Dog Doors for a German Shepherd
Big and intelligent — requires an XL dog door installation. A typical German Shepherd weighs 25–40 kg. Needs an extra-large opening; in glass that means a new toughened panel.
Get a free quote for your German ShepherdWhat size opening does a German Shepherd need?
Large to extra-large dog door, 314 × 390 mm and upwards.
How to measure your German Shepherd
- 1Measure your dog's shoulder height from the floor — the opening needs to be at least that tall.
- 2Measure the widest point, usually the chest or hips, and add 50 mm.
- 3Watch how your dog goes through a normal doorway: if they duck, the opening needs to be taller.
- 4Measure the chest clearance from the floor so the step-over is easy, not a jump.
Where we fit it: Head height drives the fit for big dogs, not weight. We often end up fitting into a new toughened glass panel or a side panel, simply because a standard door doesn't have the flat area needed.
Not sure? Try the Will It Fit checker.
Microchip compatibility for a German Shepherd
UK dogs must be microchipped by law, and those chips are standard 15-digit FDX-B — exactly what the microchip pet doors we fit read. Larger dog doors are usually manual 4-way lock; chip-controlled access is available up to the SureFlap Microchip Pet Door size.
German Shepherd microchip tip
No chip-reading door is made this large, so an XL manual door with a 4-way lock is the only sensible option.
Got the chip number handy? Check it against every flap we fit.
Getting a German Shepherd used to the dog door
Big dogs bruise their shoulders on a stiff flap. Hold it open for the first week until they push through with confidence.
Fitting note: Needs an extra-large opening; in glass that means a new toughened panel.
Dog doors we recommend for a German Shepherd
These are the models we fit most often for German Shepherds, in order of preference.
Large dog door (e.g. PetSafe Staywell Large)
Roomy enough for retrievers, collies and similar large breeds.
- Typical opening 314 × 390 mm
- Manual lock; microchip options available
Extra-large dog door
For tall, deep-chested dogs that need real head height.
- Typical opening 390 × 500 mm+
- Manual lock as standard
Ready to give your German Shepherd the run of the garden?
We fit into uPVC, composite, wooden and aluminium doors, windows and new toughened glass panels.
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