Back Seat Shepherds

One of the things I don't like about the Jedi Mobile is that the second row seats are bucket seats, not a bench seat. Normally I keep the third row seats folded, reserving the back area for transporting dogs and groceries. Since the middle row are bucket seats, there's only room for two people to sit. Even worse, they do a horrible job keeping the dogs in the very back. Roxy and Jedi will creep up when I'm not looking. Next thing I know, there's dog breath on the back of my neck. I also don't like that the center column between the seats is slanted and made of a slick plastic. The dogs don't get good traction when standing on it and are constantly sliding. I'm afraid one of them is going to get hurt during a sudden stop or sharp turn. Plus, I really don't like dog breath in the back of my neck. What's a girl to do?

I've been looking for a removable barrier. I have a metal one that we've used in the Expedition for long trips. It works. It's sturdy and does a great job keeping the dogs in the very back. But it's also heavy and awkward to put in. It's designed for SUVs so I don't know if it'll even fit in my car.

Mama says "Get Back!"

I saw a heavy duty mesh barrier at the pet store. It went all the way across both back seats. I thought it would be great because Jedi would still be able to see me. However, I wasn't fond of the $60 price tag so that product stayed on the store shelf. Apparently the price turned off a lot of people. There was a heavy layer of dust on the box and the cashier couldn't remember ever selling one

Then I saw the Outward Hound Front Seat Safety Barrier. For $9 it was worth trying. I've had it in for two months now. The dogs have climbed over a several times but a stern "Get back!" has done the trick. Even better, the barrier is a definite indication of where "back" is. I had to remove it to use the back seats for people last week. gasp! The barrier was easy to take down and put back up. However, I'm not as meticulous as Hubby, so now the barrier is askew. (I'll have him fix it later.)

My opinion: The Outward Hound Front Seat Safety Barrier isn't exactly what I was looking for, but for the price I paid it's an OK substitute. However, I'm still looking for something better. Any ideas from you guys? -- K