OkcPets Magazine March 2023

20 OKC Pets • March / April 2023 What good is an alarm system on all your doors and windows if a jumbo-sized doggy door is ready and waiting to be entered? Moms worry and then take action. By the next day, there was a padlock on Matt’s gate and a firm warning about locking that doggy door. Not too long after that, Matt left his gate unlocked after doing yard work. He later entered his home to the smell of a cigarette and found that the left- over steak from his refrigerator had been eaten. An empty plate was in the sink. Nothing was missing that he noticed, but he became a believer in locking that doggy door and gate. I hated to say, “I told you so,” but of course, I gave him a reminder of the wisdom I had shared with him. Screen Out Uninvited Visitors According to the Humane Society of the United States, a plethora of uninvited guests might enter through your dog- gy door — stray cats, foxes, opossums, raccoons, and dogs that are not your own. That can be dangerous for several reasons, one being unvaccinated dogs and disease-carrying animals. Those animals also can be fearful and can bite to defend themselves or chase your pets as if they were prey. I have heard sweet stories in which a neighbor’s dog jumped the fence, entered the doggy door, and played with his best dog friends while the owners were at work. He quickly exited through the doggy door when he heard the garage door go up as the owners returned to the scene of the crime. He was caught when they recog- nized his color of fur on their new white couch. That seems an innovative way to spend time with dog friends, much like sneaking out of the house as a teenager. But what if the dogs coming in the doggy door are not friendly and pose a threat to your pets? Technology to the rescue! There is a solution — electronically operated doggy doors that allow only your own pet inside. Several kinds of mechanisms can allow the door to open. Smart doors leverage the same facial-recognition technology as most smartphones. Other doors scan a microchip that identifies your dog only or a gizmo on your dog’s collar. When your dog approaches, it is a magical open sesame. The door will close when the dog moves away from the door. In addition, the smart doggy door is much better at protecting your home against severe weather extremes because it is an actual door, not just a flap. Electronic doggy doors are not recom- mended for very small dogs that can be carried away by a bird of prey or attacked by a large animal. Areas where coyotes, wolves, bears, or other predators are present should not use doggy doors at all because it puts pets at risk by going outside unsupervised. You should be outside with your dogs to protect them. If your dog is medium sized and you don’t live in a neighborhood with poten- tially dangerous animals roaming near your home — and if the door leads to a safe fenced yard — then a facial-recog- nition door might be a perfect technique to increase environmental enrichment for your dog while decreasing the risk of other animals coming for a visit. Facial-recognition doors can work for other pets as well as for dogs. Train Your Dog To Wait for Recognition The Petvation facial-recognition smart door is the latest, greatest step up in doggy doors. The training is simple, but it is different in comparison to regular doggy doors. The dog must approach the door and wait to be recognized instead of pushing on a flap to enter. A sensor above the door recognizes your dog’s face. Like magic, the door raises. The entire system is powered with a wall plug. These smart doors are equipped with infrared cameras that have 120-degree wide-angle identifi- cation and infrared-boosting illumination to read and identify your pet based on its appearance. That is the same way your smartphone reads your face for instant access. Manufacturers are working to improve the system to differentiate among multiple dogs and cats in the same home. An ap- plication is available to send alerts wire- lessly that intruder wannabes are lurking around. And unlike Apple Face ID, the animal does not need to be trained to look directly into the camera. Consider the Disadvantages Some downsides exist to facial-recognition doggy doors. You should consider the cost. Electronic doggy doors have a price range of $169 and up. If you have multiple dogs, a doggy door can trigger intercanine aggression because it poses a perception of a tight space and causes fear in many dogs. That can be an antecedent to aggression to- ward family dogs. In addition, dogs have a tendency to run in and out through a dog- gy door repeatedly, which might increase fear and anxiety, leading to many unique behavioral concerns. And let’s not forget dogs such as my 16-year-old Labrador Retriever, Maddie. Her greatest love— other than her family — is bringing critters inside. She has graciously delivered frogs, bunnies, a white opossum frozen in fear, birds, and turtles to our home. We stopped leaving our door cracked on a beautiful day for her to enjoy! My neighbor’s cat believes she is a dog. She uses the doggy door to bring many types of prizes inside for her mom to clean up. Snakes and mice are her favorites. The facial-recognition technology will not stop your pet from delivering unwanted guests. Petvation puts to ease another concern. What if the doggy door slams down on an animal’s tail or on a small dog or kitty? Petvation eliminated the risk of an animal’s paw or tail getting pinched in the door by angling motion sensors and using a downward-facing camera that registers when the animal is completely clear of the door. However, I was pondering whether it is prudent for people to rely solely on that technology to be 100 percent consistent. Think of the many instances when you have experienced technology glitches. Your smartphone might not recognize your face for access to your phone. It will ask for your passcode. If the facial-recognition technology does not work, it might leave your animal stuck outside when it needs to be inside. I would love to hear your reviews if you have Petvation installed in your home. Keep me updated. But as long as my Mad- die still feels the need to share her prizes, no doggy door for me! Happy tails, Karen Three Oaks Animal Behavior Counseling