I’ve had my name on a breeder’s waiting list for a number of months and she’s told me that a litter is expected next week. Yay, huh?
So let the accumulation of stuff ™ begin! Most of it’s fairly self-evident - a bed, toys, food and water bowls, pet insurance and so forth.
Nevertheless, I want to buy a dog door and install it before the pup arrives so that I can make it part of the house-training process. One problem, though - how big do I need it to be? I’d rather not have to upsize as the puppy grows, but I’d also prefer not to have too big a hole in the back door. I asked the breeder, but she doesn’t use dog doors.
Does anyone know how big a dog door I’m likely to need for a malamute? I’m wondering if 11 inches by 17 (28 cm by 43) is going to be big enough.
A malamute will be from 25 to 30 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh from 75 to 95 pounds. You can find dog doors in different sizes at Lowes, Home Depot, and most pet stores. The description on the box will give a size range that the door is appropriate for.
Thanks for the quick response, but I think your experience is U.S.-centric and mine is less so.
I should have elaborated - I’ve been to three pet shops, and the largest dog door I’ve found has a picture on the front with a border collie wedged into it (actually fairly tightly, considering it’s meant to be luring you to a purchase).
K-mart had just the one, and it was sized in a more feline manner than I’d consider ideal.
I’m pretty much going to have to go online to buy an appropriate door, but I can’t find the right size. I know that it doesn’t have to be quite as big as the dog (a step-over lip seems to be the norm), but I don’t know how much smaller I can get away with.
I’d originally bought an extra large dog door for my dogs, the broadest of which is a malamute (and the tallest is a doberman). But at 10 1/2" wide, I was afraid the malamute was too broad to fit through. He has very big shoulders. I ended up buying the XXL size, which is 15" wide. To my mind it was better to be a little too big than a little too small.
Thus width should be 2 inches wider than the width of the dog at the widest point (usually the shoulders). And the height of the top of the opening should be 2 inches above the dog’s shoulders. Note that this is not the height above the head – the dog should lower his head to go through the door.
Also, it isn’t usually a full opening from the ground to that height – most doors have a lip of a few inches. The dog will step over that, but it helps keep vermin out and provides a tighter seal for the door.
The width is the problem. I don’t have access to a malamute any longer, so I can’t measure for you. One thing I want you to know is they sink like a rock in water. You have to watch them carefully around water.
From my limited experience, while you definitely don’t want one too small, you don’t want one too big either. My door is too big and my dog developed a bad habit of getting a running start going out the door. That becomes very nerve racking for the owners.
You want one where the dog has to stop and “slither” his way out. They can get out of very small openings. My advice would be to wait until the dog gets to its adult size and then install the door.
An Arky - With two dobermans, the malamute, a standard poodle, an english setter and an irish wolfhound mixer, I don’t see raccoons too close to the house.
DrDeth - my mal was originally dumped as a young dog at the barn were I used to board my horse. After I bought my farm and moved my horse, the barn manager got into drugs and left with the board money, abandoning the dog and 6 horses. The new managers didn’t want to take him in, so he ended up coming out here. He’s very even tempered, good with strangers (although not out-going), good with livestock.
Sure, but the Op might not know Malamutes. They are active, smart (huskies are a little smarter, imho), super powerful, can be destructive if bored, hate heat, and will often attack other dogs and sometimes even cats. In the case of dogs, it’s usually a dominance attack, and if the other dog rolls over, all is well. Some dogs don’t do that, however. (Side note, my neighbor had a dude “sic” his “killer fighting pitbull” on my neighbors Mal. The Mal took him apart, as the pitbull’s “go for the throat” move only got loose skin and dense heavy fur.)
OTOH, Mals are very good with children.
You are right, they are not known to attack livestock- although I heard of one who couldn;t resist chickens.
They are not good watchdogs as they don’t bark much, but they are loyal guard dogs for a family member.
There is a big reason your breeder does not use doggie doors. (There is always and exception to the rule) Mals are, well…naughty. They are sneaky, tricky and stubborn. They will go outside and quickly dig a hole and go over or under your fence. They are not very good with livestock as they are not just stubborn dogs they are pack oriented. They will not only try to rule your house but every other animal and be the leader. They are FANTASTIC FABULOUS family pets. I Love my 4 year old mal but you must become the leader at a very young age or they will rule you quickly. At 126 lbs if my Mal does not want to come in the house she will lay down and have fun moving her. Anywho…my mals dimensions are 28 inches at the shoulder and she is 11 in wide at widest point.
Good luck with the door I hope you are able to trust your mal more then most.
Good luck you will never find a more loyal friend.
