How Are Greyhounds With Door/window Screens?

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

What has been your experience with greyhounds and door/window screens? My husband and I love opening the house to the weather rather than using the AC. I just want to know if I should worry about Jayne going through a screen after a squirrel or something. The windows are all rather high, so I'm not overly concerned about them, and the back door leads to the fenced yard, but the front door has a lower screen. Last weekend when we opened the back door my husband put a tape X on the screen and we had no issues, but we left the front closed.

[silverfish]

I've had one jump through a screen, and I think other people have, too. Some people put some kind of decoration on the screen to make it more visible, but it's not going to stop a dog jumping through it if s/he sees something to chase. I'd think a stable door might be a better option, with the screen at the top half only.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

Our back door is a sliding glass door, but if she does go through she'll just be stuck in the yard. For the front door, I'll probably just leave the storm window in place and not bother opening the screen to be on the safe side..

[Guest Spencers_Greyt]

All 3 of my dogs have gone through my screens.

[buddibear]

I left for 15 min to p/u lunch. The standard poodle went through a closed br window after the mailman. Luckily she did not get a scratch. The grey's bed under thar window was coverd in glass.He never went near it. Home Depot has metal grills that can cover the screen area of a storm door...Also get a good or double up that latch.Smarty pants learned how to operate the flipper style door handles.

[CaliforniaGreys]

I always keep my inside front door open but I have a heavy duty security screen door and have never had a problem

[Sighthounds4me]

When we open our patio door, we put a baby gate in front of it. This lets the dogs know that there is something there.

 

Also, I work daily to prevent them rushing the door, so when we do have the patio door open, with the screen in place, they know they are not to rush it. So when we go to let them outside, they wait for me to release them.

 

I have not had any dogs go through the screen, but I have had one crash into it a couple times. Thankfully, the only thing injured was the screen, no living beings, but is was upset at it anyway (those things aren't cheap!).

 

I have seen metal (aluminum, I believe) barriers designed for reinforcing screens like this. I cannot find a picture of one, but it is basically a thin metal grate that fits over the lower portion of the door. It allows air to flow, but provides a clear visual barrier, as well as protecting the screen.

[LuvEarsies]

We only ever open the top sash of our windows. That way we never have to worry about one of them going through the window screens. The front stays closed period, in fact it might get opened once or twice a year, everyone comes into our home through the garage after the dogs are secured behind closed interior doors. We will fully open the back slider door but if they would happen to go through the back screen the yard is fully fenced and both fence gates are each triple locked (slide bolt,a flip-over latch that came with the fence and we've added a heavy chain with padlock). Yes, it may seem over the top to some people and we get teased a lot about being Fort Knox but our hounds are "gold" to us. Oh and the windows/doors only get opened if we're home-when we leave everything is buttoned-up tight.

[tydyelady]

For our back slider door, I put a baby gate across it in the summer, so I can have the door open. There are too many critters that come in our back yard (bunnies, squirrels, crows) that would be way too tempting. We don't have a fenced yard.

For the front screen door, I always make sure it is locked, and unfortunately it opens from the bottom. So for the time being I only have it open on the first notch, which is about 4 inches. They do make a grate type thing that can cover the screen from the outside, so this summer I will be looking into that. As far as our other windows, they are too high up and blocked by furniture to be an issue.

[Guest lanielovesgreys]

Yup, Laika has jumped through our screens. Once out the front and once from the backyard into the house.

[GreytNut]

Raven has gone right through a screen door. She would have gone through the front window but I closed the window before I left--just a gut feeling--and came home to find the screen torn out. If I hadn't closed the window she'd have been gone.

 

I think the trick is to only open your windows enough to let in air without leaving a large enough opening for escape. If you have a way of fixing the windows so that they can't be forced further open, that would be ideal. If the dog could force it wider, it's best to leave it closed. You'd be amazed what they can pull off when properly motivated.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

Thanks all, you have given me a lot to think about. I have been working with her on not rushing the door since I got her and it's working pretty well.

[Sighthounds4me]

I just re-read my post, and want to clarify something.

 

When I say that I work with them to not rush the door, I mean that to apply only when I am about to let them through one. If they thought the door was open, and saw something to chase without me right there to supervise, I have no doubt they'd go. Thus, I use a baby gate, so the visual barrier is there.

Edited March 26, 2010 by Sighthounds4me

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

I understood.

 

I have my cats trained to not touch the front door when looking out the screen (just in case it isn't latched completely, which it always is). My Bob "gophers" when he peers out. It's not 100% effective when there is something exciting outside but every bit helps when it comes to keeping the critters in the house.

 

Thinsg will be different now tih Jayne in the house. I thihnk I'll look into the metal grilles fror the front screen. Maybe replace the whole door with something pretty and tough, it's not very pretty now.

[fourofem]

I love to have my windows open too so in the rooms they have access to, I only open the top sash. They can't get to the front door so that's no problem. Since the dog door is installed in the back door, I don't have a screen door but I use one of those on a spring rod so they can go in and out to a fenced yard when I'm home. In my old house, Lizzie went through screens into the front yard twice (she is a major escape artist). Luckily, she never left the yard but it taught me a lesson.

[Sighthounds4me]

I understood.

 

Well that's good, cuz when I re-read it, I thought, "WHAT?!" I thought it would be easily misunderstood!

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

I haven't got a problem with it here, not with dogs going OUT. But, when I lived in an apartment, I would often open my window and my guys would leap out, pee, and leap back in (on command, of course- and leashed). Plus I could easily jump out too if I had needed. Saved me walking down the hallway of creeps to get out back.

 

Now, a certain male goofball of mine would go through a screen to come inside and visit my bitch that is in heat... lol that I don't doubt.

[Guest greytgrandma]

Hot Rod has never jumped threw the screen on the bottom of our door. But he has popped out the corner of it.I have learned that when I come in from outside if he is at the front door watching I come in the back door.He will get excited and put his paws on the screen popping out one corner.I think our next storm door will have the screen on the top just in case

[sobesmom]

A dog that's used to a window or door "probably" won't go through a screen in the space that they're used to having a barrier (glass). As long as there's NO TEMPTATION.

 

But - when I open our widows to the screens, if I'm not home, I don't open them more then 6-8 inches. The windows are low to the floor, so I know a dog could go through them if something "irresistable" crossed in front of them. I never leave a window screen-only wide open if I'm not home. The door with the screeen, opens into the fenced yard, so no escape issues, but I don't ever leave that screen-only if we're not home. Too many critters come wandering around, and I don't want the dogs breaking the screen to catch a skunk, cat, or rabbit. They've never done it - never had the chance, but I KNOW my Diana would go through a screen to get a rabbit without blinking.

 

Fresh air is wonderful - but if you're not home, just crack all the windows a few inches is my suggestion.