Frequently Asked Questions

A: Theodore Roosevelt through Herbert Hoover (1901 - 1933) The first thirty years of the 1900s in America saw some amazing things. Maybe not as amazing as the last thirty years, in comparison, but that’s up for debate. The early 1900s presidential dogs saw the first automobiles roll off the production line, the birth of Disney, Women’s suffrage, the first Trans-Atlantic flight, “talking” movies, the stock market crash, the Great Depression,  the start of NBC and accompanied six American presidents into the White House. Each of these presidents had at least two canine companions. They were all true dog lovers. Warren Harding (1921 – 1923) so much so that he included his Airedale, Laddie Boy, in cabinet meetings and almost all other aspects of his daily life as president. More interesting facts about Early 1900s Presidential Dogs… The award for “Most Dogs” for this time period goes to Calvin Coolidge (1923 – 1929) with 12 dogs. Among his twelve dogs were four Collies and two Chow Chows named Tiny Tim and Blackberry. Chow Chow Terriers were very popular with this group of presidents. Woodrow Wilson (1913 - 1921), Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge all had an Airedale Terrier. Teddy Roosevelt had four Terriers of different breeds and Herbert Hoover had two Fox Terriers. Eleven of the 36 early 1900s presidential dogs were terriers, almost a third. The Airedale Terrier and the Fox Terrier were tied for the most popular dog breed at three among the presidents during these years. Fox Terrier The most popular “type” of dog was the Collie. This large dog occupied the White House when both Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover (1929 - 1933) were in office. Coolidge had two White Collies named Rob Roy and Prudence Prim, along with a Rough Collie named Bessie. Hoover had a Scotch Collie named Glen. Teddy Roosevelt’s (1901 - 1909) Pekingese, Manchu, was the smallest. Pekingese Calvin Coolidge had a Boston Bulldog named Boston Beans. He also was given several exotic pets as gifts; such as a wallaby, a duiker (an extremely small antelope), a black bear, and Pekin ducks. All of these he gave to a zoo at the First Lady’s asking.    The early 1900s presidential dogs saw some interesting times in history and were companions to some dynamic presidents. This time period started the beginning of the president’s dogs being of interest to the American people and this would continue throughout the present day. Every president until now has had at least one dog in the White House. With all these dogs in the White House, you’d think they could use a long-lasting, guaranteed and warrantied dog door like a PlexiDor Dog Door. Perhaps the next president will get one. Contact PlexiDor at or call at 888-PET-DOOR to find out about yours.

A: Franklin D. Roosevelt through Lyndon B. Johnson The mid 1900s presidential dogs saw the country emerge from a deep economic Depression into an era of prosperity and decadence. There were many significant events during this time. The New Deal is enacted, Doris Day lights up the screen, World War II ends, the Civil Rights Movement, the Golden Age of Television, America sends astronauts to the moon, and Woodstock. Five presidents graced the White House, in their turn, during the years of 1933 to 1969 and they had twenty-seven canine companions between them. Only Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953 – 1961) had just one dog, a Weimaraner named Heidi. The other four presidents had at least two dogs. Franklin D. Roosevelt – FDR (1933 – 1945), John F. Kennedy - JFK (1961 – 1963) and Lyndon B. Johnson – LBJ (1963 – 1969) all had six or more dogs. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue even saw some puppies from two of JFK’s dogs, Pushinka and Charlie. More interesting facts about the Mid 1900s presidential dogs: JFK gets the award in this time period for the “most” dogs. His family loved on eleven dogs. They had a Poodle, a Doberman, a Cocker Spaniel, a German Sheperd and a Irish Wolfhound/Schnauzer mix breed named Wolf. They also had a Welsh Terrier, named Charlie, and a Russian dog they had received as a gift, named Pushinka who gave them four adorable puppies; Butterfly, White Tips, Blackie and Streaker. The most plentiful breed in the White House was a “non-breed”. The presidents had 5 mixed breed or “mutts” among them. Beagles were the second most popular breed. LBJ kept four Beagles named Him, Her, Freckles and Edgar. Beagle The most presidential dog is also our largest dog. FDR had a Great Dane named President. He also had a German Sheperd named Major. Harry Truman had two dogs during his presidency, a Cocker Spaniel named Feller and an Irish Setter named Mike. Just as the earlier dogs in the White House had been, the mid 1900s presidential dogs were part of the president’s daily lives. The life of an American president must be hectic and some say pets can boost your mood and health. Perhaps dogs provide more of a benefit to us, than us to them. Give back to your dog today with the freedom to go in-and-out at their desire. Visit our website for more information about a PlexiDor Dog Door or call us at 888-PET-DOOR.

