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If you have a pooch, a dog door can be an excellent investment. It will give your four-legged friend the freedom to go in and out whenever he or she wants. And they won’t need to disturb you when they need to do their business!
But how do you choose the best dog door for your home? We’re here to help!
We’re going to look at the seven best dog doors for sliding glass doors. And we’ll share everything you need to know about them before you make your purchase.
Ready? Let’s get started!
Quick Pick: best doggie door for sliding glass door
best dog doors for sliding glass doors
1. PetSafe 1-Piece doggie door for sliding glass door(Our Top Pick)
PetSafe make a great range of doors to give pets easy access to outdoor space. Their one-piece door comes with adjustable height to allow you to fit it perfectly to your door track.
There are two options – the smaller is adjustable up to a height of 80.7 inches, while the larger will extend to up to 96 inches.
The opening section for your pet also comes in a range of different sizes, from small to extra-large. To find the right option, you’ll need to measure the width of your pet’s chest, and their height to their shoulders. Take a look at the product specifications to match the dimensions to the door.
No DIY is needed to install it, and you won’t need to drill any holes in your existing door. That makes this a great option for rental properties. And if you move home, you can simply remove the door and take it with you.
But if your door frame isn’t completely square, be prepared for a certain amount of hassle with installation.
It comes with a sweep seal to attach to the back of the patio door. But there’s no seal between the side of the dog door and either your patio door or the door frame. If your door is perfectly square that’s probably not a problem. But if anything doesn’t align perfectly, you’ll need to buy extra seals to avoid drafts.
It comes with a security lock to keep your patio door fixed firmly in place next to the pet door. And you can also control your pet’s access if you need to, using the supplied door cover.
The frame is aluminum and the window sections are made from toughened glass. There’s a magnetic catch on the door to prevent it swinging open and letting in rain or cold air.
Pros:
- Plenty of size options to get the perfect fit for your pet (and your door)
- Comes with a lock to keep your patio door secure
- Easy to remove and reuse elsewhere
Cons:
- Installation can be tricky if your patio doors aren’t completely square
- You may find you need to buy additional seals to keep out drafts
2. Endura Flap Sliding Vinyl doggie door for sliding glass door
Endura’s dog door is a seriously pricey investment. But it’s manufactured in the USA and built to last a lifetime. And if the door ever develops a problem, Endura guarantees to fix it for you free of charge.
The door has a sturdy vinyl frame, and there’s a polymer flap for your pet to get in and out. The construction is designed to keep your home snug. The flap will withstand winds of up to 50 miles per hour. And it’s insulated to cope with temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even so, you may still find you need to buy extra weatherstripping to get a draft-free installation.
Your patio doors need to have a track at least 1.5 inches wide for this to fit. It comes in two heights, each of which can be adjusted by three inches. The shorter door will fit track heights of between 74.75 and 77.75 inches. The taller will fit heights between 77.25 and 80.25 inches.
There are four different flap sizes too, for small, medium, large and extra-large pets. It comes with a lockable cover that’s as strong as 1/16-inch steel. Use that to stop your pet coming and going, and to secure your home overnight.
The top of the door can be adjusted to make it easier to both install and remove.
The major downside with this one is the price – it costs five times as much as the one-piece PetSafe option. But the lifetime guarantee means you should never have to buy another pet door.
Pros:
- Available in two different heights and four different flap sizes
- Built to withstand winds of up to 50 mph and temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit
- Comes with a lifetime warranty
Cons:
- Expensive
- You may still find you need extra weatherstripping to keep out drafts
3. Ideal Pet Aluminum dog door for sliding glass door
This dog door from Ideal Pet Products is height adjustable from just over 77.5 inches to 80.4 inches. And it comes with a choice of five flap sizes from small to “super-large”. There’s a version with a cat flap too. And they’re all very competitively priced.
The frame is aluminum and it will only work with aluminum framed patio doors (not vinyl). If that’s what you have, it’s easy to install.
We have, though, heard of some issues with the flap allowing cold air inside. The weatherstripping isn’t as robust as it could be.
And cat owners used to a cat door that can be closed in one direction only will miss that function. The only way to secure the door is to use the slide to secure it in place, preventing it from being used at all.
As with all sliding door pet doors, make sure you’ll be able to fit through the space that’s left with the pet door in place! The bigger your pet and you are, the more of a challenge it may be to accommodate you both.
Pros:
- Adjustable height
- Available in five different sizes, plus a cat flap option
- Easy to install
Cons:
- Not suitable for use with vinyl patio doors
- The flap is prone to letting in cold air
4. PetSafe Extreme Weather sliding glass door dog door
The second pet door from PetSafe is specifically designed to cope with extreme weather. It has double glazing, three layers to the pet flap, and weatherproofing to keep out the cold air. The weatherproofing isn’t the thickest though, so you may want to replace it with something heavier duty.
