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. Fitting instructions are supplied and all bolts used to assemble the dog guard frame are tightened using an Allen key, which is also provided. The guard weighs about 5kg, so it isn't heavy — but leaning into the boot while trying to position the guard correctly is easier with an extra pair of hands (although we managed fine alone). 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. 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?

The best dog guards you can buy in 2023 1. Summit Easy Access Dog Guard: Best dog guard for easy access There is a bewildering array of products aimed at dog lovers, and our best advice is to find something that works best for your car and your pooch. For restraints, the Musonic Dog Safety Vest Harness offers great value for money. At the other end of the scale, the Petego EB Jet Set Jumbo Isofix is a luxury treat for your vehicle and pet. Our top guard was the Halfords Mesh, but you could save cash by choosing the similar RAC model. Guards: Once in place, the guard is stable and doesn't rattle while driving, even over potholed country roads. For me, this is especially important because I leave the guard in there permanently, even when the dog isn't in the car. 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. Despite Hershey being quite a large dog, the Travall guard was sturdy enough not to budge when he pushed his face against it. The coating on the guard is also scratchproof, so there were no bite marks left after his escape attempts.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. 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. Another benefit is that the parcel shelf in the Skoda Octavia can still fit into place with the guard installed. I have tried other universal guards and the parcel shelf will not fit. In this article, we’ve researched and sourced a variety of highly praised rear dog guards that we think are the most effective, adjustable and convenient. Read on for the lowdown. 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

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 There are cheaper universal guards on the market, but the RAC is more adaptable and a better fit for the three cars we tested it in. So if you want to switch a dog guard to different cars, this will do the job. Alternatively, if your dog is less anxious travelling on a seat than in the boot, the RAC dog harness and seat belt connector would work well. We tested the Travall on our Skoda Fabia with a very energetic, 11-year-old chocolate Labrador named Hershey. What's it like? Travall is so confident with the guard that they offer a lifetime guarantee against any manufacturing defects, so if anything does go wrong you're covered. The Travall Guard is a quality product. It's lightweight, easy to install and doesn't rattle - but it's also at the top end of the price scale for dog guards. There are various cheaper guard options, many of which are universal for all vehicles and will do the job.

However, these aren't major complaints, nor would I say they'd prevent us buying the dog guard if we were in the market for an entry-level, universal guard. Build quality of the actual guard is okay, if not a touch flimsy. A dog wouldn't be able to get through the guard, but because it's a universal fit rather than car-specific, it'll fit different models in different ways. 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. One that's done, it's a case of figuring out which screws you need to use. Six screws are supplied, but they come in pairs of three different lengths. We opted for the longest screws but, after attachment, these turned out to be too long. It wasn't tough to remove the guard but it's a bit of an unnecessary faff. Using the medium length screws, we pushed them through the holes in the pole on the dog guard and then screwed them into the hooks around the headrests. There are brief assembly instructions, and no tools are needed. The instructions aren't very detailed, but they don't need to be as assembly is quite self-explanatory. 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.