It only takes a few seconds for a dog to slip through an open gate. It does not matter how well trained they are or how much they love their home. The moment a gate is left open, instinct kicks in and they bolt. What follows can be every dog owner's worst nightmare.
GateGuard was built for exactly this problem. A wireless gate sensor that sends an instant alert to your phone the moment your gate opens, so you know immediately and can act before your dog gets too far.
Why Dogs Bolt Through Open Gates
Dogs do not escape because they want to leave you. They escape because something on the other side caught their attention. A smell, another dog, a passing car, a bird. In most cases the gate is left open by a tradie, a delivery driver, a family member or a guest who did not realise the dog was in the yard. By the time anyone notices, the dog is already gone.
This is the core problem GateGuard solves. You cannot watch your gate every minute of the day. But your phone is always with you.
How GateGuard Works
GateGuard is a two part magnetic sensor. One part attaches to your gate or door frame and the other to the gate or door itself. When it opens, the magnetic connection breaks and the sensor sends an instant notification through your WiFi network directly to your phone or smartwatch, anywhere in the world.
There is no hub required and no subscription fee. Setup takes around 60 seconds and works on any standard gate or door with a gap of less than 2cm between the sensor and magnet.
What Can I Put GateGuard On?
GateGuard works on a wide range of gates and doors around your home:
- Timber side gates are the most common installation and work perfectly in almost all cases
- Metal and aluminium gates are fully compatible and very common among our customers
- Sliding doors are one of the best applications for GateGuard. The sensor mounts easily to the frame and door and works perfectly every time the door slides open. If your dog has ever slipped out through a sliding door left ajar, this is the fix
- Back doors, side doors and front doors all work just as well. Any door your dog could bolt through is a door worth monitoring
- Garage doors are a great fit too. Ever laid in bed wondering if you left the garage door open? With GateGuard you just check the app. Instant peace of mind without leaving the bedroom
- Garden gates with wide DIY gaps may require a small adjustment to close the sensor gap
If you are unsure whether your gate or door is compatible, reach out via our contact page before purchasing and we will let you know.
Can I Put GateGuard on Any Gate or Door?
In most cases, yes. GateGuard mounts with a simple bracket and adhesive and does not require any drilling or wiring. It runs on batteries and connects to your existing home WiFi, so there is nothing to install beyond the sensor itself.
The key requirement is that the gap between the two sensor parts when the gate or door is closed is no more than approximately 1cm. Anything beyond 2cm and the sensor cannot reliably detect the closed state.
What Happens When the Gate or Door Opens?
The moment your gate or door opens you receive a push notification on your phone. If you have an Apple Watch or Android smartwatch paired to your phone, the alert arrives there too. You can also connect GateGuard to an Amazon Alexa device for an audible announcement in your home whenever something is opened.
This combination means you are alerted no matter where you are in the house, the garden or across town.
Is GateGuard Enough on Its Own?
GateGuard gives you awareness the moment your gate or door opens so you can act immediately. It works best as part of a broader approach to keeping your dog secure:
- A self closing gate mechanism means the gate does not stay open if someone forgets to close it
- A quality latch reduces the chance of the gate blowing open in wind
- Recall training means your dog is more likely to respond when you call them back
- GateGuard means you know the instant any of the above fails
No single solution is foolproof. But knowing immediately when your gate or door opens gives you the best possible chance of getting to your dog before they get too far.
Real Scenarios Where GateGuard Makes a Difference
A tradie leaves your side gate open while you are at work. Without GateGuard you find out when you get home and your dog is gone. With GateGuard you get an alert on your phone within seconds and can call someone to check immediately.
A family member slides open the back door and forgets to close it behind them. Your dog is out before anyone realises. GateGuard alerts you the moment it happens.
Your dog figures out how to nudge the gate open on their own. It has happened to more of our customers than you would expect. GateGuard catches it every time.
You are lying in bed and cannot remember if you left the garage door open. Instead of getting up to check, you open the app. Closed. Back to sleep.
Setting Up GateGuard
Setup takes around 60 seconds. Download the app, connect GateGuard to your home WiFi via Bluetooth, mount the sensor and magnet on your gate or door and you are done. Full step by step instructions are available on our GateGuard Setup page.
If you run into any issues during setup, our FAQ page covers the most common scenarios or you can reach out directly via our contact page and we will help you get sorted.
Final Thoughts
Losing a dog through an open gate is one of those things that happens fast and hurts for a long time. GateGuard will not stop every escape but it gives you the one thing that matters most when it happens. Time.
If your dog is important to you and you have a gate, a sliding door, or a garage, GateGuard is one of the simplest and most effective things you can put in place to keep them safe and give yourself peace of mind.