Dog guard for car - recommendations?

heatherbelle_3

Hi All,

I have just got a new(er) car and want to keep our two bundles of bounce in the boot when we are travelling to protect seats etc.
I have spent a wee while looking over the different car guards and think I have decided on this one
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_377107_langId_-1_categoryId_165716

It wont mark the roof and also I think it would less likely get knocked with the dogs rushing around in the back.

Does anyone have any recommentdations on this? It is £45 (though getting through quidco for a discount hopefully!) so a lot to pay for something which is rubbish!

Thanks

MrsTinks

Depending on your car you might find there is a manufacturers dog guard available. The advantage being it's made to fit exactly. We have one for the Santa Fe and it's brilliant - they're usually very sturdy compared to ones I've seen elsewhere which is a good thing for us as our dog is VERY bouncy when she gets excited (ie we arrive where we're going lol).
Might be worth looking into - I'd expect you might be able to get one 2nd hand?

Fleago

I would also recommend trying to get hold of one specifically made for your car. We tried a Halfords one in the past (although not the one in your link) and it was a disaster. Since then we've always bought the ones specifically for the model of car and they've been brilliant as they are designed to fit perfectly and secure very tightly onto some part of the car's body. Not only do you have to consider the dogs bouncing about, you have to consider what would happen if you were unfortunate enough to be involved in an impact - if that happens, you really want the dog guard to hold fast!

It will likely be more expensive to buy a manufacturer's one, by how much depends on the car you have, but honestly, if you can manage the extra cost, it really is worth it. Also, as Mrs T says, you might be able to pick one up second hand.

Edit - PS I was in a Citroen garage the other day and they had a sign up saying they had a special offer on the Xsara Picasso dog guard, £50, so maybe your car's guard might not be that much more expensive than the Halford's one. Worth asking at your local dealership anyway, as the cost might be a pleasant surprise.

MrsTinks

Right the one for the Santa Fe (our car) looks like this: dog guard
I haven't looked for better prices as I just wanted to show the difference in design and sturdyness It's secured to bits in the windows where you normally have your boot cover clipped in and by 2 very sturdy hooks into D rings in the floor - the advantage is the 2 items are designed to fit together so are very solid and snug

provista_2

We have the 1 in your link in our X Trail and have not have any issues with it.
I has been in place for 10 months now and not moved or any thing.
Keeps our Border Collie where she should be. Although the second she's in the car she lays down and goes to sleep.

heatherbelle_3

provista wrote: »

Although the second she's in the car she lays down and goes to sleep.

That is something I can only dream of with our two! Though once we are the motorway they do settle - it is the driving around town and the arriving at destination where they get excited!

We only got our car the other week 2nd hand from our delaership-will give them a call today and see if they can source us one. On the vauxhall website there is one at £86 but that is for the Vectra Estate - we have the normal hatchback.

Thanks for the tips though!

Dobiesmon

Hi heatherbelle
We have one still not put it up yet but hope its ok .

thriftmonster

From experience I would say get the manufacturers one - we have ones for a Skoda and a Ford and they're both good (although the Mondeo one caused the garage some grief fitting it) - we had only bad experiences with generic ones.

heatherbelle_3

Alas I have discovered that Vauzhall don't do a dog guard for the vectra hatchback - just the estate model. ~sigh~

SO that is us back to square one... Can anyone recommend a universal dog guard?

suki1964

Ever think of getting a dog crate? So much safer (IMHO) then a guard as if dog forbid you crash or get shunted and the boot flies open - dog is still secure.

Bromley86

Don't automatically get the manufacturer's one. You can get one made by a third party for your model - we did for our Fusion and, after I'd figured out how to fit it, it was great.

ie.
http://www.customdogguards.co.uk/products.php?cat=78

That's pretty expensive though, so perhaps the manufacturer's one is cheaper in your case.

EDIT: Just saw you don't have that option. You might well find cheaper as that was the first result I grabbed when I searched just now.