Pet Doors for DIY Dummies

If there's one form of so-called freelance online "how-to" posts that tends to give our research staffers hives, it's the bait-and-switch job. To some extent we can understand it when a freelancer doesn't know enough to write instructions – understand it, but not forgive it. But when someone who claims relevant expertise pulls this trick, it definitely puts the BS in Bait and Switch. That's precisely what we have on our plate for today: LoveToKnow.com contributor Amy Whittle says she going to show us "How to Build a Pet Door"¹... but does she?

In a word, "No." Oh, Whittle trots out all the tired information you could harvest from any website that sells pet doors; e.g., Amazon, Home Depot, Lowes, PetSmart... You know, measure, mark, cut, etc. Of course, some of her suggestions are, shall we say, a little difficult to carry out; telling her readers that before they install a pet door, they should:

"Be sure your pet will use the door."

We're at a loss as to how you can prove a pet will use a door if none is there yet: build a time machine, perhaps? Whatever the case, Amy next moves on to "Choose a Pet Door." Right about here our research staffer looked at the title again and thought to herself, "Huh: the title's about building one, not buying one!" Whittle charged ahead, however, to explain to her readers that,

"The large variety of options available may cause you to overlook a key feature needed for your pet door."

We aren't really sure there's a "large variety" in plans, but a competent DIYer – apparently not Whittle, despite her claim of "over five years [sic] experience in the construction industry"² – can customize just about anything. But wait: here's what Amy tells them "How to build a pet door In an Hour":

"...a kit purchased from any home improvement center ought to make this a quick job..."

Whittle, the idiot, didn't compile a set of instructions for building a pet door. No, she transcribed someone's instructions (probably PetSafe's) for installing a factory-made pet door! See what we meant about bait and switch (and BS)? Still, this complete and utter Dumbass of the Day finished by telling people that, "It may not be reasonable to build a door for a particularly large pet." Come on, Amy, "considerations" or not, on what planet is buying a pet door from Home Depot "building a pet door"? on Whittle's World? ¹ The original has been deleted by LoveToKnow, but can still be accessed using the Wayback machine at archive.org. Its URL was   homeimprovement.lovetoknow.com/How_to_Build_a_Pet_Door ² Interestingly enough, Whittle only claims that she's a freelancer specializing in home improvement at eHow...

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