Doggie proofing a JSW

spthan · May 8, 2010

Dog Proofing

Look at the pet barriers at http://www.discountramps.com/dog-pet-barrier.htm.
The one I bought fits behind the front seats as opposed to VW's which sits behind the rear seats. Also, they are a tenth of the price. Barriers are adjustable and removable. Would probably work behind rear seats as well. Check dimensions. My 3 dogs, 80 lbs, 100 lbs and 130 lbs all fit in JSW with rear seat folded.
2010 JSW Platinum Gray Metallic, DSG, 17X8 ASC wheels, Continental Extreme Contact DWS, sunroof.

numl0ck · May 8, 2010

Dieselpup said:
Believe it. Hauling my dogs is the PRIMARY reason I got my JSW. If not for my dogs, wouldn't need a wagon.

...Off to the dog park!!

+1 Although, I have a Golf, our retrividor (get it? 50% lab 50% retriever) was the reason I got the hatchback (and the mat kit), otherwise I'd be driving a Jetta TDI. The fact that the dog can jump in and out the back, and I don't have to worry about if she's muddy, or if the seats are covered up is wonderful.

Elides · May 8, 2010

Pet barrier

spthan said:
Look at the pet barriers at http://www.discountramps.com/dog-pet-barrier.htm.
The one I bought fits behind the front seats as opposed to VW's which sits behind the rear seats. Also, they are a tenth of the price. Barriers are adjustable and removable. Would probably work behind rear seats as well. Check dimensions. My 3 dogs, 80 lbs, 100 lbs and 130 lbs all fit in JSW with rear seat folded.
2010 JSW Platinum Gray Metallic, DSG, 17X8 ASC wheels, Continental Extreme Contact DWS, sunroof.

I was interested in those too. Which one did you get exactly? Are they sturdy and how do they fit with your sunroof? It would be nice to see a picture of your installation.

spthan · May 9, 2010

Doggie Proof

I bought a 2 bar design, Discount Ramps item # DB-2704.
It extends and mounts with screw extendable vertical poles with cups that sit on the folded rear seats and the metal cross bar of the sunroof. The crossbars are extendable. I haven't screwed it in tightly, but it is enough to keep the dogs in the back. It removes and remounts easily and I can store it in the car when not in use. Sunroof works fine with barrier in place.
2010 JSW Platinum Gray Metallic, DSG, 17X8 ASC wheels, Continental Extreme Contact DWS, sunroof. 4250 miles 35.7 mpg.

vw_leadfoot · May 9, 2010

I carry my two 90lbs ridgebacks daily in my wagen. I immediately purchased the OEM barrier (luckily my friend works at a dealer and I got his employee discount) for their safety (those thin aftermarket tube ones won't hold back a dog in the event of a collision!) and the stainless steel sill protector. In the back I used a thin foam bed covered in dark grey beach towels. I use two other black beach towels; one over the rearmost cover to the spare tire and the other wedged under the cargo partition to cover the back of the seats. I have a 12v fan for them clipped to the partition and a spillproof waterbowl for them. Also windows are tinted to keep the heat gain down. It is all about their comfort...a little less room than the Passat I just sold but they don't seem to notice....

altered7151 · May 10, 2010

vw_leadfoot said:
I carry my two 90lbs ridgebacks daily in my wagen. I immediately purchased the OEM barrier (luckily my friend works at a dealer and I got his employee discount) for their safety (those thin aftermarket tube ones won't hold back a dog in the event of a collision!) and the stainless steel sill protector. In the back I used a thin foam bed covered in dark grey beach towels. I use two other black beach towels; one over the rearmost cover to the spare tire and the other wedged under the cargo partition to cover the back of the seats. I have a 12v fan for them clipped to the partition and a spillproof waterbowl for them. Also windows are tinted to keep the heat gain down. It is all about their comfort...a little less room than the Passat I just sold but they don't seem to notice....

I'd really like to see some pictures of how the OEM barrier mounts. From the picture it shows two wing nut style bolts on each side, so I figured there is either some sort of mount that goes into the stock cargo cover reciever, or there is some drilling involved. I was thinking about fabricating my own barrier but would like to copy the OEM mounting.

vw_leadfoot · May 10, 2010

altered7151 said:
I'd really like to see some pictures of how the OEM barrier mounts. From the picture it shows two wing nut style bolts on each side, so I figured there is either some sort of mount that goes into the stock cargo cover reciever, or there is some drilling involved. I was thinking about fabricating my own barrier but would like to copy the OEM mounting.

I'll see if I can take some pics for you....it is more complicated than the Passat but still relatively simple. It ties into the bottom cargo holds and comes with two new ones.....oh and definately no drilling!! No maring of the headliner or pano-roof.....

bdisco · May 10, 2010

http://officespam.chattablogs.com/archives/Speeding-Ticket-thumb.jpg

vw_leadfoot · May 10, 2010

For altered7151:

Rear sill protection & tinted windows....:

Their foam bed and cheap washable towels protect the floor from sand and mud.....

