Customized Cover

The helpful order form with a follow-up design phone call helped to ensure that we were getting exactly what we wanted. Very quick turnaround on order customization completion. Very responsive interactions with the company. It fits great and provides more room for our dog (versus traditional sling ). Also, great to have space underneath rather than needing to stuff things under the footwell with the traditional slings. The finished product is beautiful and looks/feels quite durable.

We purchased a custom dogshell for our new truck. I was very worried that our measurements might not translate into the right end result, but the final product fits like a glove! Our 75lb GSD is very comfortable with her new enclosure. She does scrabble a bit on the fabric at first, but there s no more gap to fall into like she did in our Honda Fit with the seats folded down. (For older or very anxious dogs, I would recommend adding a pad for better grip, but it wasn t necessary for us.) The zippers and straps function perfectly. I hadn t tighten the straps all the way in the photos. That s why the front looks droopy. It is now pin-straight with tons of extra storage! (We got one pocket between the front seats for us and 2 pockets behind the seats, in the dog area for leashes, poo bags, etc.) The custom order was pricey, but now that it s in use, I can confidently say that it is an excellent value. The 1:1 consultation was super helpful, and it shipped faster than their estimated time. I would absolutely recommend this product to anyone that needs to protect a nice car. We also find that she is more secure in the enclosure vs free-ranging in the back of our old hatchback. So also great for safety! (You can get slots for seatbelts if you still prefer to buckle your pup.)

Bought a new Yukon with second row bucket seats and my old very nice cover covered up the space between the seats and Harper, my 140lb Landseer didn't come up to the window as he was scared of falling into the space. Found DogShell who offered a custom cover. After many emails and measurements working on a design, DogShell came through exceptionally. I was very specific wanting full coverage with all seats down, folding to store if needed, and being structurally sound so Harper would not be intimidated. Full custom cover designed and shipped in about 10 days. Many thanks to DogShell.

I cannot say enough good things about this company and their products. I own a busy pet care business and transport dogs on a regular basis in my SUV. It goes without saying that I deal with a LOT of dog hair and slobber and I need all the help I can get keeping my vehicle's interior from looking a mess, even after a single trip to the dog park. When I bought a new vehicle, I worried about the damage the interior was going to sustain and made up my mind to invest in some protective gear for the backseat and cargo area that was better than what I'd been using. Happily, my search began and ended with DogShell. Previously, I tried a variety of off-the-shelf seat protectors - all designed for dogs - as well as an assortment of blankets, throws, etc. Most of them worked up to a point but, no matter how often I vacuumed or tried to keep the hair and slobber to a minimum, every little crack and crevice was quickly stuffed with hair, along the sides of the seats and sticking to the carpet and door panels. I really wanted a protective system that would CONTAIN the hair, prevent the dogs from drooling on the door panels and protect the interior from scratching. Even with heavy duty rubber mats and the other protectors I was using, it was very frustrating how much of a mess two German Shepherds could make of the interior even in 15 minutes. Luckily for me, DogShell was extremely sympathetic to my dilemma. They custom made exactly what I needed - even a sturdy platform bridge for the gap between the second-row captain's seats, a separate padded flap to protect my rear bumper when using a dog ramp in the back, and protective covers for the hard plastic cup holders on either side of the cargo area. The sides of the back-seat protector are tall enough for the dogs to see out the windows but has rigid walls (which fold down to cover the bottom of the door sills when the dogs jump in and out) so now they are kept away from the door panels and their hair stays INSIDE the protector, not on the floor or elsewhere! YAY!! Communication was easy, their response time was quick and they always cut their time frame by several days in delivery. They asked for detailed measurements, double-checked with me every step of the way and I always knew what was happening with my order. I am very pleased to say all of the protectors worked exactly as they were designed to work, right from the get-go. I am able to protect my investment in my new SUV, escort the dogs in style and comfort and not worry about the mess. That makes my life a whole lot easier! THANK YOU DOGSHELL!!

