Top 5: best patio pet door for dogs for owners’ convenience

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 include a dog door in your home without all the hassle, and that’s why we’ve chosen the 5 best patio pet door for dogs.

Patio pet doors give you the convenience of a dog door without having to have a permanent fixture. Of course, if you don’t have a patio door, then you won’t have this option, but if you do it may be a much better alternative.

Patio pet doors are 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, but trust me it’s worth it! You’ll begin to appreciate the investment when you’re sitting in your recliner watching the news and your dog lets himself out to use the bathroom. If you purchase the best patio pet door for dogs, I promise you won’t be sorry.

TOP 5: Best Patio Pet Door for Dogs
Easy for Dog Owners and Convenient for Dogs

1Patio Pacific Thermo Panel 3e Pet Door

This patio pet door can fit door frames with 77.25-inch to 80.25-inch height. The panel is made with a durable heavy-gauge aluminum frame, which makes it a safe, insulated, easily-installed, and highly-versatile pet door. This door from Endura comes with a flap and adjustable step-over feature. The flap is available in small to extra-large sizes to accommodate various breeds and sizes of pets. The step-over can be lowered or raised in 2-inch increments, depending on the pet’s shoulder height.

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The whole assembly of this best patio pet door for dogs is excellently designed for adding pet doors to existing sliding glass doors or patio panels. A draft stopper further secures gaps. Customers who have previously purchased this patio panel many years ago say that they’re buying another one for another location. It shows how satisfied they have been with the product’s performance.

Repeat customers show that this pet door has endured endless abuse from burly pets for many years, and owners still expect their new purchase to last even longer. Unlike other doors, they found the Patio Pacific Thermo Panel 3e Pet Door and model easy to install, durable, and perfect even for broad-chested and heavier breeds. The door’s sealing magnets could withstand strong mountain winds.

Curiously, some buyers were unhappy about their purchase. This was the case of those who made wrong measurements of their existing doors or frames. Expectedly, the panel that arrived didn’t fit like a glove and had caused so much disappointment. They admit, however, that the door panel of this best patio pet door for dogs was made of high-quality materials, with all the necessary details that would have made it the perfect door for their pets.

Most helpful dog owner’s review (read the full review): “This is my 2nd Endura patio doggie-door, purchased because of my first from 7 years ago and used virtually hourly continues to serve without problems. Though I have Alaskan Malamutes that run 100-130 lbs, and 25 to 33 inches at the shoulder (one Giant Mal), the Endura LARGE works, and I am amazed at how fast they can torpedo themselves through the 10″x20″ opening…”

2Ideal Pet Products White Patio Door with Pet Door

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.

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Installation is quick and stress-free, and no heavy tools will be needed. A magnetic strip runs along the bottom of the door that automatically keeps this best patio pet door for dogs shut. Customers were pleased with the door’s aesthetic appearance and functionality as a pet door on their patio. With the correct measurement of the intended space for the panel, customers found it quick to install.

The whole process did not even take them half an hour. Pets were 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 customers who were handy with tools had no problem with this slight setback.

With some minor improvisations, like sealing off air leakage between the sliding and stationary doors, homeowners and pet owners found the Ideal Pet Products White Patio Door with Pet Door to work perfectly for them. Some, on the other hand, thought that the additional expense and work were something that they didn’t expect from an easy-to-install best patio pet door for dogs.

Most helpful dog owner’s review (read the full review): “The equipment came securely packaged. Make sure you measure the space first. I assumed a standard opening and had to return the first door. We had this installed in about 15 minutes. There is a nice seal that keeps the flap down so it does not wave in the air. We were also able to get a nice seal around the patio door…”

3PetSafe Freedom Patio Panel Pet Door

This pet door from PetSafe allows dogs an easy access through the sliding glass door in the patio. It comes with detailed instructions and includes the necessary hardware for quick and easy installation. This panel 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.

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Also included is a latch kit for installing a lock if you choose. Three colors and two adjustable heights are available as well. Buyers of this pet door agree on three major reasons why this was a good buy for them. It was made of durable materials- its price is reasonable- and it had three colors which made it easy for customers to match with existing colors in their homes.

Shipping was prompt and the door got to them in perfect condition. The PetSafe Freedom Patio Panel Pet 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 them, this was still comparably better than most pet doors they’ve seen or owned before.

Meticulously taking the correct measurements of the dog and the existing patio door frame would have saved buyers 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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Most helpful dog owner’s review (read the full review + PHOTOS): “The door is the best quality you’ll get for the money. I bought one at Home Depot and it was nowhere near this one. Similar price too. I hate that it takes up so much of the entry way. So our door opening was 30″ wide. But, with the pet door, we have about 17 1/2″. So, it does narrow quite a bit…”

4 Fast Fit Patio Pet Door

This best patio pet door for dogs 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 is quick and easy, and there’s no assembly required.

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It comes with a draft stopper, lockout slide and security lock to keep unwelcome visitors out. This quick-install pet door is also easy to remove should it be necessary to install it in some other places. Customers admire their beautiful door’s appearance and quality. Installation of this best patio pet door for dogs 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. They observed that the locking device was not really heavy-duty, but this was definitely better than nothing. Many opted to buy and install additional securing mechanisms for their Fast Fit Patio Pet Door.

A few buyers didn’t find it as easy to install the product, and encountered problems getting a good seal. This was a minor problem, though, which additional stripping solved quite easily. Again, some 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.

Most helpful dog owner’s review (read the full review): “We also have a door in our screen which is open all summer but this door needs a bigger push to open it. She learned very quickly, though, and I’ve seen her use the cat door when the sliding door is open. Okay, maybe that’s more of an IQ issue than her love of the door. Be mindful, though, if you have a screen door it has to remain open or it blocks this door from opening…”

5PetSafe Freedom Door

This 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. The Freedom Door from PetSafe is made with a tough aluminum frame with reinforcing brackets for the corners. It comes with detailed instructions and templates for quick and easy installation. The pliable flap is tinted and closes using a magnetic mechanism.

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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 consumers noticed about this size is its gigantic size. It’s one of the largest dog doors available.

Owners say their huge dogs had no issue passing through the flap. Installation was generally easy, but many did not use the plastic screws provided. Overall, customers liked the sturdiness and elegance of the PetSafe Freedom Door, but not the hardware and other items that came with the door panel.

This was not a draft-free door, and cold winds really mattered to buyers 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 many unsatisfied buyers. They suggested the use of more durable weather stripping and magnets in future revisions of this best patio pet door for dogs.

Most helpful dog owner’s review (read the full review): “So I previously had the plastic version of this PetSafe door. We used for several years and it served us well enough, although it probably ended up costing us hundreds in extra energy costs, but at least our cats could get to and from the screened in porch easily…”

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