Fitment of the OEM partition:

Support bracket:

Bracket from back seat....

Closeup of connection to tie-down and new tie-down provided.

And the precious cargo.....my girls....Caroline on the left is a 5 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback(RR) and on the right is Cooper my other RR a little over one year old.....

vw_leadfoot · May 10, 2010

bdisco said:

Friggin' hilarious......guess that is what happens when you hit the accelerator really hard.....

danham · May 10, 2010

@ vw leadfoot:

Nice setup and nice dogs (a friend had a RR and even before I was a dog person I liked it).

One question: anything special to look for as I shop for a fan?

-dan

vw_leadfoot · May 10, 2010

danham said:
@ vw leadfoot:

Nice setup and nice dogs (a friend had a RR and even before I was a dog person I liked it).

One question: anything special to look for as I shop for a fan?

-dan

Thanks....Ridgebacks are the best!

The fan isn't anything special....I picked it up from Canadian Tire (likely in the US from Walmart or other auto type place)....it oscillates which makes it kinda noisy (or can be fixed) and the switch has two speeds. I like the Passat I had as it had a 12v outlet in the rear seat which was more convenient than having the wiring where the dogs are. Now that the younger one doesn't chew much anymore and is more mature I don't worry about her chewing it but I did catch her a 5-months doing it! Also in the Passat I was able to mount the fan on the seating side so the air blew through the cage.....doesn't seem to work as nice in the new wagen but it is sufficient for those hot days....I haven't had a whole lot of time to play with it to see if I can mount it some other way yet....we had frost this morning so I really don't even need it right now!

danham · May 10, 2010

Thanks for the info. Here's what it will be trying to keep cool:

-dan

vw_leadfoot · May 10, 2010

Nice dog dan.....definately more fur than an RR....I am sure you have seen cool jackets and the such.....

danham · May 10, 2010

Thanks. Funny you should say that -- in the fotos I noticed some stray hairs caught in your carpeting [grin] and Liza Jane barely sheds at all (one of the many surprise benefits of the pit bull side of her lineage, along with no hip dysplasia and a unique personality), and when she does, it's the same color as the interior [g].

-dan

vw_leadfoot · May 10, 2010

danham said:
Thanks. Funny you should say that -- in the fotos I noticed some stray hairs caught in your carpeting [grin] and Liza Jane barely sheds at all (one of the many surprise benefits of the pit bull side of her lineage, along with no hip dysplasia and a unique personality), and when she does, it's the same color as the interior [g].

-dan

Yeah a RR is a low maintenance dog but they still do shed a bit.....not much you can do about it and I don't worry about it any more....at least it is all contained to the back of the car....

fleuger99 · May 10, 2010

vw_leadfoot said:
For altered7151:

And the precious cargo.....my girls....Caroline on the left is a 5 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback(RR) and on the right is Cooper my other RR a little over one year old.....

Beautiful Dogs. Shouldn't they now be called Zimbabwe Ridebacks?

I'm originally from South Africa and my father's cousin lives on a farm and had two of these when I was a kid.

vw_leadfoot · May 10, 2010

fleuger99 said:
Beautiful Dogs. Shouldn't they now be called Zimbabwe Ridgebacks?

I'm originally from South Africa and my father's cousin lives on a farm and had two of these when I was a kid.

Thanks.....yeah explaining the name is always fun

...well used to be Rhodesia and now is....oye vey....

altered7151 · May 11, 2010

Thanks for the pics! thats definitely much more involved that the picture leads you to believe. After seeing that I'm much closer to justifying the price of buying one. Beautiful dogs by the way.

JetPuf · Jun 10, 2010

Leadfoot, does the barrier have a upper and lower portion? seems the pictures on the drivergear website show other parts... although I'd much prefer and like how you have yours setup.

vw_leadfoot · Jun 10, 2010

JetPuf said:
Leadfoot, does the barrier have a upper and lower portion? seems the pictures on the drivergear website show other parts... although I'd much prefer and like how you have yours setup.

I only purchased the upper portion but a lower portion is available for more money (about and additional $200 or so)....also on ETKA I saw an interesting item that if you folded the two back seats down, goes behind the driver's and passenger seat....my piece is 1K9 017 221, the lower piece for half the price is 1K9 017 222, but you really only need the upper piece if your back seats are upright.

Here is the neat item I came across on ETKA which would be great if you didn't have a wagen and wanted the rear seats folded down most of the time....ECS shows it a $480 for just the next and them you need all of the do-dads to hold it in place.....pricey....but cool!

meowguy · Jun 10, 2010

My dog cannot ride while sitting or lying on a passenger seat. He is an 18lb. Cairn Terrier and will puke due to motion sickness. He has a booster seat which enables him to look out the windows and he is usually ok with that. The seat has a harness which holds him in place, and a harness which holds the seat in place.