Some Background For the entire time we ve been together, my wife and I have had dogs. Usually, two at the same time, and generally bigger dogs. Early on we decided to take one of our SUV s and make it a dedicated Dogmobile . Basically, that means putting the back seats down and setting up the rear compartment for daily dog use. Over the last twenty five years we have had multiple Dogmobiles and have learned a lot about the best way to set them up. Even when you can find an SUV where the back seats fold totally flat, you are always left with gaps between the deck and front seats, or near the doors. That immediately becomes a safety issue since it is way too easy to have a paw fall in and break a leg. Originally, I would cut plywood to fit the space. That solved the problem, but the plywood was heavy and difficult to remove easily. It also tended to mar the seats. For the next car, I got smarter. This time I used 2 foam insulation sheets, cut to fit exactly and cover the gaps. On top of that I added half inch interlocking foam. This was a much better solution, but still had some drawbacks. It wasn t easy to remove when you actually needed the extra seating, plus, it didn t do anything to protect the rest of the cabin from dog paws or our loading ramp. Last year, we decided that it was time for a new Dogmobile. Thanks to the foam solution, the rear seats on the old SUV looked like they just came out of the showroom, even after twelve years. The rest of the rear cabin was a totally different story. It was pretty badly scratched up and even had a couple of small holes in the plastic thanks to the ramp. It looks like I needed an even better solution, so I jumped on the Internet. Originally, I was just looking for something to fill the gaps between the seats. There wasn t a lot of great stuff out there, but it did get me looking at products designed to use with the back seats up. They weren t exactly what I needed, but I figured I could maybe make do. That was until I found DogShell and noticed that they do custom work. That changed everything! Not only could they modify existing products, but they were willing to build something to my exact specifications! Design Process This is the one area where DogShell absolutely added tons of value! I was asking for a lot more than a generic seat protector. I wanted something custom fitted to my Tucson. It needed to provide support over the gaps, protect the seats and doors as well as cover the cargo area. Throughout the process, we traded several phone calls, emails and pictures to determine what would be in the final product. Some things were easy, like using removable door protectors. Some were harder, like figuring out a way to keep the cover from blocking the AC vents. DogShell even went so far as to design a duct system that could be integrated into the cover. That whole process was amazing, but there were some things that really stood out me. First, I was in the middle of a major work project and couldn t find the time to complete my measurements. The people at DogShell were able to find the same model vehicle locally and did the measurements themselves. Not only did that keep the process rolling, but it insured that my cover would fit correctly. Next, we were having issues trying to figure out how to keep the door panels up in the back. One of their engineers came up with a simple S hook idea to solve that. Finally, I got a call where they asked me if I would be okay shortening the plywood reinforcement panel a couple of inches. Why? It s because they had figured out a way to let me use my rear seats easier. In the new design, the cover folds up into a compact package that hangs off the rear of the seats. This is absolutely brilliant! Now, I can quickly switch between using the vehicle for the dogs or putting the seats up when I need to carry more people. Best. Idea. Ever. The Finished Product Based on what I had learned during the design process, I was already expecting the finished product to be pretty special. I was not disappointed! The construction on this thing is top-notch, and I easily expect it to last for the life of the vehicle. The material is tough, the stitching is solid and there are all sort of attachment points sewn into the cover that I can use to keep the cover from sliding around. They provided me with S hooks, ball bungees and even an extra DogShell logo patch. Nice! On top of all that, their pricing was actually less than I expected. How did that happen? Real Life Usage Now that we have had our DogShell for a few months (using it every day), let me tell you how it has performed. First, it does the job I was most concerned with. It provides a very stable platform over the gaps. I have absolutely no concern that a paw is going to go into a hole. Next, it does a great job protecting the cabin. It is really easy to clean, which is a huge bonus because this year s Tucson interior plastics do not clean well at all. I am still trying to find something to use on them that doesn t cause streaks. Having said that, there are few places where I have had some issues, but they are all related to (my) design criteria. In retrospect, I should have made this more modular, splitting it into two covers (front and back). That would have allowed me even more flexibility in my cabin configurations. I also wish I had made the rear section cover go all the way up the side, and not stop at the top of the wheel well. We actually discussed that during the design process; DogShell could have done it, but there was really no good way to secure the top unless I want to add adhesive Velcro strips to the sides. I wasn t ready to do that in a new car, but yeah, it would have been a good idea. Finally, there are the door panels. Unless I am willing to add more Velcro, there is no way to keep the panel against the door. DogShell offered an option that would let me put something in the gap between the window glass and door, but that might have limited our ability to roll the windows down. I chose not to do either thing, which was my bad. For my next iteration, I ve already decided that I want panels that (semi-permanently) attach to the door itself. Summary If you haven t figured it out by now, we love our new DogShell! It does exactly what we need it to do and much better than the homegrown solutions we ve used in the past. Thanks to the easy fold up and storage feature, we are already discussing getting a 2nd one for our other SUV. It s not the Dogmobile, but with another DogShell, we could use either vehicle as needed. On top of that, it is a great investment. When we go on to the next Dogmobile, I am absolutely certain that our interior will look nearly brand new and improve the resale or trade-in value. For any of you that have dogs that are in the car a lot, you know that paws scratch everything and hair ends up everywhere. Not with our DogShell it doesn t. Finally, and most importantly, the Dogshell has Trooper s official seal of approval. He loves taking a ride in the Dogmobile and having the DogShell means he gets to go every day. Woof! Please feel free to use my review and the pictures I sent you to promote your product. We ve been really happy with it, and once we get through some major home remodeling expense, I will probably give you a call about doing the next car. Thanks, ROBIN.

