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Dog Door Size by Breed: An Australian Guide
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Dog Door Size by Breed: An Australian Guide
The quickest way to narrow down dog door size by breed is shoulder height — so this page maps thirty breeds common in Australian homes to the model you should start with. Treat it as a shortlist, not a verdict: the figure that actually decides it is your own dog's measurement, because two Labradors can differ by 70 mm and a broad-chested dog is a tighter fit than a taller, leaner one.
If you would rather measure first, that is the better order — our sizing guide covers the three measurements and where the flap should sit. This page picks up from there and answers the question people actually type: what size for my breed?
How to read the table
Every row gives a typical adult shoulder height and the model to start with. Two rules apply throughout:
- Between two sizes, go up. A dog that has to squeeze stops using the door, and then you are back to opening the real one.
- Check the width, not just the height. Shoulder height gets you to the right family; the widest point across the chest or hips decides whether it actually fits.
Small breeds — up to about 330 mm at the shoulder
Cat door to small dog door
| Breed | Typical shoulder height | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Chihuahua | 150–230 mm | Cat door, or the W-SDD small dog door |
| Toy Poodle | 240–280 mm | Cat door, or the W-SDD small dog door |
| Maltese | 200–250 mm | Cat door, or the W-SDD small dog door |
| Pomeranian | 180–220 mm | Cat door, or the W-SDD small dog door |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 200–230 mm | Cat door, or the W-SDD small dog door |
| Shih Tzu | 230–270 mm | Cat door, or the W-SDD small dog door |
| Miniature Dachshund | 130–180 mm | Cat door, or the W-SDD small dog door |
| Papillon | 200–280 mm | Cat door, or the W-SDD small dog door |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | 300–330 mm | W-SDD, or G-SDD maxi in glass |
| Jack Russell Terrier | 250–380 mm | W-SDD, or G-SDD maxi in glass |
| Cavoodle | 250–380 mm | W-SDD, or G-SDD maxi in glass |
| Pug | 250–330 mm | W-SDD, or G-SDD maxi in glass |
| French Bulldog | 270–340 mm | W-SDD — check the width, they are broad |
A note on the last two. Pugs and French Bulldogs are short but deep and wide through the chest, so the width check matters more for them than the height. Measure across the widest point before ordering.
Medium breeds — about 300 to 430 mm
Small dog door to intermediate
| Breed | Typical shoulder height | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Corgi (Pembroke) | 250–300 mm | W-SDD or G-IDD intermediate — long and low, check width |
| Miniature Schnauzer | 300–360 mm | W-SDD or G-IDD intermediate |
| Beagle | 330–400 mm | W-SDD or G-IDD intermediate |
| West Highland White Terrier | 250–280 mm | W-SDD or G-IDD intermediate |
| Shetland Sheepdog | 330–410 mm | G-IDD intermediate |
| Cocker Spaniel | 380–410 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 360–410 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW — broad chest, check width |
| Spoodle / Cockapoo | 300–380 mm | G-IDD intermediate |
| Border Terrier | 280–400 mm | W-SDD or G-IDD intermediate |
Larger breeds — about 430 to 510 mm
Full-size dog door
| Breed | Typical shoulder height | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Kelpie | 430–510 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW — measure the widest point carefully |
| Australian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler) | 430–510 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW — measure the widest point carefully |
| Border Collie | 460–530 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW — measure the widest point carefully |
| Whippet | 440–510 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW |
| Bull Terrier | 450–560 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW — very broad, width decides it |
| Australian Shepherd | 460–580 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW — measure first at the top of the range |
| Springer Spaniel | 460–510 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW |
Big breeds — over about 510 mm, measure first
Measure before you order
These sit at or beyond the top of the published range. Plenty of them fit comfortably — the flap is mounted at chest height, so it only has to clear the body rather than the whole dog — but that is a measurement question, not a breed question, and we would rather you checked than guessed.
| Breed | Typical shoulder height | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Labrador Retriever | 540–570 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW — most fit; measure the widest point |
| Golden Retriever | 510–610 mm | G-DDW or W-DDW — most fit; measure the widest point |
| German Shepherd | 550–650 mm | Measure first, then talk to us |
| Boxer | 530–630 mm | Measure first — deep chest, width is the constraint |
| Standard Poodle | over 380 mm, often 600 mm+ | Measure first |
| Dalmatian | 560–620 mm | Measure first |
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | 610–690 mm | Measure first |
| Greyhound | 680–760 mm | Measure first — tall but narrow, often better than expected |
Why the breed name is only a starting point
Breed ranges are wide, and a table like the one above hides that. The Kennel Club standard for a Labrador allows a 30 mm spread on its own, and real dogs sit outside standards regularly. Crossbreeds are wider still — a Cavoodle can be anywhere from a small terrier to a mid-sized spaniel depending on which parent it favours.
