A week ago my youthful and spry cousin once removed, Sugi, proposed a project for a "Puppy Auto-confinement Solution." The impetus for this project is a trip to Europe, to which his two dogs are not invited. He is okay with leaving the dogs home alone apart from the fact that they bark during nighttime hours and bother the neighbors.
The solution, as envisioned by Sugi, is an automated door that allows the dogs to come and go as they please during the day, but can be closed off at scheduled hours. The desired implementation has the following requirements in order of decreasing priority:
Features:
Requirements:
Nice to haves:
The solution, as envisioned by Sugi, is an automated door that allows the dogs to come and go as they please during the day, but can be closed off at scheduled hours. The desired implementation has the following requirements in order of decreasing priority:
Features:
- Timed open
- Failure alert – opening operation
- Timed close with sensor-triggered opening/reclose from door exterior (to ensure no dog gets stranded outside)
- Failure alert – closing operation
- Door status monitoring
- Remotely controllable (open/close)
Requirements:
- failsafe (cannot squish a dog)
- does not impede use of door
- visual cue for status of door (ideally using the translucent doggie door flap to indicate the door is unlocked," which does not require further training to use)
Nice to haves:
- clean and aesthetically pleasing
- convertible to permanent installation