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Find out if the Hi Tech Pet automatic dog door is right for your dog and home with this in depth look at the product. 

First, let me introduce you to our pup. He is an energetic (though aging) Yorkie Poo weighing in at around 20 pounds. He enjoys chasing birds, barking at falling leaves and sunning on the back deck. 

We got our automatic doggy door for him so that he could come and go as he wished. The High Tech Pet dog door that we chose has been installed in our home for about 3 years. 

In this review, we will discuss all of your questions related to Hi Tech Pet dog doors like why you need an electronic dog door, replacing the Hi Tech Pet dog collar batteries and more. 

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Why Invest in a Smart Dog Door Like Hi Tech Pet?

Freedom for Your Pup

Your dog will absolutely love the freedom to come and go as they please. They can get extra exercise and use the bathroom outside anytime they need to. 

Have you ever been stuck in a meeting or at a party and all you can think about is that the dog needs to be let out? I know I have and the Hi Tech Pet dog door eliminates that problem! I feel so much better knowing that my dog isn’t stuck in a crate for an entire day.

And there is no more getting up 5 times during your favorite show to let the dog out. We are all much happier (dog included)! 

Security

Typically you would wonder how to secure your dog door from intruders but you don’t have to worry as much with this smart dog door. 

A large or extra large flap style dog door could allow for a tween or small adult to enter your home via the dog door. Using an automatic dog door provides security by providing an additional barrier to entry. 

This door has an automatic steel deadbolt on the interior of the unit giving extra protection. It also has a bulletproof panel to prevent intruders. 

Prevents Wild Animals From Using Dog Door 

Our house backs up to a wooded area where I’ve seen things like raccoons, opossums, snakes, coyotes and other wildlife. You can rest assured that I don’t want any of those cuddly creatures coming in through a swinging dog door.

By using an electronic pet door, the door will only open when your pup gets within range and it shuts a few seconds after they enter the home. This is great to help eliminate the possibility of unwanted animals entering throughout the night.

Weather

While any dog door will create a draft when opened, you don’t want one creating an issue all the time. And a flap style dog door will not have a perfect seal, allowing your air conditioning and heat to escape. 

The best dog door for cold weather or summer heat is a High Tech Pet Automatic Dog Door. The door will shut all the way when not in use which will help to keep the elements from outside where they belong – out. 

Hi Tech Pet Automatic Dog Door Overview

After more than 3 years of use, my experience with the product has been great. 

The Power Pet fully automated pet door gives your pet autonomy and you peace of mind. But when you purchase a big ticket item like this, you want to make sure that it works properly. Especially since this item is built into your home or door in some manner. 

Here are the top questions about a Hi Tech Pet automatic dog door answered. 

How Does the Electronic Doggy Door Work?

You will place the Hi Tech Pet Collar on your dog. When your dog approaches the dog door (inside or out), the sensor on the collar will trigger the door to automatically open. The door will shut a few seconds after your dog moves away from the sensor’s range. 

Door Features:

Sensor Sensitivity

The door also has 2 knobs that allow you to adjust the sensitivity of the opening trigger, one for inside and one for outside. This is great depending on where you end up installing your door. 

For example, our dog door is very close to our kitchen table where our Yorkie Poo enjoys spending time waiting on any dropped crumbs from the kids. If I have the sensor up, the dog door will trigger and open when the dog is just in the kitchen looking for food. 

I like that I can adjust the setting to not open until he gets right in front of the door preventing the door from opening unnecessarily. 

In/Out Off/On 

You can choose to turn the system off for inside or out. 

For Example, if I look out and see my dog rolling in a mud puddle. I can press the outside button to deselect it (the green light will turn off). So when he comes up to the door, it will not let him in. 

This feature also works if you want to keep the dog inside. My kids have an inflatable slide and pool that we like to play with in the summer. The dog likes to bark and just overall annoy everyone when the kids play with this toy. 

So instead of having to take his collar off, I can just deselect the inside button. When he tries to go out, the sensor will not work & he will remain inside. 

Manual Open Button

There is also a manual open button on the power panel. 

I typically use this when the battery starts to go low on his collar. As the battery starts to wear out, sometimes I will hear our dog standing at the door waiting to get in. Using the “Open” button in that scenario lets him in without having to go to wherever your normal exterior door is. 

Don’t worry, you can typically tell when the battery is going out before your dog is locked in or out. Normally for several days I can see that it takes longer for the dog to stand just right in front of the door before it will open. 

When I see that start to happen, I proactively change the battery so that he doesn’t get stuck in or out when I’m not home. 

Battery Indicator

The Power Pet dog door panel also has a battery indicator on the door itself. If you choose to use battery instead of the AC power, this will be useful in letting you know when it is time to change that battery. 

Hi Tech Pet Collar Battery Replacement

The dog door itself can run on AC power or battery. I have only used the AC power and have had no problems with using it in this manner. 

The dog collar will need battery replacements. There are some Hi Tech pet collar battery hacks floating around Youtube. However, I’m sure that if you hack the collar it probably voids the warranty. 

I usually buy these batteries twice a year. 

Pro Tip: The Hi Tech Pet Collar is a little dinky. In fact, we spent a while when we first got the unit searching the backyard for the sensor because the collar fell off our dog outside. 

Just pull the sensor off the cheap collar and attach it to your dog’s favorite collar with a couple of zip ties. It will be much more secure and easier to take off when needed (like a trip to the vet).

Excuse my model – He wasn’t feeling the photoshoot.

Pet Door Installation 

I’m not a lot of help on this one because we had our dog door professionally installed when we were building our house. 

If you are handy, I’m sure you could install it yourself. I watched our contractors install it in around an hour or less I think. Didn’t time them but now I’m thinking I should have! They also added a decorative element on the outside to make it a bit more visually attractive with some bead board and paint. 

We have the medium wall unit and it is installed right next to our regular door. The medium is the perfect size for our 20 lb. Yorkie Poo. 

Hi Tech Pet Dog Door Sizes Available 

The pet door comes in Medium or Large (for up to 100 lb animals). 

They even show that cats may enjoy using this door. 

Is It Loud? 

The only time that the door makes any noise is when it opens and closes. The sound is slightly louder as it opens than when it closes. 

It is definitely not silent but it is not a noise that is bothersome to me. The benefits definitely outweigh the noise for us. We have 5 kids so I’m not sure I even know what silence is anymore. Our life is loud! 

Overall, we feel like we pretty much can’t live without our Hi Tech Pet Electronic Dog Door.  If I missed a question that you have, ask it in the comments & I will try my best to answer it for you.