Inside the exit device rail
ANSI/BHMA A156.3 · UL 305 · NFPA 80
Maryland, DC & Northern Virginia
A dogging mechanism holds the latch bolt of an exit device in the retracted position. Once dogged, the door works like a simple push-pull door. It still closes, but it no longer latches. Staff dog doors during open hours and undog them at closing time. Most devices use a hex key or a key cylinder. Electric latch retraction does the same job from a switch, timer or access system. Dogging is common on panic hardware for lobbies, clinics, schools, offices and other busy public entrances.
Dogged doors open with a push, so crowds, carts and wheelchairs pass through without latch resistance.
With the latch held back, bolts and strikes skip thousands of cycles, so devices last longer.
No latch clicks during open hours, a quiet fit for hospitals, hotel lobbies, libraries and clinics.
King Locksmith And Doors Inc. is a commercial locksmith and door company serving Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia. Our technicians install, repair and retrofit exit devices for small businesses, government agencies, healthcare facilities, hotels and organizations. We service dogging on most major panic hardware brands. We check each door against fire and life safety codes before we leave. You get clear pricing, careful work and doors that open and lock the way they should.
The best dogging option depends on who controls the door, how often it changes state, and whether it is fire-rated. Use these five checks to match the right method to your entrance and your staff.
Hex key dogging is the standard option on most exit devices. A staff member pushes the bar, inserts an Allen-style key, and turns it to hold the latch back. It needs no wiring and costs the least.
The downside is control. Hex keys are cheap and easy to copy, lose or borrow, so anyone can dog the door. It works best on low-risk doors where one trusted manager opens and closes the building each day.
Cylinder dogging replaces the hex key with a keyed cylinder in the device. Only people with the right key can dog or undog the door. Some models add a visual indicator, so staff can see the door’s state at a glance.
We can key the cylinders to your existing master key system. That keeps one key on each ring, not two. This option suits schools, government offices and multi-tenant buildings where many people share doors.
Electric latch retraction, often called EL, uses a motor or solenoid inside the device to pull the latch back. A timer, wall switch or access control system can dog every entrance at once, right on schedule. Undogging is just as fast at closing time.
EL also works with automatic operators, so the door can swing open without a latch fight. It needs a power supply and low-voltage wiring, which we plan during the site assessment.
Fire doors must latch every time they close. That is why fire exit hardware carries a UL label and comes without mechanical dogging. Adding dogging to a rated door, or wedging it open, violates NFPA 80 and can fail an inspection.
If you need free passage on a fire door, listed electric latch retraction is the usual answer. It drops power on fire alarm, so the latch extends and the door latches as it closes.
Many busy sites want doors open by day and card-only at night. Electric latch retraction makes that automatic. The access system dogs the door at opening time and undogs it at closing, with no keys involved.
Most systems log each change, which helps healthcare, government and secure sites meet audit rules. We can also add a request-to-exit switch and a door position sensor, so the system alerts you when a door is propped or forced.
Some staff prop doors with kick-down holders to skip latching. Dogging solves the same problem the right way. Here is how the two compare on safety, security, energy and wear.
Consideration
Dogging Mechanism
Kick-Down Door Holder
Door still closes and swings freely
Holding fire doors open violates NFPA 80
Closed door keeps heated or cooled air inside
Propped door leaks conditioned air all day
One key turn restores full latching
Easy to forget, leaving doors wide open
Closer controls every swing as designed
Fights the closer and strains its arm
Fewer latch cycles extend device life
Rubber tips wear out and slip on floors
Dogging problems usually show up as doors that won’t stay dogged or won’t latch at night. Both create real risk. Watch for these four warning signs on your exit devices.
We fix dogging that slips, sticks or won't release, replacing worn parts to restore reliable push-pull operation.
We swap hex key dogging for keyed cylinders on compatible devices, so only key holders control dogging.
We install EL kits and EL exit devices, with power supplies, wiring and timer or switch control.
We connect dogging to your card readers and schedules, so entrances unlock and relock automatically every day.
We replace improper dogging on rated doors with listed fire exit hardware and document fixes for inspectors.
We inspect, clean and adjust exit devices on a schedule to catch dogging and latch problems early.
Tell us about your doors and schedule. We will recommend the right dogging setup and give you a written quote.
