Lakeside FAQs
With so many awesome Lakeside products to choose from, it's always important to ask the right questions! Here are the most common FAQs.
MAGNADOR
1. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REGULAR AND HEAVY-DUTY MAGNETS?
Regular magnets are easy to open by all sizes of dogs and have very little wind resistance. The heavy-duty magnets are much stronger and much more wind resistant. Heavy duty magnets capture the door after only 2-3 swings.
2. WHAT IS THE PROPER MOUNTING HEIGHT FOR A DOG DOOR?
The recommended mounting height for a dog is for the hinge of the door to be 1-2” higher than the shoulder height of the dog.
3. CAN I REPLACE THE MAGNETS ON MY DOOR OR EXCHANGE FOR HEAVE DUTY MAGNETS?
The magnets are permanently mounted and cannot be replaced. However, you can replace the swing flap or the door frame and mix and match regular and heavy-duty magnets for a medium magnet affect.
4. WILL REPLACEMENT PARTS FIT MY OLD DOOR?
Magnadors have been in production for over 50 years and in that time, we’ve manufactured our doors to ensure replacement parts and new doors fit older doors and openings.
5. WHY CAN'T I LOAD MY DOOR SELECTION INTO THE SHOPPING CART?
When shopping on the website, don’t forget you need to select size, color. and magnet strength before you can add doors or door parts to your shopping cart.
MAGNAFLAP
1. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MAGNADOR AND THE MAGNAFLAP DOOR?
The Magnador, which is often used in homes, barns, dog houses, and kennels, is a multi-use door that is hinged on the top and swings vertically. The MagnaFlap, which is often used in commercial kennels, is a spring hinge door that swings horizontally in one direction. Unlike the Magnador, the Magnaflap requires the dog to push the door to go out and use their noses to “flip” the flap on the edge of the door to open it and come back in.
2. WHAT MATERIAL IS THE MAGNAFLAP DOOR MADE FROM?
The MagnaFlap is made from unbreakable polycarbonate which is often referred to as “bullet proof glass”.
MAGNABOX WHELPING BOX
1. WHAT IS THE PROPER SIZE WHELPING BOX FOR MY DOG?
The best advice on whelping box size comes from talking with other breeders of the same type or size of dog and your veterinarian. The other impact on whelping box size is the available space and how long you plan to keep the puppies in the whelping box.
We typically find that with larger breed dogs, they are climbing out and over the whelping box in 3-4 weeks, so a larger pen arrangement is necessary. With small breed dogs, a whelping box and extension pen can provide containment and a play area for pups 6 to 12 weeks old.
2. WHAT MATERIAL IS THE MAGNABOX MADE FROM?
The MagnaBox is made from High Density Polyethylene also know as HDPE (this is similar material to commercial cutting boards). HDPE is solid throughout and has no voids or crevices.
3. CAN THE DOG DAMAGE THE WHELPING BOX MATERIAL?
The material is dense but not brittle. It will not crack, chip, splinter, or weather check. Dogs can scratch or leave tooth marks in the material but generally cannot break off an edge to chew on. Any surface blemishes can be smoothed over with a file or sand paper to maintain a smooth and sanitary surface.
4. HOW THICK IS THE MAGNABOX MATERIAL?
The HDPE is ½” thick.
5. WHY DOESN'T THE MAGNABOX HAVE A BOTTOM?
When we developed the product, numerous conversations with breeders indicated that everyone had some different type of system to use in the bottom of their whelping boxes. This could be vet bedding, towels, horse mats, and many other options. Designing the whelping box with no bottom meant that breeders could simply place the box on top of the current system of pads, materials, etc. and continue to use what they were familiar with.
Additionally, from a cleaning and sanitation perspective, the best perspective is to have a clean vet bed next to the whelping box and simply move the whelping box and the puppies to the clean bedding and then cleanup the soiled bedding. Lastly, whelping boxes with bottoms tend to have cracks and crevices that collect various types of contamination and bacteria and are very hard to clean and sanitize.
6. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE EXTENSION PEN?
Extension pens allow additional room for growing puppies to move and explore. Some breeders use the extension pen as a play pen and potty area while the whelping box remains the sleeping and feeding area.
7. WHY IS THE FLEECE BIGGER THAN THE WHELPING BOX?
We recommend and provide fleece that is three inches bigger than the whelping box so that the weight of the whelping box holds the fleece in place and prevents the mother from pulling the fleece into the whelping box and potentially burying the puppies.
8. WHY ARE THERE TWO REMOVABLE DOORS?
The idea behind the two-door system is that when the puppies are first born there are no doors used so the mother has easy come and go access. However, as the puppies become larger ,the large and small doors can be added to still allow the mother out while having an increasing height open to keep the puppies in.
9. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE SEAT/WORK PLATFORM?
The seat is movable and can be positioned on any corner of the whelping box, making it able to serve multiple purposes. First as a place to sit while you are working or observing the puppies. It also serves as a hand work surface for notebooks, iPadx, scales, and other puppy supplies. We have even heard that it makes a nice beverage holder for long nights of whelping puppies.
10. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE PUPPY RAILS?
Puppy rails have many names: safety rails, pig rails and puppy rails to name a few. The purpose of the puppy rail is to prevent the mother from laying or leaning against the wall of the whelping box and trapping and injuring a puppy between her body and the wall.