Weight is an even poorer guide than height. Two 30 kg dogs can be a lean Greyhound and a barrel-chested Staffy, and only one of them is going through a 270 mm flap comfortably.
What actually decides it is width at the widest point and depth through the body. That is why the row for a broad breed says "check the width" even when the height looks comfortable — and it is why the measuring guide is worth five minutes before you order.
The models these rows point at
For reference, the flap openings behind the recommendations above.
| Model | Flap (W × H) | Fits into | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| W-CDW / W-CDB slim line cat door | 155 × 170 mm | Panels 11–30 mm | Cats, very small dogs |
| G-SDDC / G-SDDW / G-SDDB maxi | 187 × 203 mm | Glass 3–28 mm | Large cats, small dogs |
| W-SDDW / W-SDDB small dog door | 180 × 240 mm | Panels 11–30 mm | Small dogs |
| G-IDD intermediate dog door | 216 × 250 mm | Glass 4–32 mm | Small to medium dogs |
| G-DDW / G-DDC / G-DDB glass dog door | 270 × 313 mm | Glass 3–32 mm | Medium to large dogs |
| W-DDW / W-DDB timber dog door | 270 × 320 mm | Panels 5–36 mm | Medium to large dogs — the tallest flap in the range |
The widest flap we make is 270 mm, and the glass G-DDW and the timber W-DDW share it. Which of the two you need is decided by what you are fitting into, not by the dog — how installation works covers that, and if a security screen is involved, read this first.
Rather not read tables? The Find Your Fit tool asks four questions and names one model, with the cut-out figure for your glazier.
Common questions
What size dog door do I need for a Labrador?
Most Labradors fit the G-DDW glass dog door or the W-DDW timber one, both with a 270 mm wide flap. At 540–570 mm at the shoulder a Labrador is at the top of the range, so measure the widest point across the chest before ordering rather than going on the breed alone. The flap is fitted at chest height, so it only has to clear the body, not the whole dog.
What size dog door for a Kelpie or a Blue Heeler?
Both typically stand 430–510 mm at the shoulder, which points at the G-DDW or the W-DDW. Working dogs of these breeds are often leaner than the standard suggests, so the width measurement usually decides it comfortably in your favour.
What size dog door for a Staffy?
A Staffordshire Bull Terrier stands 360–410 mm at the shoulder but is unusually broad through the chest, so width rather than height is the constraint. Start at the G-DDW or W-DDW and measure across the widest point — a Staffy that clears on height can still be tight on width.
What size dog door for a Cavoodle?
Cavoodles vary more than almost any other cross, from about 250 to 380 mm at the shoulder depending on which parent they favour. Measure rather than assume: the smaller ones suit the W-SDD small dog door or the G-SDD maxi in glass, the larger ones the G-IDD intermediate.
Can a German Shepherd or a Great Dane use a pet door?
Send us the measurements before you order. These breeds sit beyond the top of our published range, and whether a door suits depends on the individual dog rather than the breed. If nothing in the range fits comfortably we will tell you so.
My dog is a crossbreed — which row applies?
None of them reliably. Measure the dog in front of you: shoulder height, the widest point across the chest or hips, and the height from the floor to the bottom of the chest. Those three figures place any dog, pedigree or not.
Should I size by weight instead?
No. Weight is the least useful guide of the three. Two 30 kg dogs can be a lean Greyhound and a barrel-chested Staffy, and they need very different openings. Width at the widest point is what matters.
What size dog door should I buy for a puppy?
Size for the adult dog, using the breed's typical adult shoulder height from the tables above rather than the puppy's current size. An oversized flap is a minor nuisance; replacing the door and the glass panel a year later is not.