The puke comes without any warning whatsoever. One minute you are looking at him and the next minute there is green puke all over the place. The puke can easily remove the paint from any surface. Good thing the Jetta is all plastic inside.

Needless to say he rides in the car as little as possible. Doggie daycare once a week, the Vet when needed.

Kaspre · Jun 10, 2010

Nice, just placed my order for the 3-piece canvasback system. Looks like its a high quality solution.

Still considering the OEM divider. Some assurance that a muddy puppy won't vault the rear seat and come up front to say hellow would be really nice, but the price is definitely daunting...

The fan seems like a great idea. I haven't put my dog in the car yet, but I've been thinking that it could take quite a while to get cold air that far back in the car without some sort of aftermarket help.

vw_leadfoot · Jun 10, 2010

Kaspre said:
Nice, just placed my order for the 3-piece canvasback system. Looks like its a high quality solution.

Still considering the OEM divider. Some assurance that a muddy puppy won't vault the rear seat and come up front to say hellow would be really nice, but the price is definitely daunting...

The fan seems like a great idea. I haven't put my dog in the car yet, but I've been thinking that it could take quite a while to get cold air that far back in the car without some sort of aftermarket help.

What is a 3-piece canvasback system? Is that the piece that folds out over the bumper?

I managed to rig the fan on the seat side of the divider as I had in my Passat which is alot nicer....I still don't like the 12V power running back there to the only outelt as the doggie's sometimes knock it loose....a 12V in the rear seats would be nice liike where they offer a 115V receptacle in some models.....maybe someday....

vw_leadfoot · Jun 10, 2010

meowguy said:
My dog cannot ride while sitting or lying on a passenger seat. He is an 18lb. Cairn Terrier and will puke due to motion sickness. He has a booster seat which enables him to look out the windows and he is usually ok with that. The seat has a harness which holds him in place, and a harness which holds the seat in place.

The puke comes without any warning whatsoever. One minute you are looking at him and the next minute there is green puke all over the place. The puke can easily remove the paint from any surface. Good thing the Jetta is all plastic inside.

Needless to say he rides in the car as little as possible. Doggie daycare once a week, the Vet when needed.

Well that is just nasty...too bad that he gets motion sickness.....I am lucky that my dogs are used to the car and hop right in usually without me saying anything! They are super quiet and I generally never know they're there. My dogs are in my car at least twice a day.....walks every morning in the Conservation Areas near me before I make the trek to the office....

Your terrier sure sounds like your kid! Booster seat and all.....oh the things we do for our animals.....We don't have kids and won't have kids so the 2 dogs and a cat are our babies and yes they're spoiled...or just loved as my wife likes to say.....

Kaspre · Jun 10, 2010

vw_leadfoot said:
What is a 3-piece canvasback system? Is that the piece that folds out over the bumper?

I managed to rig the fan on the seat side of the divider as I had in my Passat which is alot nicer....I still don't like the 12V power running back there to the only outelt as the doggie's sometimes knock it loose....a 12V in the rear seats would be nice liike where they offer a 115V receptacle in some models.....maybe someday....

Sorry, I should have linked it. I was referring to this item. Some other folks in the thread had posted pictures and links to various sites that offer them. They're available in various colors and patterns, I ordered mine in Graphite (dark grey) since it will match my interior. I'll be sure to post an update when I get mine installed.

I agree, wiring the fan to the rear 12v outlet seems sub-optimal. Even if chewing isn't a concern, it could easily get unplugged. Luckily my Jetta Sportwagen has the 115V receptacle in the rear console, so that seems like a solid option. If I end up going the 12v route, I'd be tempted to get some sort of extension and connect it in the front. That would solve the concerns, and you could easily reach down and unplug it when you're not transporting any dogs and don't need the fan to be running.

vw_leadfoot · Jun 10, 2010

Kaspre said:
Sorry, I should have linked it. I was referring to this item. Some other folks in the thread had posted pictures and links to various sites that offer them. They're available in various colors and patterns, I ordered mine in Graphite (dark grey) since it will match my interior. I'll be sure to post an update when I get mine installed.

Oh that is cool....haven't see that before but I figured some one made one.....

dingdong · Jun 10, 2010

i have been trying to decide on which barrier to buy as i have 2 dogs and 2 small children. i decided to go with the vw one and found it here http://www.vwdiscountparts.com for $313.00 with shipping.

meowguy · Jun 10, 2010

Well that is just nasty...too bad that he gets motion sickness

As Temple Grandon said on NPR the other day "animals make us human". Five dogs, five cats, two kids over 42 years. Kids make you proud and crazy, animals keep you human.

x43x · Jun 14, 2010

I just ordered a custom 40"x40"x2" waterproof microfiber dog pad for the back. Should stop the rug burn my Dane gets from the mat. Cost was $175 shipped. Got it here which has some pretty wierd stuff: http://www.bigdogbeds.com/custom_dog_beds.html

Doggie proofing a JSW

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