A Pointer needs the X-Large PetSafe Freedom aluminium dog door, the largest size we install. Pointers stand 61 to 69 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh 20 to 30 kilograms, and the 36 by 65 centimetre flap is the only one we fit that gives a dog this tall a comfortable passage. Our dog door size guide explains the full measuring routine we use for tall breeds like this one.
The short answer on sizing
We install three sizes of the PetSafe Freedom aluminium dog door. The Medium flap is 23 by 35 centimetres, the Large flap is 28 by 45 centimetres, and the X-Large flap is 36 by 65 centimetres. We do not install the Small size, which is too small for comfort.
A Pointer needs every centimetre of the X-Large flap. With shoulders reaching up to 69 centimetres, this breed stands taller than our largest flap, so no smaller option is worth discussing. A Large flap at 45 centimetres would force even the smallest Pointer into an undignified crawl. Dogs pass through a flap by lowering the head and stepping through, and Pointers do this naturally, the same way they duck under branches on a run. What matters is that the flap is tall enough that the dog is not folding itself in half, and at 65 centimetres the X-Large flap gives a Pointer a comfortable passage. The 36 centimetre width suits the Pointer’s lean, deep-chested build with room to spare.
Built for an athlete
Pointers are sporting dogs bred to run all day. They are tall, leggy, fast and endlessly energetic, and they hit a dog door with more momentum than most breeds. A flimsy plastic frame rattles, warps and eventually cracks under that kind of daily traffic. The aluminium frame of the PetSafe Freedom door is the reason we recommend it for athletic breeds. It stays square in the panel, the flap keeps swinging freely, and the seal keeps doing its job after thousands of passes.
We fit the door into a new tempered glass panel built for your home. Glass sliding doors, French doors, patio doors, aluminium doors and screen doors can all take it. Your existing glass is never cut, and rental-friendly inserts are available if you are in a rented villa or apartment and want the door to come out cleanly when you move.
How to measure a tall breed
Measuring a tall, excitable dog takes a little technique. Stand your Pointer square on a hard flat floor, all four feet planted, head up and spine level. Place a hardback book flat across the withers, the ridge between the shoulder blades, and measure straight down to the floor. Tall dogs fidget, so take three measurements and keep the tallest.
Do not measure while your dog is sitting, lying down or mid-wiggle. Each of those gives a wrong number, usually too short, which is the dangerous direction for sizing. If your Pointer is young and still filling out, remeasure a week before installation. Pointers grow upward fast in their first year, and a measurement from two months ago can be several centimetres short of the truth.
Check chest width as well, at the deepest point of the ribcage. Pointers are deep chested but narrow across, so the 36 centimetre flap width is plenty. In a multi-dog home, size the door for the tallest dog and the rest will follow.
Training a Pointer to use the flap
Pointers are sensitive and eager to please, which makes them quick students with the right approach. Start with the flap taped fully open and let your dog walk the route for treats for a day. Pointers love having a job, so make the flap a job with a paycheck at the end.
Next, lower the flap and hold a treat on the far side so your Pointer has to nose the flap open. Reward every push, however small. Pointers can be sound sensitive, so if the flap claps shut loudly, dampen it with your hand a few times until your dog stops flinching. Two or three short sessions a day beats one long session, and most Pointers are through confidently within a week.
Because Pointers are so active, set the rules early. Teach a wait at the flap the same way you would at any door, so your dog does not learn that the dog door means sprinting outside at full tilt whenever the mood strikes. A Pointer at full speed through a flap is fine for the aluminium frame, but your garden fence deserves a check all the same.
FAQ
Is 65 centimetres really enough for a 69 centimetre Pointer?
Yes. Dogs do not walk through a flap standing at full attention. They lower the head and step through, and the X-Large is the largest flap we install. A Pointer uses the full height comfortably.
My Pointer slams through doors. Will the flap survive?
The aluminium frame is built for exactly this kind of traffic. It holds its shape where plastic frames warp and crack, which is why we fit it for athletic breeds.
Which doors can you fit it into?
The X-Large goes into glass sliding doors, French doors, patio doors, aluminium doors and screen doors. Every installation gets a new tempered glass panel built around the door, so your existing glass stays untouched. Rental-friendly inserts are an option if you are renting.
Do you serve Sharjah and Abu Dhabi?
Yes. We install across Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.
Do you install plastic dog doors?
No. We only install the PetSafe Freedom aluminium dog door. For a tall, high-traffic breed like the Pointer, the aluminium frame keeps the flap sealing and swinging properly for the long term.
To get a quote for your Pointer, contact us with your dog’s shoulder measurement and your door type.
Pointers are tall, but they are not the tallest breed we fit. Also see our guide on what size dog door for a Great Dane, the biggest dog we install for.
