It can be programmed to let it stay open for a desired period of time. It is single sized and can be used for walls only.
Plexidor comes with an RFID technology that is highly precise in terms of performance. You can program how long the door stays open for your dog. Also, even if the dog comes in the way, the dog door prevents it from obstructing using obstruction-sensing technology,
- Access Control: 2 way
- Dog Detection: RFID
- Locking Strength: High
This electronic dog door is made from high-quality material and comes with decent features that make it ideal for the wall. Also, it locks up with great strength so no intruder can get inside. The door only opens up for the dogs wearing RFID tag and therefore, keeps unwanted strays out.
Tip: A couple of hundred bucks may seem highly demanding but the great consumer feedback backs this automatic dog door well.
This automatic dog door is made in the USA and features a 5-year long warranty. Therefore, despite the demanding price tag, you can go with this one as it makes your investment safe for 5 years.
The brand provides great customer service and ensures that all your queries and complaints get resolved as soon as possible. All in all, if you are willing to spend a little extra and looking for a promising product, this is the one for you.
- 5 year resedential warranty
- Made in the USA
- Obstruction-proof technology to prevent accidental closing
- Ideal for dogs up to 125 pounds
- No batteries needed
- Weatherproof
- A little loud
- The ac power plug is a little bulky
4. Solo Pet Door for Small to Large Dog Breeds
The one thing that differentiates Solo Pet Door is that it comes in a whopping 10 different sizes along with 2 variants – Door or Wall, making a total of 20 options to choose from. Therefore, without worrying a bit more, you can be assured that there is a size perfect for all the pooches out there.
This extra large electronic dog door is made in the USA. It detects the dogs using magnets on the provided collar. The collar is easy to remove due to the quick release feature.
A downside of this magnetic sensor is that they do not support directional supporting therefore if the dog is just passing by the door, it will open up. On the bright side, this collar is waterproof and do not require any batteries at all.
- Access Control: 2 way
- Dog Detection: Magnet
- Locking Strength: Moderate
The electronic dog door supports 2 way access control. Either it can open up from both the sides or from neither one. Also, when closed it gets automatically locked to stay safe from intruders.
Note: Looking for a made in the USA doggie door that can support all size of dogs? How about Solo Pet Door?
The build quality of this dog door is average. Major highlights of this electronic dog door are 20 variants and batteryless sensing system. Overall, we would give this dog door a 3.5/5.
- Made in the USA
- Uses magnets as sensors hence is waterproof
- Comes in 20 different variants
- Available for dogs of all sizes – from small to giant
- No timer
- Pretty costly
- Magnet quality is a bit compromising
- No directional sensing
5. Security Boss Animate Electronic Patio Door Insert
This electro magnetic pet door fits all the tracks easily due to its universal design. It is an automatic patio door that can be fit into your existing patio glass tracks. Powder coated with heavy duty aluminum, it is sturdy and durable.
This Security Boss Animate dog door comes with collar tags that can be attached to the existing collar of your dog. Detecting the tag, this automatic patio door grants access. And prevents any other entity from trying to sneak inside the house.
- Access Control: 2 way
- Dog Detection: Electromagnetic collars
- Locking Strength: Moderate
This automatic dog door comes in 12 distinct models. Size varies from 70 inches to 99 inches, therefore, accommodating your dog may not be a big of a problem. Also, this patio door features a solid safety glass that is strong against impacts from a dog.
Tip: Looking for a solid electronic patio door? Here is one!
All in all, the design of this automatic patio door is similar to conventional ones. They can be removed to add this patio door module into existing track. And with a price tag convenient enough compared to majority of products out there, we would say this is not a bad choice.
- Available in multiple sizes to fit into majority of patio door tracks
- Sturdy aluminum build
- Can accommodate small to medium-sized dog breeds
- Electromagnetic collars get detected easily
- Costly
- Lack of programming controls
Buyer’s Guide
If you still wonder about what automatic dog door to go with, it is only natural. An electric dog door is a big investment and therefore, you must ensure a product to the depths of its nitty-gritty. If you are a cat parent, do check some of the best cat doors and buy it to impress her
Below is our diligently crafted Buyer’s Guide for electronic dog doors.
How to Choose an Automatic Dog Door?
There are a number of aspects that a dog parent must consider before making a purchase. These aspects are the following:
1. Direction Sensing System
Earlier, in old smart dog doors, they used to open up every time a dog walked near the door or worse, slept near the door. This is not only wastage of energy but can also allow some stray or wild animal to get inside.
