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Old 07-05-2017, 12:23 PM   #1
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Retractable screen door and dogs



Our wonderful, smart, can't-live-without-her dog forgets at times to check if the retractable screen door is open or closed before jumping in and out of the camper. In short, our screen door has seen better days

Has anyone figured out a solution to making the screen more visible while still allowing it to be useable? We full-time so we don't have the storage capacity for a baby gate, nor do we want to be futzing with a baby gate every time we go in and out of the camper.

Ideally I'd love something that could be attached to the screen that can still fit in with the screen when it retracts, but I feel like I'm hoping for something that doesn't exist.
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Old 07-05-2017, 12:40 PM   #2
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screen door

After I tried to walk through at least once and the dog slso tried to I spray painted a couple of trees on the screen. Now the old man and the old dog can see that the door is closed.
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Old 07-05-2017, 12:41 PM   #3
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You could stitch some bright coloured pattern into the bottom of the screen. That might give a warning for your pup not to jump through.
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Old 07-05-2017, 12:42 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by TwoPlusLu View Post


Our wonderful, smart, can't-live-without-her dog forgets at times to check if the retractable screen door is open or closed before jumping in and out of the camper. In short, our screen door has seen better days

Has anyone figured out a solution to making the screen more visible while still allowing it to be useable? We full-time so we don't have the storage capacity for a baby gate, nor do we want to be futzing with a baby gate every time we go in and out of the camper.

Ideally I'd love something that could be attached to the screen that can still fit in with the screen when it retracts, but I feel like I'm hoping for something that doesn't exist.
You can spray paint stencils on to the screen. Just make sure to not use too much paint. If it's a little thick in some areas, you can use a needle to poke holes back through the mesh.

You can also embroider the screen. Use bright colored embroidery thread and just make diagonal loops between the squares created by the screen.

The sky's the limit as far as design - just pick something you like. Either method will allow the screen to fully retract.

Here's a site where someone got fancy. You don't need anything this elaborate to make it visible however, and you probably wouldn't want to, since the ones on this site are for screens that don't retract.

http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/ELProje...oductid=pr1454
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Old 07-05-2017, 07:58 PM   #5
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I've been meaning to do something for the humans. And for the dog I plan to stitch ARF in big letters at his eye level. (or sew on the letters using ribbon if that is easier).
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Old 07-05-2017, 08:07 PM   #6
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Dogs only see about 5 colors . You can use a latex paint , but only multiple light coats ,use masking tape to make a pattern at the lower one third . There not usually looking up when going in or out . I think it's green ,blue, white and black . The other one is food . Ha... Ha...
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Old 07-05-2017, 11:24 PM   #7
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Do a search for "Screen Saver". Doug and Cathy Davies wove some material into the screen to make the door more visible. This might work for you.
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Old 07-05-2017, 11:39 PM   #8
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I put a red stripe of duct tape across it at both the bottom (for Jack) and top (for me) but he still ran into it. (One eye that isn't seeing as well as it used to.) Maybe a big X would have worked better. He only ran into it once but we rarely have the screen closed so that doesn't mean he has learned not to.
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Old 07-06-2017, 01:47 AM   #9
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Don't know if it would work for you but we solved the screen door . We have 3 little guys but one thinks he is bigger then he is . He tried to go through the screen door in his protect mode . I found a baby gate at a garage sale , cut in half hinged it so it folds in half . Added a piece of Oak on kitchen wall by doorway . Attached the gate to that piece of wood . It folds in half when not in use . I added a strap to hold it when underway . It keeps the little guys from the screen . We also spray painted in white, a couple anchors at eye level using stencils , that's for us . They have been on now over 3 years . Let me know if you need pictures . Pat
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Old 07-06-2017, 05:50 AM   #10
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We've used a clear plastic bin lid that just happens to fit the spot well, works for little dogs.
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Old 07-06-2017, 10:02 AM   #11
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We've used a clear plastic bin lid that just happens to fit the spot well, works for little dogs.
Bob what we have swings out of the way like a door ,when you are coming and going in and out of the trailer and looks like it belongs to the trailer . Pat
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Old 07-06-2017, 10:11 AM   #12
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I'd like to see a picture of the gate. It would be nice to have something that would actually stop a dog instead of just something to tell him the door is there.
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Old 07-06-2017, 10:37 AM   #13
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I'd like to see a picture of the gate. It would be nice to have something that would actually stop a dog instead of just something to tell him the door is there.
You got it . Give me a little bit . Pat
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Old 07-06-2017, 11:20 AM   #14
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Thank you all for such great ideas! Pat, looking forward to seeing your DIY!
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Old 07-06-2017, 11:53 AM   #15
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When we were looking at the "classic" escape back in 2015, we thought the retractable screen was a pretty cool feature. It kind of "self-corrects" if someone walks into it and the bottom tabs fall out of the track. All you have to do is retract it and it starts working again.

