How do I find out if my building's entry panel supports a resident entry code?

Look for the brand on the panel (DoorKing/DKS, Linear, Viking, Comelit, ButterflyMX, and others) and search that model plus 'resident entry code,' or just ask your property manager or the system's installer. Many DoorKing and similar panels have a programmable per-unit code; some are locked down to management only. The vendor's manual will say whether residents can have their own code.

Should I tell my landlord I'm giving a dog walker access?

Usually a good idea, and sometimes required. Some leases restrict who gets the common-door code. Management may also prefer to issue the walker a temporary code through the building system rather than have you share yours. Asking first avoids a lease issue and may hand you a cleaner solution for free.

What's the security risk of a static door code versus a key?

Both grant access that doesn't expire on its own. A static code can be written down, texted, or passed between walkers at a service and stays valid until someone changes it; a key can be copied and may not come back when a walker quits. A code is easier to rotate than re-keying a lock, which is its main advantage if you reuse one walker for a long time.

Blog / How to Let a Dog Walker Into Your Apartment While You're at Work

How to Let a Dog Walker Into Your Apartment While You're at Work

By Ty · 2026-04-01

You booked the midday walk, but now your dog walker is standing at the building’s front door at noon and you are stuck in back-to-back meetings. The lobby is gated by a buzzer that dials your phone, and you cannot pick up. So your dog waits, the walker waits, and you are watching the clock from a conference room hoping someone in the building lets them in.

The barrier you actually need to clear is the front entrance, not your apartment door. The right fix mostly depends on one thing: whether you reuse the same walker or get a different person each day.

How to fix it

The barrier you need to clear is the building’s front door, so weigh the options on how well each one handles a midday arrival when you can’t answer.

Option	Pros	Cons
Permanent code on the building panel	Free, works for one steady walker	Static, doesn’t auto-expire, must rotate when the walker changes
Smart lock on your apartment door	Issue and revoke time-limited codes	Install, often needs landlord approval, ignores the building entrance
Mechanical lockbox	Cheap, $20 to $40, no Wi-Fi	24/7 standing access, usually nothing for the front door
Google Voice to your cell	Free, keeps your number private	You still have to answer the call at noon
Lowkey	Hands-free, recurring, auto-expires	Quick one-time setup with your building

A resident panel code is the simplest route for one steady walker, but it has to be rotated by hand and never expires on its own. If you get a different person most days or want access that closes itself between visits, scheduled auto-buzz is the cleaner fit.

Where Lowkey helps

If you use Rover or Wag and get a different walker most days, or you just want access that closes itself between visits, Lowkey is built for exactly this. It is software that forwards your building’s buzzer call to your phone and can auto-buzz the walker into the building on a recurring schedule, say weekdays noon to 2 PM, after which access expires on its own. The walker reaches your unit door, lets the dog out, and you never touch your phone. You give your building a virtual number to program for your unit, hand the walker a 4-digit passcode at the panel, share access with a partner if you trade off dog duty, and get a push notification each time someone is let in. Nothing to install, and it works with any buzzer that dials out to a phone number, which covers most apartment and condo systems.