Help with fitting something over rear window in car.

[j spendalot 10]

Hi, just wondering if anybody has any ideas or knows someone or place that can fit some sort of guard over the rear window of our ford focus 53 plate estate, our rotti which is around 38kg!! and likes to jump at the back window when she sees a dog!! the last car rear windscreen was unfortunatly ruined by our old rotti as the rear heater bars are very sensative and once a claw goes down them and thats it!! a cage is no good as she has hip and elbow dysplia and could not jump over the lip of the cage. any help would be very gratefull.

thanx.

[medusa 16]

Hmmmm- I think that window tinting film sits on the inside of the windows, so it's possible that you could protect the screen heating bars with a film, either tinted or clear. I'm not sure of the cost though.

 

The alternative would be a wire screen which is attached with screws through the rubber seals at the edges of the window into predrilled holes in the metal. Quite often you can see this sort of thing in Fiesta vans to protect the window matrix from work tools and the van contents.

 

Is this the sort of thing that you're looking for? This is a rather expensive kit that covers all of the rear windows, but it's an idea of what is available:

 

http://www.van-guard.co.uk/products/tailgate+window+grilles+and+blanks#!f=1&category=31&category_name=%C2%A0%C2%A0Tailgate%20Window%20Grilles/Blanks&make=3&model=217&make_name=Ford&model_name=Focus%20%2898-04%29

[Strix 11]

serious dog show people have internally fitted cage doors, so you open the boot and the dog is still restrained inside - they're favoured so the boot can safely be left open for ventilation for the dogs

 

http://www.dogcages.uk.com/tailgates.html

[Chez2 10]

I'm confused about your comments about the cage being a problem. All our cages have about an inch or two of the wall below the door.

 

We had a special box made, the type the Police have in their vehicles. It is designed to fit your car and can be lifted in and out easily. It has two doors on the front so it opens up fully. There is no lip for the dog to climb over either. The advantage of these is that you can leave your car boot up for the dog to get fresh air if you need to. These are expensive but we have had ours for about ten years. Two of our GSDs can easily get in together. Let me know if you are interested and I will ask hubby for the contact details, assuming he still has them.

 

Dogs need to be in a cage otherwise the could be thrown out of the car through the window or could be thrown forwards and kill you in an accident.

[ccit 10]

Let me know if you are interested and I will ask hubby for the contact details

Please can you post these details? I have a crate but would like a new, better fitting one. They are a much better option than just using the boot because a)the dog can't jump out as soon as the hatch is opened and b)in the event of an accident the dog is still restrained so can't get out and run off on a busy road.

[Strix 11]

I feel I should explain that it doesn't need to be a major accident for a dog to wind up outside of the car. If somebody shunts into the back of you at a junction or roundabout, even minimal damage will, 9 times out of 10, pop your tail gate, allowing the dog to escape

[Chez2 10]

Please can you post these details? I have a crate but would like a new, better fitting one. They are a much better option than just using the boot because a)the dog can't jump out as soon as the hatch is opened and b)in the event of an accident the dog is still restrained so can't get out and run off on a busy road.

 

Here is the link

http://www.cabtransitboxes.co.uk/

 

If you click in home then on comments you will see a car that has been in an accident but his dog box and dogs were fine. The other items in the boot went out through the back window. This link might get you there

 

http://www.cabtransitboxes.co.uk/comments.php

[ccit 10]

Thank you very much for the link to the company who make these. The products look very strong indeed. Strix is correct - any slight back end shunt could spring the catch, leaving the dogs free. Much better to use a good strong crate as it will give more protection.

[j spendalot 10]

Hi, thanx for the information, unfortunately a cage would be no good as she has severe hip and elbow dysplia, so it is hard for her to jump over a lip of any kind on a cage bottom, I understand about the fitted cages which are absolutely brilliant especially on long trips and very safe to, but also very expensive as it will only be used for trips to vets, park and odd day out, thankyou again for the advice.

[ccit 10]

Oh, that's sad - I can see how difficult it must be for her to get in the car. Would a ramp be helpful do you think? I've seen these advertised but have no personal experience of them. I suppose that they fold up to fit inside the car after use. Just a thought.

[j spendalot 10]

Hi, thankyou for that great thought, we have briefly looked into a ramp but unfortunately we also have to have a wheelchair on the backseat so would be no room really to put it, thankyou again tho it was a really good thought.

[Chez2 10]

You do seem to dismiss options without looking at the facts. If a dog can't lift its foot up an inch (2.5cm) then it would have to slide its feet not walk. I did mention that my cages (i'm talking metal crates) have only a tiny 1 inch lip at the bottom of them.

 

Why say there is no room for a ramp when they fold or roll up. They would take up less room than a carrier bag.

 

You can buy second hand units from the link I posted. You will sometimes find them on ebay too.