Wanted: Indestructible Boot Liner

McNulty

Evening,

hoping someone can help here. My two dogs (the cocker brothers) have so far destroyed everything I've used to line the boot of my car for when I'm transporting them (mainly five/ten minutes to Mornington Beach and occasionally an hour up to Cavan from Drogheda). They have so far been through carpet off cut, towels, a supposed heavy duty dog liner from halfords (pah) and have now started on the boot liner which is wrecked. They are very close to actually getting to the spare tyre.
I've tried to force something into the gap between the boot and bag seat, but they just scrape it up as rip and chew away.
I suppose i'm looking something pretty heavy duty that will be easy to fit - I have a Ford Focus 01 (old model) but would ideally like something that would also fit in another couple of cars for when the folks and rellies walk them.

Any ideas bar concreting the boot?

cheers

Jim

opti76

rubber car matts????

i think argos do a rubber boot liner .. could also be in halfords

macadam

Muzzle's , or i am selling a lovely trailer .

Top Dog

Why not invest in a crate for the boot? Something that would keep teeth & paws away from everything and anything else in the boot.

peasant

Is it a hatchback or a saloon?

McNulty

Thanks for the replies...

It's a hatchback with a dog guard to seperate the boot and back seat (that's fixed onto the head rest).

Not going to muzzle them and a crate that's big enough for the pair of them won;t fit in the boot. Rubber car mats would just be lifted - it's more to stop them getting at the liner underneath

peasant

I think they need training.

It should be entirely possible for them to travel damage free for 10-15 minutes.

What do they actually do in the back? Freak out, run around, go into a biting frenzy?

Please describe what goes on there.

McNulty

If I had to describe it, it would be 'messing' as in rough and tumble and barking and growling at each other - heads down, tails up, that sort of thing.
Quite often the tearing and pulling up is them going tug of war on something.
Bones and toys work sometimes and they sometimes sleep, just really want to get somethign to save the boot - from sand and mud as well to be honest.

If they were doing the same thing in the house I would ask them to stop, or distract them and they generally would do so. Maybe it's because they can't see me looking at them when I'm driving.
I do think training could be part of the answer, but also want to save to boot too.

peasant

The messing sounds like they are extending the fun from the walk to the boot of the car ...in other words, misbehaving.
And as they know that you can't get at them to discipline them, they just carry on.

Maybe some remote correction would help. As you're busy driving, a water pistol isn't practical ..how about a really loud noise followed by a clear command like "lie down, quiet" ?

As for your boot. There are custom made plastic boot liners available for a lot of estate and 4x4 cars ...but I've never seen one for a hatchback.

Possibly you could get one for the estate version and cut it to size?

fishfoodie

It shouldn't take too much carpentry skill to knock up a simple 3-sided box, from plywood & piano hinges & then cover the plywood with offcuts of carpet. You don't need to be super accurate, it would be removable & all.

You'd do the job for less than 50 yoyo yourself, or ply a mate whose good at DIY with beer

McNulty

thanks for all the replies - peasant and fishfoodie I think it's a combination of both I'm looking for - prevention and cure (if that makes sense).
As I said, I dont think they do it out of anxiety, just messing. Your point peasant about being able to distract them while driving - the interesting thing is that they will stop when someone in the back seat tells them to and looks them in the eye. Will have a think and give some ideas a go. Will look into the playwood/boot liner options as well

Thanks again