Are you looking for a dog guard for your car in 2023?
Then take a look at my selection of top products.
I researched intensively and for a long time and as a result I found the three best dog guards currently on the market.
I particularly liked the Kleinmetall Roadmaster universal grille because it is made of particularly high quality.
But the other two items are more than recommended. Depending on what exactly you are looking for, it is quite possible that you like one of the other two grids even better than my personal test winner.
I’m curious what you decide.
Good luck with searching.
My car dog guard favourites
product test
Kleinmetall Roadmaster Deluxe universal grille
The Kleinmetall dog guard has a modern design. The bars separating the trunk from the rear seats are placed horizontally. This does not create the typical grid impression that is quickly reminiscent of a prison.
The 25 cm high grid can be adjusted individually. On the one hand, the crossbars can be continuously extended between 95 and 145 cm, on the other hand, the angle of inclination can also be adjusted. In this way, the dog guard fits in almost every station wagon.
The product is also suitable for most hatchbacks with headrest bars. Please pay attention to the size information and dimensions before buying to avoid wrong purchases. The distance between the inner headrest bars must not exceed 65 cm.
Installation and removal is very easy thanks to the quick-release system. The light weight makes handling easier. You don’t have to drill anything or otherwise change anything on the vehicle. So you don’t have to worry about damaging your vehicle.
The grid consists of anodized aluminum material, powder-coated steel and stainless steel and is therefore very stable and robust.
Trixie 13171 Car Grille
The second gate for dogs is from the company Trixie. It is made of aluminum and combines the advantages of this metal. It is light and therefore easy to handle, but still extremely robust, corrosion-free and stable.
The attachment is very space-saving. This is advantageous because you can use all the space in the trunk.
Like Kleinmetall’s grille, these are horizontal struts that separate the trunk from the rest of the car. For my taste, the design is not quite as elegant as my favorite, the dog guard from Kleinmetall.
But as already mentioned, the design should play a rather secondary role in a product like this.
The stepless adjustability in width and height enables adaptation to almost any car. So you can also use the grid if you have another car or if you are going on holiday with friends.
It is also practical that the grid can be assembled and disassembled very quickly. It is simply clamped between the ceiling, the headrests and the side windows without damaging anything on the vehicle.
Heldenwerk universal divider
At the end of my little test, I would like to introduce you to the winner, i.e. the product with high functionality and the best price.
This partition grille comes from the company Heldenwerk and corresponds to § 3 StVO and can therefore be used safely on the road like the other tested products.
The grid from Heldenwerk is 30 cm high and can be continuously adjusted in width between 91 cm and 153 cm. It fits very well in most cars.
It attaches to the headrests, taking up very little space in the trunk. It is also practical that you do not need any tools during assembly. This way there is no damage to the car.
I personally don’t like the grid look very much. However, I also see the advantages of this variant compared to dog fences that only have horizontal struts.
Because especially small and narrow four-legged friends like to try to push themselves through the horizontal struts. If they succeed, the gate will be completely useless and your dog’s safety and yours will be in jeopardy.
In such a case, a classic grid with longitudinal and transverse struts can be a good alternative.
Purchase advice – Car dog guard
What are the options for taking a dog with you in the car?
According to the StVO, dogs are considered cargo. Accordingly, the animals must be properly secured. Otherwise, in the event of a sudden driving maneuver or an accident, serious injury could result if the dog flies through the car.
But even with normal, undisturbed car journeys, it can be very dangerous if the dog can move freely in the car. Because that means far too much distraction for the driver, who should actually only be concentrating on the traffic.
In order not to risk a fine and not to jeopardize your own safety and that of the dog, you must secure your dog in some way. There are different possibilities for this.
To transport your dog in the car, you can put your dog in a special transport box. This method is arguably the safest, as your dog cannot be thrown around in a well secured crate. Nor can it distract you while driving.
So dog crates are very practical, why don’t all dog owners use the crates when driving? The answer is simple, because unfortunately a dog box is not suitable for every dog.
Some dogs are claustrophobic, others just don’t like being confined, and still others need to be able to stretch out and move around. In addition, the boxes are very space-consuming, especially for large dogs.
Another way to keep your dog safe while driving is to attach the leash to the seat belt in a special way.
There are different models where either the leash is threaded into the belt or where the leash has a buckle to buckle it on. Your dog is also well secured with this variant.
While he can be thrown around more than in a box, he is not free to move and is held in place by the strap. However, there is a risk that your dog will become entangled in the leash and possibly choke itself. This is also not the right solution for dogs that like to chew on the leash.
Therefore, there is a third option – a dog guard for the car. The trunk is separated from the driver’s cab with a grille. Then the dog can lie in the trunk and move freely there.
There is no risk of injury from a leash and no restriction from a box. The dogs love to be able to stretch out and turn around. In the event of an accident, the dog can fly through the trunk, but this is still a relatively limited space and it cannot get into the driver’s cab.
What types of trunk dividers are there?
There are basically two different models.
Dividers for the headrests are – as the name suggests – mounted on the rear headrests in the car. The supports are extended as far as possible so that the largest possible area of the pole can be seen.
The screws of the partition grille are attached to this. The grille thus closes the space between the upper edge of the rear seats and the ceiling of the car. The dog can reach the rear seats in the lower area, as these are not protected by the grille.
As a rule, the dividing grilles for the headrests can be adjusted in width and in some cases in height in order to optimally adapt them to the respective vehicle.
The second type of dog guards are dividers with telescopic rods. The headrests are not needed here, since the grille closes the entire area from the floor of the trunk to the ceiling of the car.
To do this, telescopic rods are clamped in at the top and bottom. This is especially useful if you’re afraid your dog might chew on the back seat cushion.
Since the rear seats are not required to separate the trunk and driver’s cabin, the grille can also be placed further in the middle in large trunks.
For example, you can separate a space for your dog and use the rest of the trunk for shopping or the like.
Rather unusual, but also available, are dog guards for the front seats. With these you can position your dog on the back seat and use the space in the trunk for other purposes.
How do you install a dog guard in a car?
Most dog car gates are now very easy to use. Thanks to continuously adjustable struts, many models no longer need to be attached with tools.
Rather, the grids are clamped between the side walls and partially between the trunk floor and the car ceiling. In this way, there is no damage to the car, which is important above all for resale, but also for the use of other people’s cars (e.g. rental cars on vacation).
When buying, make sure that the struts are infinitely adjustable. In the product descriptions you will find information on the minimum and maximum height and width. You can use this to judge for yourself whether a grille is suitable for your vehicle or not.
It is important that the grid is really tight and cannot wobble. You should also keep in mind that the gate must also remain stable if your dog is thrown against the gate while braking or taking evasive action.
Depending on the size of the dog, a relatively large force can arise. That’s why no compromises can be made when it comes to partition grilles. If a product doesn’t fit 100% in your car, you shouldn’t use it.
I recommend that you always read the manufacturer’s information on resilience before buying. There you will find information about which dogs the gate is suitable for, how heavy and large the animals can be and what needs to be considered during assembly.
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