Well a dog guard is a simple and affordable way to keep your dog protected whilst in a vehicle; and is an advisable piece of equipment for anyone who is considering transporting their pet in a car, and wants a little extra peace of mind.

The benefits of using dog guards are twofold, firstly they will prevent your dog from interfering with you when you are driving; this has obvious safety advantages, and therefore a dog guard is particularly useful if you have children in the car or are going on a long journey.

Of course anything that prohibits the movement of an animal can have negative implications – however, with a dog guard there are some definite positive implications for your dog, most obviously they help to keep your dog calm by limiting their view, which in a car can cause your animal to get a little over excited!

At ideas-4-pets we stock a variety of dog guards for a wide range of specific vehicle types, ensuring that whatever your need you can find exactly what you’re looking for!

•    High street pet stores. Most high street pet stores will be able to stock a great range of dog guards for all requirements, and because you can go there and see them for yourself this is often the method of choice for a lot of people.

•    Dog guard manufacturers/specialist suppliers. This is another option, as by going directly to the supplier you’ll get the chance to cut out the middle man and will often be able to find great prices. However, unless you’re sure of the brand you want this can often be less than advantageous as you won’t get so much choice, and some suppliers only sell stock in bulk so make sure to do your research.

•    Online pet stores. By heading to online pet stores you’ll often be able to get a much wider selection of products than you’ll be able to get at high street alternatives, simply because they don’t have the same space constraints. They’ll usually be able to offer much better prices as well, so this will usually be the best bet.

So, online pet stores could be the best option for finding a great selection of dog guards. But, don’t take our word for it – make sure to browse through our site here at ideas-4-pets to see just how much choice and value we can offer.

For dog kennels, beds, cages and guards, make us at ideas-4-pets your first port of call.

Many dog guards are described as “universal” and are thought to fit into every car, but you will probably find they aren’t as secure and are a nuisance to fit. This is why Ideas-4-Pets offer the latest innovative dog guards fitted for each car manufacturer to ensure that your dog guard is safely fitted ensuring a safer journey for you and your dog.

You may think that your dog will be well enough behaved to just sit on the back seat or in the boot without any form of cage or barrier. However, you wouldn’t ask your child to sit within the car without a seatbelt, which is kind of like what a dog barrier does for your dog.

By having dog guards fitted into your boot it ensures your pet’s life is a lot safer, as they cannot be thrown forward or backward on impact. Equally, they will not be flying into you in the front of the car or any other passengers for that matter. And, even though you might think your dog will be impeccably behaved without a guard, all it takes is for one moment of excitement and they’re on your knee, in front of you and potentially causing an accident.

As well as easing transportation for your pet, we at Ideas-4-Pets also stock a wide range of dog kennels and beds to give your dog maximum comfort.

If you are driving with your dog it is best to have a car dog guard fitted for his safety and your peace of mind.

At ideas-4-pets we offer a range of small dog cages and pets carriers, or you may decide to purchase our special ‘Saunders’ dog guard.

You can choose to have a dog guard with either tubular or wire mesh. Each dog guard is fully adjustable for height and width.

When you decide to go away for a family holiday and you have pushed and shoved everything but the kitchen sink into your car, including husband and children, don’t forget the dog will not realise what is happening.

A dog cage or car dog guard placed in your car will give him reassurance that everything is alright.

Some hours later when you pull up to a motorway service station to let the family out for refreshments, you can allow your dog to have a drink of water, a toilet break and then place him safely back into the dog cage or behind his dog guard. We also stock other dog products such as dog kennels and dog beds.

Caution: if you brake suddenly or have a collision any object in your car is unstable and will be transformed into a lethal weapon that could cause a bad accident. Using a dog cage or dog guard minimises the danger of your pet dog being hurt.

Making sure your dog is not overweight means you have to keep control of the portions of pet food he eats and exercise your pet.

Obese dogs can lose weight easily by following a stricter pet diet and exercise plan.

A dog weight management plan can be adapted to fit in with your working day.

Take your pet to your local veterinary surgeon who will let you know the ideal pet weight for your breed of dog.

Feed your dog a premium dog food. Choose a food which has quality meat and vitamins listed on their labels.