However, it does have a fatal flaw: The lower right of the screen mesh (the part that is connected to the pull bar) can be ripped out of the rubber end piece by a small dog's nose. We know this via our two dachshunds (low to the ground). I ordered a replacement screen from Seiki (Part number VPRMCWH-1S (SEIKI SCREEN SYSTEMS | Replacement Parts) and installed it last month. It's still a continual struggle to keep our two from tearing it again.

This whole issue probably sounds crazy to "non-dog" people, but it is what it is
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Old 07-06-2017, 11:57 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by huskersteffy View Post
When we were looking at the "classic" escape back in 2015, we thought the retractable screen was a pretty cool feature. It kind of "self-corrects" if someone walks into it and the bottom tabs fall out of the track. All you have to do is retract it and it starts working again.

However, it does have a fatal flaw: The lower right of the screen mesh (the part that is connected to the pull bar) can be ripped out of the rubber end piece by a small dog's nose. We know this via our two dachshunds (low to the ground). I ordered a replacement screen from Seiki (Part number VPRMCWH-1S (SEIKI SCREEN SYSTEMS | Replacement Parts) and installed it last month. It's still a continual struggle to keep our two from tearing it again.

This whole issue probably sounds crazy to "non-dog" people, but it is what it is
That area can be reinforced, but it has a tendency to affect the retract feature. In looking at all the solutions, if my dog had a tendency to damage the screen, I like Pat's solution of installing a folding "baby gate" to keep the dog away from the screen entirely. It's a bit of a pain to fold and redeploy it, but it would sure save the screen.
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Old 07-06-2017, 12:47 PM   #17
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Agree. Looking forward to pic's and more info from Pat.
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Old 07-06-2017, 01:01 PM   #18
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You got it . Give me a little bit . Pat
here's a few pictures . I use whatever I had on hand like some of the attachments are from draperies . I put the piece of Oak to make a stronger attachment area. I found the gate for 2.00 at a garage sale , just cut it in half so it will fold up . Added hinges and I love to make vinyl straps with snaps . It keeps the pups from the screen which I thought was a goner when Murphy flew through it in the beginning , but it did self heal . It give you the idea. . I was going to buy something and then was going to just make a gate until I lucked out on the one we have . This should give some idea's . the last picture is for us , I walked into the closed screen . Pat
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Old 07-06-2017, 01:04 PM   #19
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here's a few pictures . I use whatever I had on hand like some of the attachments are from draperies . I put the piece of Oak to make a stronger attachment area. I found the gate for 2.00 at a garage sale , just cut it in half so it will fold up . Added hinges and I love to make vinyl straps with snaps . It keeps the pups from the screen which I thought was a goner when Murphy flew through it in the beginning , but it did self heal . It give you the idea. . I was going to buy something and then was going to just make a gate until I lucked out on the one we have . This should give some idea's . the last picture is for us , I walked into the closed screen . Pat
screen door stencil so I don't walk into screen Pat
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Old 07-06-2017, 01:29 PM   #20
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Bob what we have swings out of the way like a door ,when you are coming and going in and out of the trailer and looks like it belongs to the trailer . Pat
Understood, I was looking for simple when I used the lid.
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