Medium is where most family dogs live. Beagles, French Bulldogs, Cocker Spaniels and the endless wonderful mixes in between all land in the middle of the size chart. Two sizes cover this whole group. The M fits stocky small dogs around French Bulldog size, and the L fits classic medium breeds around Beagle size. Picking between them takes one look at your dog’s build and one pass with a tape measure.
The M flap opening measures 23 by 35 centimetres. The L flap opening measures 28 by 45 centimetres. Same frame construction, same installation method, same sealing. The only difference is the size of the opening your dog walks through, so the decision comes down to your dog’s shoulders and chest, not your preference.
The M Size for Stocky Small Dogs
The M suits dogs around French Bulldog size, which means low-built, broad-chested and compact. French Bulldogs, Pugs and similar stocky breeds fit the 23 by 35 opening with comfortable clearance. The step-over height matters more than the numbers suggest for these dogs. A low, barrel-shaped dog should not be hopping over a tall sill every time it needs the garden, so the installer sets the bottom of the opening low.
These breeds also tend to be the apartment dogs of Dubai, living in Marina and Downtown flats with balcony access. The M fits neatly into sliding balcony doors and fixed glass panels without dominating the panel. For renters, the silicon-sealed insert option means the door goes in without touching the landlord’s frame, and it comes out clean at move-out.
The L Size, the All-Rounder
The L covers the classic medium breeds. Dogs around Beagle size take it. That includes Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, Shelties, Whippets and the medium mixes you meet in every Dubai dog park. The 28 by 45 opening gives a medium dog room to pass without thinking about it, and it leaves enough margin that a dog carrying a few extra kilos still fits.
If your dog sits near the top of the M range, the L is usually the safer order. A Beagle-sized dog in an M flap is a dog that will fit today and squeeze tomorrow. The price of going one size up is a slightly larger cut in the glass. The price of going one size down is a door the dog stops using.
Why Medium Doors Suit Apartments and Villas Alike
In apartments, the medium sizes fit balcony sliding doors without eating the panel. The door goes into the fixed or sliding panel, the balcony stays usable, and the flap is small enough that it reads as part of the door rather than a renovation. In villas, the same sizes go into patio doors, french doors and garden-facing fixed panels, giving the dog independent access to the yard.
Both settings share one requirement. The seal has to actually seal. Dubai apartments pressurise oddly with AC running, and a loose flap will flutter and whistle. Our installations seat the flap flat in a rigid aluminium frame, and sliding-door fits get weather strips on the interlock gap, so the door stays quiet.
Rental-Friendly Fits for Medium Doors
The rental-friendly method fits medium doors cleanly. For framed doors we use silicon-sealed inserts that grip without screws or drilling, so the landlord’s frame is never marked. For glass, the door goes into a brand-new replacement panel while your original panel waits in storage, untouched.
At move-out, the insert peels out or the original panel goes back in, and there is nothing to fill, sand or repaint. Keep the original panel somewhere safe and dry. We hand it to you on installation day, and it is yours.
Dogs That Sit Right on the Line
Some dogs refuse to fit the chart neatly. A tall, lean French Bulldog cross might clear the M on width but brush the top on height. A small, stocky Beagle might fit the L on height with room to spare on width. These are the dogs the between-sizes rule was written for. Measure both dimensions, find which one points higher, and order that size.
Cavapoos, Cockapoos and other popular crosses land here often. Their adult size varies even within a litter, so the tape measure matters more than the breed label. Measure at twelve months when growth has mostly finished, and if the numbers still straddle two sizes, take the larger one. A young crossbreed keeps filling out well into its second year.
Owners sometimes ask whether a dog can simply learn to duck through a smaller flap. Dogs do duck, but they do it reluctantly and they resent it. A door the dog uses happily is worth more than a slightly smaller hole in your glass. When the chart says L and your instinct says the dog could squeeze an M, trust the chart.
Measuring for the Middle Sizes
The method is the same as for every size. Measure standing height at the shoulder and width at the widest point of the chest, both in centimetres. Match the larger of the two against the flap dimensions. Height points to L and width points to M? Order the L. Puppies get ordered for adult size. A Beagle puppy fits the M at three months and needs the L by eight months, so order the L once.
Write the numbers down and keep them. You will need them again if you move house and order a second door, and the survey team will ask for them before the visit. A photo of the tape against the dog helps too, because it shows posture. A dog measured while sitting gives a taller reading than the same dog standing, and the photo lets us spot that.
Browse the full range of dog doors with professional installation across Dubai, from survey to final seal.
When the flap size sits between two options, measure again rather than guessing. A flap that is slightly generous beats one that is slightly tight, because a dog that has to squeeze will stop using the door.
Keep reading: Weather Strips for Dog Doors in Sliding Doors
FAQ
What size dog door does a Beagle need?
The L, with a flap opening of 28 by 45 centimetres. It gives a Beagle comfortable clearance in both directions.
What size dog door does a French Bulldog need?
The M, with a flap opening of 23 by 35 centimetres. The lower step-over suits a stocky, low-built dog.
My dog is between the M and the L. Which one?
Take the L. A slightly generous flap still seals and swings correctly. A slightly small flap rubs the shoulders and the dog stops using it.
Can I install a medium dog door in a rented apartment?
Yes. Silicon-sealed inserts fit without drilling the frame, and glass installations use a new replacement panel while your original stays in storage. Both come out clean at move-out.
Will a medium flap suit a Cocker Spaniel?
Yes, the L fits Cocker Spaniels and similar medium breeds. Measure the chest width to confirm it clears 28 centimetres with room to spare.
My Beagle puppy is small now. Which size do I order?
Order the L for the adult dog. Puppies outgrow the M within months, and installing twice costs more than ordering right once.