A: Obesity in dogs is a serious problem for their health and overall quality of life. Just like in humans, there is a difference between being overweight and being obese. Overweight is weighing 10-20% above the ideal body weight for the breed and obese is 20% or more above weight for the breed. It is preventable and reversible with proper diet and exercise. As October 14th is National Pet Obesity Day, let’s look at signs your dog is overweight and the health risks that are associated with it. Recognizing Overweight and Obesity in Dogs: Take a look at your dog’s ribs. You should be able to feel them without excess fat on them. A heavy fat layer above the ribs is a warning sign. When looking at your pup from above, he should have an obvious waistline. Consult your veterinary health professional should you have doubts about your dog’s healthy weight It’s important to recognize and curtail overweight tendencies before it leads to obesity in dogs. Excess fat negatively impacts a dog’s health and longevity and increases their risk for many diseases. They can be prone to cancer, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. The additional weight also leads to osteoarthritis and faster degeneration of their joints. In addition, many dogs may develop urinary bladder stones. At times, excess weight on a dog may be a symptom of another problem. Diseases like hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid gland or Cushing’s disease – overactive adrenal glands can lead to obesity. This is why it is important to stay on top of changes in your dog’s weight with your vet and monitor their diet and exercise levels. A happy dog is a healthy dog. Keep your dog at a healthy weight and watch for any potential issues that may lean towards obesity in your dog. A tubby puppy may not fit through the PlexiDor Dog Door anymore and you’d need to go up a size! Not to mention it’s not good for their health. Wishing you and your pooches a happy and healthy October!

A: Back-to-school is an exciting, hectic time of the year for parents and kids. So many things to do and so little time. The lazy days of the summer give way to early morning alarms and a new routine. We often leave the dog out when we prepare for the upcoming shift in schedules and preparing your dog for back-to-school time is rarely top of mind. There are however a few ways we can ensure the dog has the best experience possible during the transition from summer into the fall. Transitioning To Being Alone Your dog has grown accustomed to spending more time with us over the summer, probably more quality time. Maybe they went on family vacations or outings on the regular and now they face hours of daily alone time. The transition may be easier for younger pups, but the older a dog gets, the harder it becomes to get used to a new routine. Also, a dog may not remember back to the spring when the long days of solitude were the norm. For a dog, the spring was a lifetime ago. Ease your dog back into being alone. Start by leaving them alone in the house for a short period of time. Base that time on the length of time they are already used to spending alone during the day. For example, if the dog never gets left alone, start with a 30-minute increment and slowly work up to a full 8-hour day. Should your dog already be used to a 3-hour block of time alone, start there and work up to the 8-hours. This will help transition them into being alone for a full day. With a PlexiDor Dog Door installed in your home, they won’t need to wait until you get home to go outside. They will have the freedom to potty or chase squirrels at their leisure. Practice Your Schedule Begin your new school schedule a couple of weeks before it starts. This will actually benefit everyone. The change in routine is hard on everyone and practicing working out all the kinks can be helpful for all family members, especially the dog. It will relieve anxiety and calm stress. Set your alarm and start waking up earlier to go out for the morning walk at the same time you will on school days Get your dog back on track for feeding times, both morning and night If possible, once breakfast is over, plan on leaving for a while to run errands or go on an outing. The dog will be able to get accustomed to you not being around directly after the morning meal If you crate your dog during the day, start that practice again for short periods Occupying the Dog During the Day Part of preparing your dog for back-to-school should include figuring out some sort of mental stimulation during the day. When your dog is in the house or in a crate all day they can, and will get bored. There are a ton of toys and puzzles on the market designed to spark your dog’s interest and keep them occupied, usually involving retrieval of a treat. Some dogs enjoy calming music or the TV left on a nature or animal show. You may consider hiring a dog walker or taking your pooch to doggie daycare. Anything you can do to provide a distraction from your absence during the day is welcome relief for your pet. A depressed or anxious dog is a terrible thing to witness and can be a destructive force in your home. Keeping your dog calm and secure as you leave and return home at the end of the day is also important. Don’t make a big show when you leave in the morning. It will only upset the dog more to make a big deal out of leaving. Be quick and calm as you say goodbye to the dog and make sure you explain to the kids ahead of time why you’re doing this. It’ll save everyone heartache. In the evening, when you return home, do the same. As you walk in the door, say a quick hi and get settled. Put your things down and take your shoes off, get the kids started on their homework, make sure the dog’s let himself out through his PlexiDor Dog Door recently and then give him all the love and pats he deserves for being such a good boy all day. Just a little planning on your part and preparing your dog for back-to-school can be a breeze.

