PlexiDorPerformance Pet Doors for Dogs and Cats - Door Mount Dog Door with Lock and Key - Bronze, Large Sizes

First dog door was a DIY cut a hole in a boarded up basement window and fashioned inside/outside flaps out of different materials until I found one the puppies didn't destroy in relatively warm Salt Lake City, UT. Next home in the relatively cold and snowy Northwoods of WI I bought a plexidor wall mount unit. Couldn't have been happier with it, as no random squirrels, mice, skunks, porcupines, meth makers or other riffraff got in, and the dogs like to stick their heads through and peek out of it now and then. Replaced the original one with a new one of a different color when I replaced the siding and trim on that house. I bought this door unit for my latest home on the definitely cold, windy and snowy south shore of Lake Superior (no place to put a wall mount door or I'd have tried to use the original one from the last home somehow, as they are pricey). Only problem I'm having is that as the dogs are approaching 13 years old, one of them is becoming reluctant to use it. However, that is not the fault of the actual door, but rather her back end becoming weak and it would be a problem with any door that doesn't open at ground level.I like that it is see through, if I keep it clean. They say not to use all sorts of cleaning products on it, but I find that what gets it clean without an hours work is Clorox wipes followed by water, and it hasn't seemed to cause lasting damage. But I don't clean it too often, so maybe regular use would cause damage, not sure. And maybe regular cleaning would make water more effective, lol. I like that you can screw the cover on to keep the dogs in if you need to. When one dog had knee surgery, we needed this for months. Locking it without the cover would just confuse them, so don't see the point in that function, other than it would be quicker to do that than put the cover on if you were taking the dogs out for the day and had security concerns or something like that.In subzero weather my second through the wall one got a bit frosty around the edges, and in general it leaked air, but probably not any more than any other dog door, and certainly a lot less than my homemade one, double flaps notwithstanding. The first one leaked and frosted less, so installation probably had something to do with it as well. I paid others to install all three of them. I made my original one myself, but for the money on these, I didn't want to screw it up.Too soon to tell as far as dealing with the cold weather goes with the door model, as we've been blessed with warm weather this year, with this weekend being the first bit of snow. It is no colder than in front of my windows at this very moment when I feel in front of the dog door, so it appears to be sealing better than the wall mount dog door so far. If it's bad later on, I'll update this. I've never gotten anything free and spent my hard earned money on all of these plexidors and everything else I've gotten on Amazon, so if I bother to review something, it's because I either really like it, or really don't like it.After a few years with this dog door, can say it really works for not leaking air when installed in a metal door, even when it's like -25 outside. There is more air leakage around the actual door itself than through/around the dog door. And no frosting like with my through the wall models in my other home. Total quality product!

I have had this product since 2014. It has gone through 4 dogs ranging from 130 lbs. to 45 lbs. We live in the northeast, north of NYC. We see hot and cold weather. Have gone through countless other standard dog doors, including those that automatically open. All else have fallen apart usually within 6 months to 2 years at best. We usually have 2-3 dogs at a time from puppies up. This is the BEST door for large size dogs we've come across.The craftsmanship is unbelievably strong. I gave the energy efficient rating rather low because the flimsy weatherstripping that it comes with does fall apart with the hot/cold weather we get here and it is not sufficient to keep out the hot/cold air.For four season weather, it really is necessary to get the side rails to be able to easily slide the metal cover in place. Otherwise, you have to take the time to screw the plate in place, a bit of a pain. TIP- buy plastic hand star knobs. Easier than using regular screws. Take screws that fit to hardware store to get right size. We screw the plate in place only when we go away on vacation. Works really well.We also have a blanket hung on a tension rod on the door for really cold weather. We've done this with all our doggie doors. If your weather is pretty consistent, this is not an issue for you.The other issue is safety. This door has the BEST safety options we've come across. Like all dog doors, the large size is big enough for a slim person to enter but it is NOT easily done. Our houseguest forgot his keys and he got in, around 160 lb. He did not have an easy time, but he did get in. The door does have a key that locks just the doors from opening but for real safety, the plate is needed.This is a huge investment but at 75-100 easily spent on large size doors that don't last, it eventually pays for itself. If you have a petit size only dog, you probably don't have this issue but for a multi large dog family, it is invaluable. Make sure you install it where you absolutely want it because you will have it for a very long time.

I researched many "dog door" products before purchasing this Plexidoor product. I decided on this unit because of perceived quality of construction and the fact there were detailed installation instructions for the product. They also size their products based on the size of your pets. It was definitely pricier than alternatives, but as many are oft to say, "you get what you pay for." Installation took the better part of an afternoon, and I did it without removing the door from it's hinges at it was a new door and had just been hung. My advice: take your time, measure carefully and do use the provided template to mark the holes that need to be drilled. Be careful with fiberglass doors as you drill. After finally installed the door works wonderfully . Our dogs learned to use it almost immediately after a little coaxing (with treats of course). After one full winter I can say that it has served us well. We've saved money on heating fuel in the winter and air conditioning (electricity) in the summer. We live in a semi-rural area with many critters including Deer, so the dogs can chase without wining and scratching at doors. I highly recommend this product, especially over competing products that employ cheap "flapper" doors.