Has anyone installed a Dog Gate in a Class A?

[CountryB]

I need a dog gate. My 60lb-er always wants to be the first down the entry steps every time I stop and open the step cover. While I'm driving she likes to stand between the seats and look out the front windshield (which is fine with me).

I would like to install a gate, either to block access between the front seats (from back of drivers seat to back of copilot set), or to block access to the entry steps (from back of copilot seat to dash area in front to steps).

However, I've not been able to figure out how/what to attach it to.

Maybe I can add some angle iron brackets coming off the seat mounting bolts extending out to where the dog gate would attach/pivot. I don't want to drill any holes in the floor.

Has anyone done this - does anyone have any ideas?

[tscarps]

I put this gate across for both our dog and our toddler and has worked quite well. I didn't screw it into the walls rather i used bungies to hold it to the seats.



https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...WZfGlmLIip2387


https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[CountryB]

Thanks. I could not open the Google photo - but the Amazon link worked.

So you just bungy cord it to the back of the seats?
That would work and probably be easiest.

I was thinking of some type of installation like I have in my home, where one side is attached to a wall and then I just unhook/unlatch one side of the gate and it swings open.

[tscarps]

I always struggle with photos on here for some reason.

This has a gate in the middle and 2 fixed panels (one on each side of the gate). I lined the gate up with the opening between seats and it worked out really well. The bungie cords hold it against the seat backs well enough that i didn;t need to attach the ends to anything. over 3 years it's held up through 2 Beagles, an 80lb rescue dog and a toddler.

The pic is one i already had. when i get over to my shop i can take some better pics for you

[Cousin Ed]

Slade our 80# GSD wears a harness which is attached to a seatbelt. It's just long enough for him not to reach the dash in a sudden stop. He just lays between the seats, but can stand and look out.

[Cincy Steve]

Potential problem w/a gate is how long before the dog decides he can hop over it? If nothing else, it could be a rude shock for you.

My greatest fear is the dogs getting loose on a busy road, so ours travel in crates. Also, in the event of an accident, the dogs are contained & not ejected.

We also have the harness that plugs into a seat belt for use in vehicles unsuitable to crates.

[Hurricane-TX]

I would suggest you work with your pet and train it to sit when you stop the coach. Our pups sit by the door and wait their turns to be let out. It was real simple training and was easily done in the driveway at home.

[jacwjames]

Training is a great idea and can work, my wife trains dogs and works with owners. She says she actually has to train the owners more then the dogs.

Dogs can be unpredictable and I don't think you should rely on training though.

The gate provided in post #2 looks promising unless the dog is capable of jumping across the top. Reinforcing against this behavior is important.

We had a Bull Mastiff that could jump to the top bunk above the cab in our Class C.

My wife's newest endeavor into a dog breed is an Anatolian Shepard, he just turned 10 months old and weighs +125 lbs and is just a puppy. His primary duty is guarding the small dogs, time will tell if he matures into his breeding lineage.

[CountryB]

All good suggestions - but training isn't going to work. We're both too old to train. I'm the one being trained.

When driving most of the time the dogs will lay down somewhere and sleep or just look out the window. The only problem I have is that when I stop (traffic light, fueling, or destination) my big girl wants to be the first to exit so she heads for the door. She's too old to jump anything (She's about 10 or 11. Don't know for sure. A rescue).

A simple gate would take care of the problem. We only use the Coach a couple of times a year. I've been thinking about doing a gate for a couple of years now. probably wont have any dogs left by the time I actually do anything.

I know a dog "should" be seat-belted in. But that's not going to work for her.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

[Soppy]

Our dogs are good when traveling and will not run out the door when when stop , but for safety's sake they are crated when traveling and the crates are anchored to the floor.

[The Ward Den]

I just put up a fence to keep our dogs out of the cockpit area while traveling. There weren't many things with a gate that were 8' wide, so I ended up with a 192" long baby fence. I then removed half the panels so that it fit just inside my inside walls.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Coming up with a way to mount it to the wall took some scheming. I didn't want to use the mounting clips that came with it, because then it would be permanently affixed to the wall. The only way to remove or fold the fence would be to unscrew at least one side each and every time. Finally I found some wood drawer fronts that had a very similar pattern and colour to our walls. I screwed one piece directly to the wall through the backing behind the wall panels, and then the second piece got mounted to the first piece. I cut a groove out of the second piece so that the vertical end post/newel would slide right into it to hold it in place. That prevented the forward and back movement. When I tighten all the panels together, that gave the rigidity for side to side movement. The gate can open either direction, so we can easily move to the back of the motorhome. We can also easily remove the whole apparatus and fold it away to store it when we are camped and want unimpeded access to the front.


All told it was about $170 to complete. Time wise, it took longer to figure out an aesthetically pleasing configuration than to actually install it all.

[chindog]

We had the same set up as The Ward Den in the post above. We didn't attach it to the walls, but sort of zig zagged the panels. The gate panel was attached to the two side panels at an angle, and the whole width was wedged between the walls.