Therefore, most of the automatic doggy doors nowadays come with a directional sensing system. This system senses the signals from the chip that your dog is wearing.
Processing the signals, automated dog door determines whether the dog is directly approaching towards the door or is just passing by or having a snooze.
However, it also needs to be made sure that the door opens up accordingly with the dog’s intent. Any malfunction is undesirable.
2. Size Options And According Frame Size
Another important aspect to take a look at is the available size options provided by the electronic doggy door brand. Make sure there is a size suitable for your pet. Measure the frame size to ensure that it is ideal for your pet. Also, make sure that the automatic dog door can fit into your existing door.
3. Auto-open Smartkeys or Microchips
Some remote doggy doors come with a simple option to open up every time an entity approaches, whether it is your dog or something else! To make sure this is not the case, invest in an auto dog door that comes with either Smartkey or microchips.
These SmartKey and microchips help the electronic dog door to determine the identity of your dog and prevent strays and wild animals from coming inside.
4. Access Control
Access control is something that does not exist in conventional dog doors. This means that you can control whether the dog can get out or stay inside.
Further, the access control of a remote dog door allows you to determine one among the four options. First is to let is open from both inside and outside, then allow from only inside or only outside and lastly, to not to open at all.
This means that if your dog is busy playing outdoors and you want it to come inside and not to go outside afterward, you can set access control to from outside to inside only.
5. Scheduling
Remote dog doors come with a timer feature. Such a feature allows you to determine at what time of the dog should the dog be allowed to go outdoors and when not. A timer feature proves to be essential when you are someone who has to go to work every day.
You can set the timer to shut the doors off when you are away from home or if you have secured and escape-proofed your yard, you can allow the dog to go outdoors too. To prevent any burglary at night, you can set the timer to shut the door off. Such is the benefit of having an automatic doggie door.
6. Material
The material of an electronic dog door plays a crucial role while determining what product to choose. Keep in mind that dogs are filled with zealous and force. And if you own a powerful beast, you must not purchase an automatic dog door that cannot withstand its impact.
Along with the material, make sure that the frame of the door is sturdy as well.
7. Installation Difficulty
Now, this is an aspect that you have to determine yourself. Most of the electronic dog doors for walls require you to do a DIY kind of job.
See what tools and precision you require to install the remote control dog door that you are investing in. If you are familiar with the tools then you’re good to go. If not, you can also consider having something with a simpler installation process. Or you can also consult a technician to help you with it.
8. Remote Control
While some of the electronic dog doors come with a built-in panel on the exterior, some of the dog doors also come with remote control. In our opinion, both of them are good choices.
If you are someone who continually requires to change the settings of the door, you may consider having a door with remote control. However, the majority of pet owners do not require such a function. Therefore, we suggest not to put too much focus on having a remote controlled dog door.
Anyway, if your choice of automatic dog door offers a remote control then it is always an advantage.
9. Single or Multiple Pets
As we mentioned before, some of the electronic doggie doors come with a Smartkey or a microchip that helps them determine the presence of your dog. However, not all the system provide you with multiple of those collars/Smartkeys/microchips.
If you own multiple dogs, make sure that the auto dog door opener of your choice also offers multiple of those microchips.
10. Power Supply & Battery Life
Power supply plays an important role while choosing an automatic dog door opener. We would suggest getting a product that works on both AC power supply and battery. Doing so will ensure that even if the AC power supply fails, the automated dog door will keep working on battery supply.
If the door does not come with AC power support, make sure that it has a long battery life of at least a couple of months.
11. Weatherproof
Understand the fact that an electric dog door is going to put an opening into your house. And if there is going to be an opening, you must take care of it.
To your relief, most of the automatic dog doors, unlike conventional ones, come with a totally sealed and weatherproof design. Make sure to go through our reviews ones to ensure that the product of your choice does not possess such an issue.
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THE ENDNOTE
So these were the best electronic dog doors on the market for 2023. Purchasing such a door will relieve you from running up and down after your dog and let you focus on your work regardless of the pooch’s mood.
Although this may seem a costly purchase at first, we guarantee you that it will turn out to be one of the finest automated investment you may have ever made for your dog.
If you have a query or concern regarding any of the automatic dog doors mentioned above, let us know in the comments; we will get back to you shortly.
Cheers!