Dear Experts

I have made a wooden dog crate for my dog which has a door (Slide UP)
I need a circuit design ( including material list and assembly design) to achieve the following

1. The door should open from outside when my pet touches a button on create ( a soft button as dog may not press harder, and it touches only bynose)
2. The door to remain OPEN till the pet is completely in or out.
3. The door to close once the pet moves in, if pet tries to move out or in before the door is fully closed, the door should not close till pet moves out or in competely
4. similarly from inside the pet touches a soft button

 

How smart is your dog?

 

Hmmm button wise I would look at a capacitive touch sensor.
But not easy to make sure the door does not decapitate the dog, I guess you would be best with some form of optical gate system that makes sure there is nothing in the path between transmitter and sensor.
The easiest door would be a roller blind kind of system.

 

I have built an automatic door on the chicken house. I find the safest way is for the door to come down on a cord. Provided the door not too heavy no chickens get hurt!
Chickens not clever enough to operate it themselves, unfortunately.

EDIT: I actually arranged it so that the motor stops when the cord goes slack. So normally stops at the bottom but if chicken or other obstruction in the way, it will still automatically stop.

 

How smart is your dog?

If taught it will learn

 

If the dog is smart enough to open the door, what is the point of having a door?

 

If the dog is smart enough to open the door, what is the point of having a door?

To prevent other animals like cat entering dog crate. Smart door because i want my dog to come and go in at its will

 

hi grc,
Have you considered a simple spring loaded floor board switch.?
As the dog approaches the closed flap, its weight tilts a board with a switch, which causes the flap to open.
It remains open until the dog walks inside and steps off the board , the flap closes.
The same board extends inside, when the dog steps on the flap inside, the flap opens.
E

 

hi grc,
Have you considered a simple spring loaded floor board switch.?
As the dog approaches the closed flap, its weight tilts a board with a switch, which causes the flap to open.
It remains open until the dog walks inside and steps off the board , the flap closes.
The same board extends inside, when the dog steps on the flap inside, the flap opens.
E

No. Can you give little more info and or few links for me to explore

 

hi,
I don't have any links for that method, its just a concept.
If you really want to go high tech look at this pixy2 plus an Arduino UNO.
Its image recognition
E

https://pixycam.com/pixy2/

 

OK. Could be as simple a a big button on both sides that the dog could touch with his nose.

When touched, a solenoid retracts for a few seconds and releases (unlocks) the door (flap). Just enough for him to push through. Then the door spring closes and latches with the solenoid. Only a timer circuit required. Possibly a 555?

Kind of like many security exit doors on buildings.

Difficulty could be training the dog. First make a device that when button pressed, dog biscuit delivered. Food always works!

Could the button actually be a conductive touch pad? Dogs nose usually damp!

Hope other animals don't learn to use it.

EDIT: Don't want to boast but my dog can open and close doors. If it has the right sort of handle. Could post a video!

 

Food for thought:
https://buddygenius.com/best-chicken-coop-door-opener/
I'm sure you and your smart dog will have fun.
If it's a large dog, I can visualize you touching the button with your nose, and saying, "It's not rocket science."
Good luck..

 

To prevent other animals like cat entering dog crate. Smart door because i want my dog to come and go in at its will

In that case you'll have to train the dog to shut the door when it leaves the crate.

 

Dear Experts

I have made a wooden dog crate for my dog which has a door (Slide UP)
I need a circuit design ( including material list and assembly design) to achieve the following

1. The door should open from outside when my pet touches a button on create ( a soft button as dog may not press harder, and it touches only bynose)
2. The door to remain OPEN till the pet is completely in or out.
3. The door to close once the pet moves in, if pet tries to move out or in before the door is fully closed, the door should not close till pet moves out or in competely
4. similarly from inside the pet touches a soft button

I'd be careful frankly, lot more to this than meets the eye.

I live in Arizona and if my dogs (two Italian Greyhounds) went out but could not get back in, during summer they'd suffer or even die from dehydration.

For this you really need very high reliability, no scope for silly errors or oversights the door could be the difference between life and death under some circumstances.

 

In that case you'll have to train the dog to shut the door when it leaves the crate.

Not if it’s a self-closing door! If it’s like a typical, non-licking dog door, it’s merely a flap that can swing both ways (no lewd comments, please). And lock when a dog is not entering or exiting.

@Marley had the idea a couple of posts ago.

 

Not us it’s a self-closing door! If it’s like a typical, non-licking dog door, it’s merely a flap that can swing both ways (no lewd comments, please). And lock when a dog is not entering or exiting.

@Marley had the idea a couple of posts ago.

A dog collar that allows some form of proximity detection might be better here, I'm sure there are folks here that can suggest specifics; then things get quite a lot easier (I think).

 

Instead of using a button why not use a time of flight sensor as the pet doesn't have to touch anything for an activation. This sensor board is only a couple of dollars on Ebay. You could use an Arduino Uno to have the door open when the pet approaches at 40 cm. A Tip120 transistor could power a DC motor. Place a second sensor inside to read at 10cm to then open the door.

 

It is also suggested by someone to use RF ID key chain on dog collar. Sounds good. Can anyone share components required for this and Arduino Uno code

 

Hi Gr,
RFID has been done and you should be able to google this using Arduino RFID. That said RFID is more expensive and range and orientation is also an issue. The Time of Flight sensor is very inexpensive. It uses a laser pulse to bounce off an object and measures the time for the light to reflect back. I believe there are two models. One for short-range like mm and another for cm. You should be able to find some Arduino sketches that have been written.

 

Something to look at: https://www.add-a-motor.com/motors/d20