A: You may wonder how a sliding glass dog door can possibly survive the day-in, day-out use of an active dog. It seems unlikely a sliding glass door can support a doggie door for a 100 pound dog or larger. PlexiDor Glass Series Dog Doors are revolutionary and were developed with UPA Glass Pet Door Solutions to accommodate any dog breed. The typical, and even rambunctious, lifestyle of a normal dog was top of mind when creating this product. This pet door is approved for any dog. The prefabricated glass inserts were designed to replace the existing glass in your French, glass patio or sliding glass door. The insert includes a one-piece frame with a factory installed PlexiDor dog door. You choose the size dog door you need depending on your pet(s). These doors come in all sizes; small (SM), medium (MD), large (LG) and extra-large (XL). For some homeowners, the best access to the dog’s space outdoors is through a glass door, or perhaps a window. In the past, installing a sliding glass dog door would have been almost impossible. However, the PlexiDor Glass Series makes putting a dog door through a window, or glass door, no problem. This is a practical and beautiful solution to providing your dog freedom to the outside. An installer will come to your home to measure the width, thickness, and height of the pane of glass in your door. These measurements will be used to ensure your prefabricated glass insert arrives ready to install. The glass insert, with the dog door already in place, will be installed just like the original glass had been. The original door glass, removed with care, can be stored for later use. Should you sell your home or no longer need a pet door, the old pane can be put back in. Installation of a sliding glass dog door generally takes about 45 minutes. After installation, the door is ready for your frisky pooch. This is the perfect doggie door style for any breed, no matter how spirited. The sliding glass dog door will be a good fit for your family and home. It really blends right into your existing door frame!      The replacement frame and glass are warranted for five years and the PlexiDor dog door comes with a 10-year warranty. For more information, contact us or give us a call at 888-PET-DOOR!

A: July is Pet Fire Safety Month and a perfect time to review home emergency plans with the family and discuss how they include our pets. Emergencies can happen anytime and the best way to deal with any situation is to try and be prepared. Below are a few ideas to help with the preparations. Make sure your smoke detectors are installed properly and have a power supply. Check those batteries! Know all the places your pet likes to hide and take naps. Animals in distress can be more difficult to find and get a hold of. Have a plan for corralling them after you’ve found them, be it a crate, leash, etc. Have an emergency plan. How will the family get out of the house in case of fire? What does that look like for the pets? Perhaps a pet door is part of your fire safety plan. Practice your escape routes and meet up points. Get a “Pet Alert Sticker”. These are stickers that go in the front of your home, on the front door or in a front window, and will let people know you have pets in your home, what types and how many. It also has the name and number of the veterinarian. Keep your veterinarian and local pet hospital’s numbers readily available, just in case you need them. You might want to keep both as contacts in your phone. If you are unable to return to your home, have a plan for the pets. The ideal situation would be to take them with you. You have both been through something traumatic and are going to need each other’s support. Sometimes that just not possible though. If the hotel won’t accept pets, see if your vet can recommend a kennel or if a friend or relative might be able to help. While we can’t keep emergencies from happening, we can be prepared. Practicing pet fire safety and fire safety for our families creates peace of mind. We at PlexiDor Dog Doors would like to encourage everyone to have a plan to get out of the house in case of an emergency and to stay safe.

