Pet Doors for Unique Animals

Animals That Can Use Dog Doors

A pet door gives an animal the freedom to do its business and get exercise and fresh air. Some of the animals (other than dogs) that can benefit from a dog door include:

• Cats: Cats are very independent, and they love the freedom to explore. Consider giving your indoor cat access to a private enclosed outdoor space or catio.
  
• Rabbits: A bunny can absolutely be trained to use a doggy door. As with other animals, you may wish to give them a small enclosure to sleep in or a private feeding area.
  
• Potbellied Pigs: Pigs are very smart and can be trained to use a pet door, whether it’s to go into the yard from your home or an outdoor pen or corral through a closed barn door or barn wall. 
• Ferrets: Ferrets are extremely active and playful and will appreciate 24/7 access to an outdoor space where they can freely be their rambunctious selves.
• Guinea Pigs: Guinea pigs love nothing better than to munch on fresh grass. Why not allow them access to a fenced-in yard area?
  
• Iguanas: Do you want to allow your iguana in/out access from an outdoor paddock to a private bedroom or feeding area, away from other animals?

If you live on a farm or homestead where you raise different types of animals, a pet door can allow a smaller animal to escape the menagerie and enjoy a secluded spot that’s just for them.

Pet Doors for Exotic Animals (and Cats) – Helpful Tips and Considerations

When purchasing and installing pet doors for unique pets, consider the size and shape of the animal, including their girth and the length of their legs, so they’ll be comfortable using the door. Remember these important points.

• Measure correctly so the animal can go in and out easily. For many animals, it may have to be a custom size door.
• Select the right type of dog door for your purpose. For standard doors, this would be a door model pet door. For installation in a wall that has a considerable thickness (or possibly a barn door), we offer our wall model pet door, which is available with tunnels of varying lengths.
• Install the pet door a lot higher up in the wall or door to accommodate the longer legs of a larger animal such as a mini donkey.
• Sometimes an interior or exterior frame alone will be the best solution—for example, if pigs need to leave the barn to go out into the pen.
• Plan on training your pet on how to use their dog door.

At Hale, we offer twelve standard sizes of pet doors, and we can also build custom pet doors for unique animals.

How Do I Train My Unusual Pet to Use a Pet Door Effectively?

Do you have a pet pig or a bunny? Training unusual pets to use pet doors is certainly possible with positive reinforcement and patience. Learn how to train an animal to use a pet door.

Are There Any Tips or Recommendations for Selecting the Right Size of Pet Door for My Unusual Pet?

At Hale Pet Door, we provide sizing tips and measurements for our 12 pet door sizes. Measure the animal’s width, height, and rise. Also, consider the location and your pet’s dexterity.

Hale’s Bunny, Pig, and Mini Donkey Doors

Yes, we can customize our premium pet doors to accommodate just about any animal. Hale pet doors are made from extruded aluminum, not plastic, with steel-reinforced corners, multiple types of weather stripping, PVC vinyl flaps, and heavy-duty steel strikes and magnets for secure closure. All doors come with a security cover and lock, and we construct each pet door in our U.S. factory with the highest quality standards and personalized customer service.

For the most durable and versatile pet door, shop pet doors for all animals.