A pet door is a great way to let your dog in and out, but this portal can inadvertently allow bugs to get into your house as well. Want to allow your pup passage but impede the insects? Try these tricks:
Make sure the door seals.
Rather than just having a opening, make sure that you invest in a pet door with a flap. Ideally, you want a flap that seals when it closes, rather than one that has air gaps around the side.
If you are trying to modify an existing pet door to keep out the bugs, add a bit of weather stripping around the flap. When it's closed, that rubber will help the door create a seal with the frame surrounding it.
Use plants to deter pests.
To deter pests from around your pet door, craft your landscaping to deter them, or place potted plants near the entry with the pet door. Plants that deter bugs without posing a threat to pets include chrysanthemums, basil, lavender and several others.
Keep food away from the pet door.
In addition to deterring pests from the outside, try not to lure them inside with nice smells. If you keep your pet food near the pet door, consider relocating it to an interior part of your home, away from doors. If you have to keep your pet food near the door, make sure that you clean up crumbs regularly to keep the area tidy.
Only use the pet door when you are not at home.
The more often your pet door opens, the more opportunities bugs have to come in. If you want to stop them, consider locking the pet door when you are at home, and only letting your dog leave with your permission. That way, although you are still opening the door, at least you can limit the number of trips in and out of the door.
Spray your dog with bug repellant.
In some cases, the bugs coming in through your pet door are not coming in on their own. Instead they are riding in on your dog or following him in. To prevent this from happening, spray your dog with insect repellant at the beginning of the day so that when he goes out bugs are not attracted to him. Also, remember to use products for flea and tick removal as necessary to prevent bugs from getting in your house.
