We have two big dogs that are housebroken and go outside to do their "business". Rarely do they ever want to go out at the same time, which makes my mornings working in my home office a lot like doing a really long, slow set of chair squats... get up to let one dog out, sit down and work for a minute, get up to let that dog back in, sit down work for a little bit, get up and let the other dog out, sit down and work for a couple minutes, get up and let the other dog in, repeat ad nauseum.

Sure, I could get rid of the dogs or install one of those butt ugly and very energy inefficient pet flaps and solve the problem, but I don't like either of those options. Hence the idea for the remote control door.

It's very much along the lines of the doors at just about every grocery store in America, only the door doesn't open everytime the dog (or anyone else) steps in front of it, only when you tell it to.

The actual product would consist of a DIY-installable mechanism to open the door, plus a remote control to control the mechanism. The mechanism would be activated and would open the door when the remote control button was pressed. Remotes would be keyed to the individual mechanism, much like garage door openers, so that you don't go around opening your neighbors doors with your remote as well. The remote door opener would sound a tone to alert the pet that the door was opening to make training easy.

Would also work great for indoor/outdoor cats.
-- trinityX, Feb 03 2004

I have seen pet doorbells, which you could link up to this. The dog, once suitably trained (note this would never work with cats) could then ring to be let in and you could then use your remote control to do the job.
-- hazel, Feb 03 2004



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