Typically, puppy rails are removed at around three weeks of age when the puppies are more agile. The width and height of the puppy rails varies with the size of the whelping box, but once the puppy rails are removed there is additional space in the whelping box.
11. CAN THE WHELPING BOX BE USED WITHOUT THE PUPPY RAILS?
The whelping box can be used without the puppy rails; however, puppy rails are usually removed around three weeks of age when the puppies are more agile.
12. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LIGHT STAND?
The light stand provides for a place to clamp a heat lamp. Some customers have also found it a convenient place to mount a web camera.
VET BEDDING (FLEECE)
1. IS THE PRODUCT CALLED "VET BEDDING" OR "VET FLEECE"?
The actual product name is “Slivered Fleece”. The trade names are veterinary bedding, vet bedding and vet fleece. There is actually a product name of “Vet Bed” which is a product that is produced in England.
2. IS THIS THE SAME MATERIAL THAT COMES FROM ENGLAND?
Vet bedding is manufactured from the same material and in the same way in both England and the United States. However, our vet bedding is manufactured in the United States and is generally denser and has a taller pile height than the material produced in England.
3. HOW DO I CLEAN VET BEDDING?
Vet Bedding is machine washable and can be machine dried on low or line dried. Note: Vet bedding is color fast so bleach can be added in the accessory feeder in your washing machine.
4. WILL A LARGE PIECE OF VET BEDDING FIT IN MY WASHING MACHINE?
Due to the fiber density, large pieces of vet bedding will wash similar to a large comforter. If your washing machine can handle a large comforter, then vet bedding will be fine. The other option is to consider a commercial washing machine.
5. HOW DO I DRY VET BEDDING?
Typically, in high efficiency washing machines, the bedding is nearly dry after the wash cycle so it is easy to hang over a chair and let air dry. The other drying option is to machine dry on low heat. Both regular and non-skid vet bedding can be machine dried on low heat.
6. HOW DOES VET BEDDING WORK?
The thick, dense fibers of the bedding wick liquids down from the surface and away from your animal. This allows the surface and your pet to remain dry. Liquid is retained deep in the fibers and over time will drain through the backing of the vet bedding.
7. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF VET BEDDING?
Thick and dense material provides cushion and traction for puppies while wicking away moisture and keeping them dry and comfortable. Vet bedding also provides comfort to older dogs as well as traction when they try to get up with weak joints and muscles. For older dogs with bladder control issues, vet bedding material wicks away moisture to ensure they aren’t laying on a wet bed. Lastly, the single strand fibers make vet bedding play and chew resistant.
8. HOW IS VET BEDDING USED BESIDES WHELPING BOXES?
Vet bedding is commonly used for crate pads, dog beds, furniture covers and in vehicles and transport crates.
9. WHY IS VET BEDDING GOOD FOR OLDER DOGS?
The vet bedding is so dense that it never crushes and forms a hard spot, meaning there is plenty of cushion throughout. Additionally, the thick, dense material is easy on joints and provides traction for aging dogs that have trouble standing up. Lastly, vet bedding absorbs liquids and stays dry on top so older dogs with bladder control problems are not sleeping or laying in a wet spot
10. HOW LONG DOES VET BEDDING LAST?
Vet bedding is very durable and will handle years of washing and drying. Some customers have been using the same vet bedding for over 10 years.
11. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUPER DELUX AND NON-SKID VET BEDDING?
Both super deluxe and non-skid are the exact same thread density and pile height. The difference is that non-skid has latex striping on the back that provides resistance to sliding on smooth floors. The backing on super deluxe is thick and will not stretch. This tends to curl less with washing and will lay flatter over time. The backing on non-skid is stretchy and it will tend to curl more with washing and age.
12. WHAT SHOULD I DO BEFORE USING VET BEDDING THE FIRST TIME?
All vet bedding should be washed 2-3 wash cycles before use. This softens the backing and makes washing easier when the vet bedding is soiled.
13. CAN I CUT VET BEDDING MYSELF?
Vet bedding is easy to cut to size. Simply use a sharp utility knife and a straight edge to cut through the backing. Once cut, pull the pieces apart and remove any loose fibers. Do not try and use any type of scissors or crosscut device. You only need to cut the backing and not the fibers.
14. DO I HAVE TO TREAT THE CUT EDGE? WILL IT FRAY?
After cutting there will initially be some loose fibers that are easy to remove. The edges will not fray and do not need to be sealed, stitched, or hemmed.
15. WILL VET BEDDING CONTAIN LIQUIDS?
Vet bedding absorbs liquid and, with time and volume, will draw the liquids down and through the backing. Vet bedding is not waterproof and in whelping applications we recommend a waterproof vinyl liner or absorbing and washable Lennypads under the vet bedding to protect the flooring.
16. WHAT ARE SOME ADDITIONAL USES FOR VET BEDDING?
Vet bedding is great for small animal cages like guinea pigs and rabbits. Additionally, vet bedding makes for great seat cushions, particularly seats for wheelchairs. The bedding absorbs moisture, will not collapse, and prevents bed and body sores with extended use. Vet bedding is great for furniture covers and in vehicles.