Pet dog food for a puppy, adult and senior dogs have the correct amount of meat, proteins and carbohydrates added to them to keep dogs healthy at different stages of their lives.

Dog products at Ideas-4-Pets are aimed at keeping your dog healthy and comfortable.

As your dog grows older he or she may need a different dog bed. One of the popular dog beds we provide for dogs who have aching joints is an orthopaedic dog bed.

We have heated dog beds and of course a huge range of dog beds in different sizes and materials to suit all breeds.

Other dog products are available for your pet including dog grooming products and dog bedding.

At Ideas-4-Pets we are open seven days a week and our staff will help you to choose the correct dog product for your pet.

We at Ideas-4-Pets pride ourselves in being able to supply everything from dog beds, dog bedding and dog products.

One essential item for your puppy is a dog bed or dog cage. A dog cage is an item which is portable and can be used as a den for your puppy and has a training toll.

If you are taking your puppy in a car you can use the dog cage to keep him safe, and this is especially useful on long journeys. Dog bedding is available for dog cages to keep your puppy comfortable

Dog beds come in different materials, patterns and sizes to accommodate all breeds of dogs.

When your puppy comes home he will require a variety of dog products, including food and water bowls. Food bowls and water bowls should be heavy so your puppy will not be able to spill the contents all over the floor.

Other dog products your new pet will need are a puppy collar, puppy lead, comb, brush and puppy shampoo.

At Ideas-4-Pets, we have a wide range of dog training products and dog training tools for all breeds of dogs.

Our staff at Ideas-4-Pets are trained to give advice and answer any questions you may have regarding the care of your new pet.

It’s generally thought that most dogs feel sick due to stress rather than because of the movement of the car and in fact I read somewhere that a dog’s most powerful memory is that of a car taking it away from its mother and siblings and so from a very young age, a dog may feel very vulnerable, unhappy and insecure when travelling.  I don’t know how true this is and it’s not to say that some dogs don’t genuinely suffer from car sickness and motion sickness.

If you want to help prevent your dog from feeling car sick, it’s really important that your dog starts to associate car journeys with positive, happy things rather than unhappy and scary things.  To do this, you will have to acclimatise your dog to car travel slowly.

Start off by putting him in the car but don’t take him anywhere - he needs to first get used to the idea of just being in the car.  Make sure that the car is well ventilated and leave him in there for short periods of time, gradually increasing the time he is left there for up to about 30 minutes.

If you intend to put your dog in the back of the car when he’s travelling, then purchase a good quality dog guard before you start the exercise so that he is used to travelling in this particular part of the vehicle.  It is of course safer for both you and your dog if you can put him behind a dog guard as this ensures he is safe and secure and also prevents him from being sick all over your seats !! 

Ensure your dog is comfortable - a good idea is to place his favourite dog bed and maybe some toys into the area so that he has a place to rest or sleep during this period.  Treats to eat aren’t a good idea for a dog who tends to feel sick !! 

After about a week of putting him in the car for short periods, start to take your dog on very short journeys of about 5-10 minutes and at the end of the journey reward him with either an exciting walk or a ball game or a treat of some kind.

Gradually lengthen the time of your journeys up to about half an hour and if your dog is sick during this time, then reduce the length of the journey so that it ends before they are sick and start to build the journey times up again.  If you can take a friend or relative in the car with you, then get them to talk to your dog so that you can concentrate on your driving and they can gently talk to your dog to reassure him and help him feel calm and secure.

When you are confident that your dog is able to do a 30 minute car journey without stress, anxiety or sickness, then you are ready to embark on longer car journeys.

A good tip is to make sure that your dog has an empty stomach before you place him in the car.  Make sure he doesn’t eat anything for 3 to 4 hours prior to to the journey.  Some vets also recommend limiting your dog’s water intake just before travelling, but in any case, make sure that he empties his bladder before you set off.
 
If your dog is still prone to some car sickness, take it slowly and carefully round bends and up and down hills as this could exacerbate the problem for him.
 