A: PlexiDor Dog Doors was chosen as Patriot PAWS Featured Partner in July! We take pride in serving our community and our partner organizations, so when we heard they had a need we responded. PlexiDor has been proud to partner with Patriot PAWS Service Dogs for some time. We support their mission “to train and provide service dogs of the highest quality at no cost to disabled American veterans and others with mobile disabilities in order to help restore their physical and emotional independence”. Here at PlexiDor we stand behind this vital and worthy cause so we always include one of their informational flyers with each dog door we ship. PlexiDor Dog Doors is honored to have been chosen as their featured partner for the month of July. The organization required new dog doors for their kennel runs at their Rockwall, TX training facility. PlexiDor was pleased to contribute new energy efficient dog doors that could provide controlled access to the outside space. There are 22+ kennels in this facility. The complex is equipped with 4000 square feet of training space and 5000 square feet of outdoor space. The dogs housed and trained in this facility are placed with disabled veterans all across the country. The Patriot PAWS program not only benefits the veterans that receive the service dogs, but also the volunteers that help socialize and train the dogs. They have three successful programs for volunteers outside of their training facility in Rockwall. Patriot PAWS is always looking for volunteers. Find out more about volunteering and the program in general, visit us at: https://patriotpaws.org/ Volunteers and donors help Patriot PAWS fulfill their mission to provide service dogs for disabled veterans. PlexiDor Dog Doors is honored to be able to support them with their mission and to be Patriot PAWS featured partner in the month of July.

A: September is Animal Pain Awareness Month and the IVAPM wants us all to be aware of the signs of pain in your dog. It was introduced by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) to educate pet owners on their dog’s well-being when it comes to pain management. Just like people, animals experience pain too. It can be acute or chronic. If you know what to look for, there are options to treat and manage a pet’s pain, such as pain medications, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, laser therapy, and therapeutic massage. Signs of Pain in Your Dog Not as active as usual Struggling to jump up on couches or beds Decreased appetite Licking themselves/grooming more than usual Not using the stairs Having trouble standing up after lying down Withdrawal from the family Not wanting to move Whimpering, howling or growling Aggressive behavior; biting Chewing on themselves Changes in posture Knowing what to look for is the first step to helping our non verbal friends feel better. They can’t tell us what’s wrong. We all want to be the best dog parents we can and it’s hard when many of these signs could mean many different things. By just keeping our eyes and ears open and paying attention you will be able to see the potential signs of pain in your dog. Awareness is the key to making it better. This has been a public service message from PlexiDor Dog Doors. Have a happy, healthy and pain-free September everyone!

A: Belgium is a small country in Western Europe that  shares borders with France, Germany, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands. There are quite a few Belgian dog breeds, several of which are often used as guard dogs and police dogs. The Belgian Shepherd Dogs are amongst famous breeds from the area. This group is divided into the Groenendael, the Laekenois, Malinois, and the Tervuren. The breeds have similarities in looks and temperament, but they are distinct breeds. The Belgian Sheep Herding Dogs Groenendael The Groenendael is an elegant, strong, and intelligent breed. They were originally used as herders, watchdogs, and companions, but their smarts and versatility quickly made them popular outside of Belgium. Groenendaels soon served as police dogs in Paris and New York City, and were famous for catching smugglers. Many work in search and rescue, as guide dogs, and as therapy dogs. They also do very well in dog sports such as obedience, tracking, and agility. Malinois The Malinois is an alert breed often mistaken for German Shepherds, and the confusion becomes bigger from the Malinois being popular for police and military work. While there are physical similarities, this is a completely different breed than the German Shepherd. An average Malinois is intelligent, confident, and loves to work. They are also popular in obedience trials, herding, sledding, and tracking.  Laekenois The Laekenois is clever and alert, and can be quite protective of family and property. This breed was originally developed to tend to flocks and guard, and these properties remain in the breed.  Tervuren The Tervuren is an elegant and devoted dog that often excels in obedience and agility competitions. Many who see these dogs believe they're German Shepherds with long hair, but the Tervuren is a different breed. They're outstanding herders that also do great jobs as therapy dogs and guide dogs.

A: Getting a glass house or French door with a dog door placed in the glass is an excellent solution to allow your dog access to the outside. A wall may not be available or you may not want to commit to the permanence of a hole in your house for a dog door. The entire pane of glass gets replaced, and should you need to remove the dog door in the future, a new pane of glass can be put back in. You can even keep your old glass if you have the space to store it! PlexiDor Dog Doors has standard size glass door inserts to fit most any thickness glass pane in stock. They are easy to have installed or we have installation videos available for the DIYer. Review this video on properly measuring for the correct size glass insert: How to Measure For a French Door with Dog Door Insert https://vimeo.com/386543479 Once the door has been measured, view the next video for easy to follow instructions for installation: Install “How To” Video https://vimeo.com/386543479 If you’re not a DIY person, PlexiDor Customer Service can get you in touch with a local installer in your area. We are here to help whatever your question may be on your new glass door or French door with dog door. Give us a call today at 800-749-9609 Opt. 3.