Frequently Asked Questions

A: Ace is a 2.5 year old Indianapolis Pit Bull who recently saved his best friend - 13-year-old Nick Lamb - from a house fire. Nick is deaf since birth and was sound asleep when Ace woke him up. Naturally, Nick didn't want to get up, but Ace persisted. As soon as Nick was properly awake, he realized the house was filled with smoke. Both the boy and the dog made it out without injury, and firefighters were able to rescue the family's cat as well. Kitty had to visit the vet to treat her smoke inhalation but she is expected to recover. Without Ace, it is likely that Nick would never have woken up, and he would have perished in the blaze. The house turned to rubble, but thanks to Ace, the family is still complete. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIffrLnRVVM

A: Many dog owners are convinced their dogs get jealous, while some people say it's just imagination - projecting a human emotion on the dog. Scientists recently made an experiment to ascertain which is correct. The test adapted a test used for human babies. 36 dogs and their families participated, and the owners were asked to shower a robotic stuffed dog with affection, pay attention to a plastic jack-o-lantern pail as if it were a dog, and to read a book aloud. The pail and the book were compared to the robotic dog to see if there's a difference in behavior between something that looks and acts like a dog - the robot barked and wagged its tail - and something that's clearly not. To make the experiment fair, the robot would have to be lifelike enough to be accepted as an actual dog. 86 percent of the participating pooches attempted to greet it like they would a dog, and were probably surprised when the rear end held no smell... The results were clear. The dogs were twice as likely to touch or push their owner when he or she paid attention to the robodog than when playing with pail. A full 78 percent pushed and touched in response to the impostor dog. 42 percent reacted that way with the jack-o-lantern, and 22 percent when their human read the book. It becomes even more interesting. One fourth of dogs snapped at the robot, and one third tried to place themselves between the robot and their owner. Conclusion? Dogs definitely get jealous. It's not your imagination.

A: John Dolan's drawings sell for around $7,000 in a London art gallery. Most of them are pictures of his dog, George. The two are inseparable, and currently prepare for an art show in Los Angeles. It hasn't always been like that. Not long ago, John Dolan lived on the streets of London, homeless and wondering where to get his next meal. A homeless woman traded a beer can for a puppy, and gave the dog to John who started to draw his new best friend. After that, everything changed. People passing on the street bought the sketches, and John and George soon caught the eye of a gallery owner. Now, John is writing a book about his dog, and he's working on a set of drawings of rock stars with their dogs. To read more about John and George, visit today.com.  

A: Despite a plethora of federal and state laws protecting people with service animals, there's still confusion about rights and obligations. This often leads to discrimination, and disputes between persons with service dogs and everything from landlords to restaurant owners. When it comes to housing, service animals are covered by the Fair Housing Act. The Fair Housing Act prevents discrimination, and covers persons with disabilities in the sale, rental, or advertising of dwellings. For questions about individual cases, contact your local Housing and Urban Development (HUD) office. In order to be protected by the Fair Housing Act, a service animal must pass the following three tests: The person must have a disability. The animal must serve a function directly related to the disability. The request to accommodate the service animal must be reasonable. A disability is defined by the Fair Housing Act as an individual who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or has a record of an impairment, or is regarded as having an impairment. The disability doesn't have to be obvious. The act covers most types of housing, but there are limited exceptions for single family homes sold or rented by an individual owner. To learn more about this, visit Pet Partners' page about service animals and housing.

A: No pet door can guarantee a cat won't go outside when the dog does. The PlexiDor electronic door opens only for pets with a wireless receiver “key” on their collar, and a pet without a key can't open the door. That doesn't necessarily mean the cat can't get outside. Cats are clever and quick and will figure out that they can run through the door once the dog has opened it. Some cats dart through ahead of the dog, others run right behind it, and some brave felines go under the dog's stomach. Solving the problem will depend on more than the dog door. It might for instance be possible to use an indoor electronic cat fence to keep the cat away from the pet door.

A: A major advantage of a pet door is that it allows the pet to choose whether to be outdoors or indoors. Most still like to take their dogs for walks - there are many benefits to going for a walk together - but when the pet can no longer decide where to stand or when it's enough, we humans have to be alert. In the summertime, asphalt gets extremely hot. Walking with bare paws on hot asphalt can give burns so bad they must be treated by a veterinarian. Dogs covet time with their humans and may not show that something is wrong until it's too late. Put the back of your hand on the pavement. If you can't keep it there for at least five seconds, it's too warm for your pet to walk on. There is also the risk of heat stroke. On warm days, limit outside time, stay on grass, and plan your dog walks for mornings and evenings when the pavement is cooler. Depending on living conditions there may be no other choice than walking on asphalt. There are dog booties that can help protect the sensitive paws and prevent burns. They may take a while to get used to, but it's much better than dangerous and painful burns. In wintertime, make sure the dog's paws are dry before going outside. Dogs can get frostbite just like people. Watch for clumps of snow on the paws - snow accumulating between the toes can make walking painful - and avoid stepping in salt and chemicals. The dogs will wash themselves when they come in, and they will ingest any chemicals that are on their paws. If your pet does step in salt or chemicals, make sure you wash their paws before they have a chance to lick them.

A: If you expect extreme weather, lock your PlexiDor pet door and attach the security plate. While the PlexiDor panels are designed to open at a gentle touch, the springs can keep them closed at wind speeds up to 30 miles per hour. If you expect any type of extreme weather with winds stronger than this, your pets shouldn't be unsupervised outside. Securing the door is the best for both your home and your pets. Include your pets in your emergency plans and never leave them alone behind - they depend on you. The CDC has emergency planning lists for cats and dogs.

A: Yes, the PlexiDor pet doors come with the steel security plate included, and the panel screws to the the door frame. If you want the Sliding Track Accessory to just slide the security plate in place instead of screwing it on, this is an add-on. The sliding tracks screw onto the same holes that normally hold the plate.

A: PlexiDors purchased after November 2017 have a 10-year warranty. Every part is covered. If the new part doesn't solve the problem, a new Basic PlexiDor is sent at no charge to replace the faulty door. The warranty is not prorated - we cover every part for the full ten years. Except, chewing on the Small, Medium, and Large PlexiDors. The Extra Large PlexiDor has a chew proof trim and is covered. If your dog is a chewer but not large enough to need an Extra Large dog door, give us a call at 800-749-9609. There is a BiteGuard KennelPlex kennel door that covers chewing.

A: The PlexiDor frame have a flange that complete the framing when installed in a standard U.S. or Canadian household door. (Door thickness 1 3/4") If the PlexiDor is installed through a wall, the wall-kit will frame out the hole through the house wall, up to 12" thick.