It’s easy to install using either adhesive strips or screws. It comes in two sections, top and bottom, which you join together with brackets and screws. There’s a spring-loaded height adjuster, so it will sit snugly in position. And it can be removed when needed, so it’s perfect for those who are renting their home.
The flap has a magnetic seal to make sure it shuts tight. Replacement flaps are available separately too.
The door comes with a lockable bar that’s mounted to your existing sliding door. Note, though, that there’s no way to fold the bar out of the way. If you want to open the patio door, you’ll need to remove it.
You can stop your pet coming in and out if you need to with a slide-in panel. it’s also a good way of adding extra protection during bad weather.
Pros:
- Double glazing and three-layer flap provide protection from extreme weather
- Magnetic seal keeps the flap closed firmly when not in use
- Comes with a lockable security bar
Cons:
- There’s no way to fold up the security bar, so you’ll need to remove it if you want to open the patio door
- The weatherproofing isn’t as heavy duty as we’d like
5. Power Pet Automatic Sliding glass door dog door
If you’ve ever had the frustration of installing a pet door your pet won’t use, the Power Pet automatic door could be the answer to your prayers. This works with a digitally coded ultrasonic collar worn by your pet. When they approach the door, it will open automatically and close after they’ve gone through.
There are a few issues with this otherwise excellent piece of technology, however. One is that curious dogs may enjoy sitting in front of the door, enjoying the view and subjecting to you to freezing drafts!
The other is that the collars are prone to breaking. Get a back-up to avoid the annoyance of finding your dog can no longer open the door.
The door itself, however, is much more robust. It has two layers of energy efficient “Low E” tempered glass, and a sturdy aluminum frame.
Installation is pretty simple – in most cases, it will take less than an hour. And the door comes with plenty of weatherstripping to keep out drafts.
The doors require power and come with an AC adapter. If you want to, you can use them with batteries instead. But you’ll need to buy a separate charger and battery to do that.
Pros:
- Great for dogs or cats who don’t like pushing open pet doors
- Well constructed, with two layers of tempered glass and a sturdy aluminum frame
- Installation is straightforward
Cons:
- The ultrasonic collars need to be replaced far too regularly
- You’ll need to buy extra accessories if you want to use batteries to power the door
6. Dragon sliding glass door doggie door
Dragon’s pet door is designed for use with aluminum framed patio doors. It comes in three adjustable heights: from 75 to 77.5 inches, from 77.5 to 80 inches, and from 93 to 96 inches. And it’s glazed with two layers of glass to keep out the elements.
It comes in a range of colors to match your doors. There’s also a choice of four different flap sizes, and single or double layered flaps. Choose the latter if you’re in an area that experiences very old temperatures. it also comes with magnets to secure it in place and prevent drafts.
The spring-loaded design allows you to fit it into your existing patio door without tools. The spring mechanism can be tightened to keep it firmly in place.
The door comes with a lockable cover to prevent access when necessary. And it also comes with a c-clamp to provide some security. (It’s not particularly robust, though. You may want to invest in a charley bar to give you more peace of mind.)
Note that for breeds with shorter legs, you may need to build a step to help them get in and out.
Pros:
- Spring-loaded design for easy installation without tools
- Available in a range of colors to match your door frames
- Available with a double flap for extra insulation
Cons:
- The c-clamp included for security isn’t very robust
- If your dog has very short legs (like a dachshund), you may need to build a step in and out
7. Armor Flex sliding glass door doggy door
Armor Flex’s door has an aluminum frame and dual panes of energy efficient Low-E glass. It comes in a choice of three different heights and four different flap sizes.
The Armor Flex flap uses a special design that makes it both robust and flexible. It is, though, a little heavier than other doors. Dogs who’ve been used to a lighter design may take a little while to get used to it. And it may be too weighty for pups and smaller breeds.
With the regular door, there’s an adjustable rise. That’s not the case, though, for the tall design. If you need the height for a taller dog, it may not work for any other dog with shorter legs.
The magnets at the bottom of the flap work very effectively to keep out drafts. And the door comes with a universal lock that will anchor it securely to virtually any patio door.
Pros:
- Well constructed, and more robust than most
- The specially designed flap is effective at keeping out drafts
- Comes with a universal lock which will work with most patio doors
Cons:
- The flap may be a little heavy for smaller dogs
- There’s no adjustable rise on the tall model
Time to choose!
That brings us to the end of our reviews of the seven best dog doors for sliding glass doors. We hope you’ve found something to suit your pooch!
Our top pick is the one-piece door from PetSafe. It’s cost effective, does the job well, and is easy to install as long as your patio doors and frame are square.
Whatever option you choose, we hope your doggo is soon enjoying their newfound freedom!
This was a really thorough and helpful article, thank you!
We had the in window one #9 for years…still have it and ramps built for it ! Boxer and over 100lb Labrador used !
Unfortunately my sliding door is 74 inches tall and I haven’t been able to find an insert that fits in that space.