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April 22, 2009
How to keep a door ajar???
We have a dog and a cat. The dog loves eating the cat food. To solve that problem, we have been putting the cat food on the stairs leading to the basement, with something sitting in front of the door so that it is left open about 4 inches. This way the cat can sneak through, but the dog cannot. However, the dog has recently figured out how to push the door open despite the door weight. We have increased the weight of the "stopper" but she still pushes it open.
Does anyone have any sugguestion on a better way to do this? Ideally, we would like to do it without ruining the door or the door frame (ie by screwing into it).
thanks!
Comments
How about a gate? The cat will be able to jump over it and the dog will stand there, drooling.
Posted by: I_haz_TWO_toilets at April 22, 2009 2:58 PM
We always used to put our cat food on a high table in the kitchen that the dog couldn't reach.
They're both gone now. Sigh.
Posted by: 146steven at April 22, 2009 3:03 PM
I keep a door slightly ajar with a covered brick & then have a hook on the door & in the wall of the basement that I put a small bungey (bungie?) cord on so door can't be opened farther.
Posted by: Arkady at April 22, 2009 3:04 PM
Jam something into the hinge end of the door like a shim or a wedge that will prevent it from opening further.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 22, 2009 3:05 PM
Is the dog the same size as the cat? What about a cat door that's too small for the dog to use?
Posted by: traditionalmod at April 22, 2009 3:58 PM
We did it in my parents' house with a large hook and eye.
Something like this:
http://riccasarchitecturalsales.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13&products_id=106
Posted by: phripley at April 22, 2009 3:59 PM
dog is much bigger (a lab). But, we dont want to ruin the door (eg with a cat door). I guess we might have to go the latch route, but I would prefer not drilling into the door. But I cant think of another option (although I will try dave's idea).
Posted by: Splenda at April 22, 2009 4:11 PM
You might want to look at: http://www.wedgeit.com/ which you can wedge into the top of your door (but you can do that with the shim Dave suggested, too).
Even a dog that's not too smart will eventually figure out how to defeat a bottom door wedge. You might also want to look at hinge-pin door stops or floor-mount door stops, both of which can be found at House of Antique Hardware (and probably corner hardware store). Hinge-pin is probably more workable for you. There are tons of reproduction or actual vintage door stops on the market, some very heavy. There's probably some travel store door wedge with alarm. Eventually, it's likely the dog will cause more damage to door by pawing at it, then that you will damage horribly by installing a hook and eye. Probably some way to rig a chain and hook
to the doorknob and door strike.
Posted by: vinca at April 22, 2009 5:00 PM
Feed them less, more often. If they eat everything they are fed, not an issue.
Posted by: denton at April 22, 2009 5:47 PM
Denton, your post made me laugh a bit. Our dog is a yellow lab, and like all other labs, she will eat as much food as possible. I used to have a Yorkie, and he would only eat when he was hungry. The lab, on the other hand, scarfs everything down and then still wants more! She is a total pig.
Vinca, i was sort of wondering if i could rig something along the lines of your suggestion using the doorknob and door strike, but have not come up with anyhting feasible.
Posted by: Splenda at April 22, 2009 6:01 PM
Is your dog allowed in this area otherwise? Our pit is not allowed upstairs, so we put the cat food on the landing halfway up. She does not go up the stairs so she can't eat the food. We've never had to enforce this rule with gates or anything - I guess because she was NEVER allowed up there she knows it is totally forbidden. She is generally pretty good about not getting into her own food (lid of container could be just lifted off) so perhaps she is better in that area than a lab would be. Though she did once eat a bag of "textured vegetable protein" off a kitchen shelf, blow up like a cow that had been floating in a river for a week, and then fart poisonously for 4 days....
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Posted by: planettech9 at April 22, 2009 7:50 PM
I assume there's no occasion when you're fully closing this door anymore. Since your doorframe is already notched to accommodate the door strike, screw an eye bolt, or eye bolt with ring through one of the exposed sections of the strike. Or remove the strike and put a screw eye into the existing hole. If you need to, put a U-bolt around the door knob, and then run shoelaces, chain, whatever between the two. Personally, I wouldn't want to look at that contraption on a regular basis, but it should work (until the dog figures out how to apply enough pressure to pull the screw from it's hole). The hinge pin door stop is a much more elegant solution.
Posted by: vinca at April 22, 2009 11:08 PM
Seems like the easiest thing to do is to tie a rope to the door handle and attach the rope to something, maybe a radiator, to have just enough give to leave the door open four inches.
Posted by: mariano at April 23, 2009 12:04 AM
I had the same problem AND one of my dogs enjoyed getting into the litter box too(gross, I know).... Anyway, put up a baby gate in the doorway and leave a few inches underneath so the cat can squeeze under, but the dog can't.
Posted by: Misty B at April 23, 2009 1:10 PM
146steven has the best idea - put your cat food up high.
Posted by: wyckoff at April 23, 2009 1:42 PM
Misty, our dog also goes into the litter box... (which is in the basement). I think we have narrowed down the possible solutions to:
using something even heavier as a door stopper;
wedging something in the hinge end;
baby gate;
eyelet lock system.
Posted by: Splenda at April 23, 2009 2:32 PM
We had the same problem with our dog and cats.
We ordered heavy cast iron hook and eye latches.
The eye attaches to the *inside* of the door you want to keep open, and the hook attaches to *outside* door jamb.
Here's the url for what we ordered and is working beautifully:
http://houseofantiquehardware.com/s.nl/it.A/id.7612/.f?partner=froog
Good luck!
Posted by: fester at May 18, 2009 2:46 PM
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