Sakura Headrest Dog Guard For Cars SS5259 - Easy Fit For Most Vehicles Hatchbacks SUVs Estates MPVs – Width Adjustable No Tools Needed, Black,93 x 33 x 6 cm

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However, if you want a sturdy barrier that isn't complicated to install and will keep your dog from creating havoc in the cabin of your car, then the Travall Guard fits the bill. And it's ideal if you've booked to take your dog into kennels and your transporting him/her there. Buy it now

Moulded to your specific car make, model and year of production, the guard itself is made from heavy-duty steel tubing with a scuff-free coating so you can be sure your dog – no matter its size and weight – is safe and secure. Usually, the less you spend, the lower the quality of the materials, so if you have a strong, large breed such as a rottweiler or German shepherd, consider spending a bit more for peace of mind. What are the alternatives to a dog guard? A dog guard is a must-have for any driver who owns a dog. Without a barrier, many dogs will leap into the cabin of the car. This not only risks damaging upholstery with mud and claw scratches but can also be very dangerous and can potentially cause an accident. What is it? In the car we used, there's a small gap above the guard, but a dog couldn't get through there (we hope). Although, a very determined dog might be able to pull at the guard because its only points of attachment are at the bottom - meaning the top of the guard moves a bit. The instructions do tell you to tighten it as much as possible though so it doesn't move.The metal sections, which hold the guard in place, slot into the rubber seal of the boot. We left the guard in place during the six weeks we tested it, but if you do need to remove it then it's very easy. The guard has no sharp edges, so scratching yourself, your car or your dog won't be an issue. As we used a small car, there was no need for attaching the wings to extend the dog guard, but these would be attached using the connecting clips supplied. Assembling the dog guard isn't difficult or time-consuming; it was pretty easy and took about 20 minutes in total. However, the design of the guard and the components makes putting it together harder than it needs to be in some ways. For example, build quality is reasonable for the price but the plastic hooks didn't stay hooked on the headrest when we tried to screw in the screws, so it was a matter of trying to hold the hook through the guard while also turning the screw cap - which isn't attached to the screw, so something the cap just ended up spinning but not turning the screw. Some planning is required to establish the best position for the guard, i.e. making sure it's the right way up (with the RAC label easy to read), with or without the extensions, and - if with extensions - how they should be attached. It can be done by one person, though it's a bit fiddly. But it's definitely easier with two people the first time it's fitted.

We tested the Guardsman guard with an energetic pup called PJ (who didn't want to stay still for many photos), and a 11-year old Springer Spaniel called Poppy. The guard worked very well for both dogs and, despite a few scratches and bites, proved very sturdy and durable. It never rattles and feels like a quality product. Once in place, it is fairly stable and does the job. There is some rattling over potholed country roads, but that's a fact of country life. Only a car specific guard would avoid this, like the Travall dog guard. So while the rattle is a bit annoying, its more important that I can use it in a variety of cars and remove it easily.We tested the Travall on our Skoda Fabia with a very energetic, 11-year-old chocolate Labrador named Hershey. What's it like? For the restraints, we enlisted the help of Doris the poodle to judge ease of use. Then we tried universal-fit dog guards in two cars – a Land Rover Discovery 4 and Vauxhall Astra – to see if they fitted well in a pair of quite different vehicles. We judged their ‘dog proof’ abilities, how easy they were to fit, and whether they damaged the car and remained rattle-free on a journey. Final factor was price. Verdict The Sakura dog guard is fairly light and far slimmer than previous dog guards we've tested. It comes unassembled in three sections; the long main dog guard and two 'wings' that clip onto the guard to extend the length in wider cars. There are also two poles and two small bags of screws, screw caps, connecting clips and hooks. Given all the extra struts it comes with, the Travall is very easy to fit. Depending on your vehicle model, in most instances you simply affix the rear window sill mounts – which come with plastic stoppers on the ends so they don’t leave any marks – and attach the supplied tension rods to your car’s tie-down rings. That’s pretty much it; no tools are required and absolutely no drilling. Dog cages are also a popular choice for estate car drivers or any vehicle with a large boot area. Dog cages can be easily removed when not in use and are a great alternative to a dog guard. However, they will take up more room in the boot area and are prone to rattling when in motion. You’ll also need to fold up the cage for storage when not in use and that can be an irritating faff, especially if doing it on a regular basis.