DogShell Bottom line up front: don t look anywhere else, spend a bit of extra $ and get the dogshell; it s a higher quality product than the others, and infinitely better built. I ll start off by saying that I m a difficult customer; I don t mind spending money for a higher quality product that will last longer and satisfy my needs better than the competitors. I have 2 dogs, a Labrador/Husky mix, and a Dutch Shepherd/Malinois mix, both 50lbs. Background / the other guy: I used to have a hammock, the kind that protects the back seat (kind of) but the hammock portion keeps the dogs from falling into the hole where your legs would normally go. Though the hammock is useful for this, and better than nothing, it does not provide the kind of support for a dog to confidently sit or walk on it (imagine standing up and walking in a hammock; not something I want to do sober...). Also, because the standard hammock is one size fits all, it doesn t completely cover the back seat. The bad fit often leaves the corners (close to the door) exposed; this wouldn t normally be a problem, when the doors are closed, but when they are open, this is the part of the seat the dog uses to get themselves into the vehicle, so subject to increased wear and danger from nails! The final straw that initiated my new search was, after 2 years of using my relatively expensive hammock, the part supporting the most weight ripped apart and sent my dogs plummeting to the floor. DogShell: Having had plenty of experience with my last hammock, I knew what I wanted. After doing research to see all the other major players, I settled on DogShell as they had awesome reviews, and their pics showed things I wanted. I wanted a hammock that would REALLY protect my back seat by covering it, and the waterproof material they use is high qual (doesn t look like it's going to rip any time soon); check. I wanted a hammock with sides that would help me protect the doors my dogs have a tendency of drooling on, and placing their muddy paws on, so I requested this feature, and they accommodated; check (bonus, with the flaps in the "up / protect door position" when you open the door, the exit is blocked from just hopping out (until you fold the flap down), so extra safe). I wanted a "platform," instead of a saggy hammock as I wanted something stable for my dogs to step on, and this is what set DogShell apart; check. In fact, the custom measurements they took (had me take, with pictures to explain where to measure), and the extra detailed care they took with the measurements allows the hammock to fit PERFECTLY in place. It's almost a "tub of security," (with the sides up) in my back seat. The platform is a seamless (for the dogs) extension of the seat. They now quite happily stand on the seat or the platform to look out the window, and are equally happy with both option (where in the hammock, they would never intentionally stand on the saggy portion). Sturdiness was of primary concern, having had my first hammock straps snap and "dump" my dogs into the "black hole" between the seats; DogShell's straps seem very sturdy, more reinforced, there are more tie-down positions, and the straps conveniently come undone with the simple snap of a buckle. The last vision I had for my new hammock (I was itching to solve all the defaults from the last one) I though was a pipe dream, but I figured I might as well ask (go big or go home, he who doesn t ask doesn't get what he wants). I sometimes leave my dogs for a period in the truck (when it's responsible to do so - no sun, lower temperature day/night, etc), and I often take my dogs on road trips. On long trips, I really like to leave a water bowl with the pooches in the back for them to drink at will; but it ALWAYS gets knocked over and I end up with wet floor / wet dogs. I had learned my lesson (kind of) and was leaving it surrounded with towels, but I figured why not ask DogShell if they could come up with an idea to solve my problems, and the did! They built in a custom water bowl holder that keeps it in securely in place so my wild driving and dog-paws don't knock it over. If there was one thing I would add, for the future (if I were to have another built - which I'll probably never have to given its bomb-proof-ness but may send mine in for mods), and I'm being VERY needy here, I would add two "water bottle holsters" against the driver seat side (beside the awesome storage pocket already included) to hold the water bottles I have for my dogs in place, conveniently beside the bowl. Customer Support: My last point, customer support. In our current society, customer support has taken a turn from the worst. From the biggest companies, to the small mom and pop shops, you often find yourself on hold, or waiting weeks for answers. I emailed DogShell with concerns, ideas, concepts, communicated my needs, and they responded extremely rapidly (I remember E-mailing them from bed at 10pm once, and receiving a response minutes later). I was never left in the dark, if I needed more info they sent me pics as examples, and was subsequently able to get the info they required back quickly. Once we nailed down concepts, my extras, colours, and the measurements, they pumped out the product in record time (it really only took a few days before my custom product was in the mail) and it arrived nicely packaged in a box that looked too small to be what I had ordered. Once I was done unfolding, I was amazed with the quality, and put it in my truck immediately. The DogShell looks good, is build like a tank, the materials used are high quality and does exactly what I want it to; buy it over the competitor, you're sure to be satisfied.

Everything is great the fit at the doors and the tabs that go into the door/glass gap work perfect. All went pretty well. The headrest attachments work well. Overall everything went well and thank you guys for the quality product I even like the little dogshell logos .