Dog owners! Need your suggestions...

I have 2 boxers (~60-65lbs) and am going to install a doggy door in my back door soon. My gf is going to move in with me in the next couple of months and she has 3 dogs. Two of them are small and the other is a boxer/ridgeback so about the same size as mine. I'm wondering if I can install a big doggy door and a little one on the same door. The door I have is a steel door so it should be fine, but just thought I would throw it out on TW to see what other people may have done.

 

My guess is a big door won't discriminate against a small dog, why not just put one big door for all of them.

 

The last one I installed said to measure where the chest of the dog was and to have the bottom of the dog door at the bottom of the chest of the dog. If I do that, then the little dogs wouldnt be able to get through. I can put the big one lower, but I was thinking the flap might be too heavy for the little ones to push through. I dont know, I've never had a little dog so I really dont know what theyre capable of...

 

Tell her to get rid of the small dogs. Install the big door properly. Problem solved.

 

How little are the little dogs??

My 15lb boston terrier can get through a big dog door just fine.

 

I told Simon to cover his ears!
To the OP go with the big door, they figure it out for sure.

 

Just put the big dog door in and see how the little guy manages. The flaps aren't that heavy.

Unless you are talking about a 2 lb chihwawa (ok, can't spell) in which case you might need to go with the small door as well.

 

One dog you should have no problem...Just make it slightly shorter. My 70lb Malinois goes through a door that is made for a small pup. So for making the door a little shorter for the big dogs should be no problem

 

I have a large Catahoula Leopard Dog and a smaller low-rider mutt. They both use the door just fine. In fact, the little one was better at learning how to use it. It took the big dog a week to get used to it. Just install the big door. They'll figure it out.

 

If you want some advice dont move in with youre girlfriend at all! Not unless youre engaged. You will quickly find little things you hate about each other and then you will feel stuck because you have all sorts of things keeping you hitched and making it complicated. i speak from experience. If you do it keep just one of youre names on the house... and for god sakes keeps youre own bank accounts!

 

Thanks for all the input guys! The big dogs are between 60-70lbs and the little ones are 13 lbs and 5 lbs (Chihuahua/rat terrier mix and the other is a mix I cant remember). I'll try the big door first and see if the littles can get through. I was going to offset the door to the left side of the door anyways (due to the design of the actual door) so if I need to install a little one, I will put it on the right side.

 

...the things we do for our animals!

 

The big ones will probably eat the little one in a week anyway, so just install the big door.