Fresh air does wonders for animals that have a tendency to get car sick so open the window a bit so that he can breathe this in.  Remember as well that dogs can’t regulate their body temperatures as efficiently as we can, so make sure it isn’t too hot or too cold in the car. Some dogs are find looking out of the window, but others can feel sick when they realise the car is moving, so you might want to consider keeping your dog safe and secure in a car dog cage or a dog carrier.  Just make sure that if the dog carrier is very enclosed, that your dog doesn’t overheat – a good dog carrier will have good ventilation in it so shouldn’t pose a problem.

One last thing, always be prepared in case your dog does get queasy in the car. Bring plenty of paper towels and bags and don’t play your music too loudly.  If he is sick, be patient with him – shouting at him will only stress him further and put your efforts back to square one. 

For very long journeys, it’s wise to give yourself and your dog a break every two or three hours and take him for a walk in the fresh air.  To avoid him dehydrating, take a good travel dog bowl with you so that he can have a drink of cool water during the break.

The majority of dog guards are designed to fit vertically between the rear seats and the roof and can stop items getting through from the boot to the main seating part of your car. The primary aim of a dog guard is to your faithful pet in his place, but dog guards can also double up as a barrier to prevent any luggage you may have in the boot of the car from coming forward, which can be equally lethal to you and your family.

Most dog guards are produced using a series of extendable tubular bars or wire mesh and are wedged in without the use of hammers, screwdrivers or other hand held tools.  However, you do need to make sure that once fitted, they are secure. If the dog guard fits poorly, then your dog guard will become yet another dangerous moving object if you are involved in a car crash.

Ideas-4-pets are suppliers of Saunders dog guards which are designed to fit most makes and models of vehicles and have proved to be a popular & quality product.

If you don’t see one to fit your particular car then ring us and we will make further enquiries for you.

Consider a dog guard to keep you, your passengers and your dog safe when travelling.
 

Also, if you dog is not firmly strapped in your car, he could cause the death of not only himself, but also of the driver or the passenger in the front seat.  This is because a dog weighing roughly the same as a border collie actually weighs 72 stones if he is thrown to the front of a car travelling at 30mph !!  Imagine the impact this has on either the driver or the passenger, not to mention the poor dog.  It is unlikely that either the dog or the person he hits at that speed would survive.

This is the worst scenario, but even if things aren’t that bad, a dog guard will stop your muddy dog from soiling the back seat of your car with his paws or jumping around from one seat to the next in order to gain your attention.

Dog guards come in either tubular or wire mesh form and they are manufactured to fit most makes of vehicle.  They are very easy to fit and do not require you to drill holes into your car as they have extendable legs which have a rubbery-type end on them which secures to the floor and ceiling of your car and the sides also extend to the width you require. 

Just one thing you should consider – when fitting your dog guard into a vehicle with rear air bags, please consult your dealer or vehicle manufacturer to ensure the dog guard will not restrict reear air bag deployment in the event of an accident. 

Be clean and safe – invest in a car dog guard to fit your vehicle. 

Dog guards are very easy to install – they do not need to damage the interior of your car in any way as you do not need to use drills, screws, etc.  There are two types to choose from and although this is partly down to personal choice, ideas-4-pets would advise you to think about how big your dog is before choosing which type of dog guard to purchase. 

A large dog will be well contained behind a tubular bar dog guard, but a smaller dog may be able to wriggle through the bars, so you may want to consider a mesh dog guard.

Once you have made that initial choice, you will have to check whether there is a dog guard to fit your particular vehicle and to do this you need to check the make and model and also the year your vehicle was made.  This is because the models may alter  slightly from year to year and this will affect the size of the dog guard you require.

Some vehicles have dog guards that fit on to the parcel shelf and also the alternative version that fits into the headrests.  Again, if you have the choice that’s great. 

Once the dog guard is in place, simply tighten it into position and the plastic/rubber cups will protect the roof and floor of your car.  The dog guard will extend upwards and also outwards so you can pull the sides of the guard to the size you require to fill the gap.

Easy!!  You have now got your dog safely contained in the back of your car, leaving your back seats clear.  This also stops your dog from pushing his way into the front seats and onto your knee.  It also prevents your dog from putting muddy footprints all over the car seats and also prevents him from being thrown off the back seat if you have to pull up quickly.  Everybody wins !!