Where to put the dog while on the road?

chriscowles · 09-19-2016, 07:27 AM

We're a long-term camping family. We don't get out as often as we'd like but, when we do, we like to take our Boxer. She and her predecessor are/were crate-trained and travel well that way.

The current tow vehicle is a Durango. The crate goes in the back, passengers on the middle seat. It's time to replace the Durango and we're looking favorably at a 4-door short bed pickup truck.

Where do we put the dog? Our young adult kids won't be traveling with us much in the future but the whole point of getting a 4-door is so we can carry human passengers as the occasion arises. It would be uncomfortable and inconsiderate to cram them in with a kennel.

The future dog will be smaller ~25# vs. ~60# but the kennel is bulky, either way. The dog would be exposed to elements if riding in the truck bed and it seems like a topper would be fatally hot (we live in Florida and travel in the SE.

Suggestions?

W5CI · 09-19-2016, 07:40 AM

My Dog is a Family member, we don't go anywhere without her. She rides In between us in our standard cab RAM. Never in a Kennel. Your dog could ride in the back seat of your 4 door TV

**Flybob** · 09-19-2016, 08:06 AM

Back seat only. I would never put my dog ( boxer) in the bed of my truck. This is especially important in hot weather. Boxers, bulldogs and other dogs with short snouts do not handle hot humid weather as well as other dogs. Truck beds with caps are even worse.

CNYCamper · 09-19-2016, 08:25 AM

Our 20 lb Bostons ride in the back seat area. We usually flip the seats up and they sit on a blanket we spread on the floor. Other times they ride on the seats. Their harnesses are each hooked to special straps that attach to the back seatbelt clips. This allows them movement, but restricts how far they will move in event of a panic stop or crash.

extxn · 09-19-2016, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

Our 20 lb Bostons ride in the back seat area. We usually flip the seats up and they sit on a blanket we spread on the floor. Other times they ride on the seats. Their harnesses are each hooked to special straps that attach to the back seatbelt clips. This allows them movement, but restricts how far they will move in event of a panic stop or crash.

X2 on the body harness for the dogs in the back seat and strapped in, that's how I did it for many years.

DreiHunde · 09-19-2016, 09:00 AM

I flip the back seat up and the two girls hang out back there...plenty of room for them to sleep and not be in each others "space" so much (they are worse than human siblings sometimes, LOL!)

Nick the Navigator hangs out up front with me and his Mumma.....of course I am not sure he completely understands that Navigators shouldn't sleep while on duty!

CaptnJohn · 09-19-2016, 09:18 AM

Roscoe a 25# boy is very good in the back seat. Buster was about 22# and put at least 250,000 miles as my passenger during the 17 1/2 years I had him. If his mommy was riding with us he would sometimes allow her his seat. At other times it was 'move over, I'll sit on your lap, or you go in the backseat'. Sadly, Buster left us last week.

Mrs Evans · 09-19-2016, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by extxn

X2 on the body harness for the dogs in the back seat and strapped in, that's how I did it for many years.

x3 - that's what we do too, basically a doggie seat beat, works great!

chriscowles · 09-19-2016, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

Our 20 lb Bostons ride in the back seat area. We usually flip the seats up and they sit on a blanket we spread on the floor. Other times they ride on the seats. Their harnesses are each hooked to special straps that attach to the back seatbelt clips. This allows them movement, but restricts how far they will move in event of a panic stop or crash.

A Boston is probably our replacement of choice, when the time comes. They seem to behave like miniature Boxers. (Very friendly, minimal barking.)

With seats flipped up, are the seats secure? I know the seats in the Durango are heavy. If it fell in a crash, it could amputate a foot.

LittlePM · 09-19-2016, 10:13 AM

Ours are seat belted in on the couch of the motorhome. We have friends that drive a motorhome and they let their dogs run around on the dash while they are going down the road, IMO that should be against the law

chriscowles · 09-19-2016, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

Back seat only. I would never put my dog ( boxer) in the bed of my truck. This is especially important in hot weather. Boxers, bulldogs and other dogs with short snouts do not handle hot humid weather as well as other dogs. Truck beds with caps are even worse.

That was my conclusion, hence the question. But, if traveling with guests who don't want a dog in their lap, what to do? We love our dog (usually) but people are more important than pets.

Most of the time we won't have guests. Most of the time we have guests they'll be our kids, who regard the dog as family. Perhaps by the time we have non-family guests the dog will be smaller.

Thanks

cphubert · 09-19-2016, 10:23 AM

We travel with 3 dogs zer0 kids, crew cab fold up on half of the back seat section with a floor cushion (dog bed) we are part of their pack :-) well maybe the Labrador sits in the back (they all do on busy highways or heavy traffic)

DaGrinch · 09-19-2016, 10:56 AM

Taking our furkids with us was exactly why we didn't go for a p/u to tow our last tt. So, large SUV it was - a Nissan Armada. Large cargo space with 2nd row seating..... even larger with all seats down except the front. Animals belong in the back, not on laps or otherwise possibly hindering the driver. As a retired law enforcement officer, I disliked seeing animals on laps of the driver or hanging out the driver's window. Seen too make problems with those situations. And yes, there are laws to cover that.

Just my $0.02.

f5moab · 09-19-2016, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chriscowles

That was my conclusion, hence the question. But, if traveling with guests who don't want a dog in their lap, what to do? We love our dog (usually) but people are more important than pets.

Most of the time we won't have guests. Most of the time we have guests they'll be our kids, who regard the dog as family. Perhaps by the time we have non-family guests the dog will be smaller.

Thanks

I would put the people in the bed of the truck, since I'm sure no one wants one of my pups on their lap.

Back seat, tethered to seat belts, sitting on a hammock style seat cover...

CaptnJohn · 09-19-2016, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chriscowles

That was my conclusion, hence the question. But, if traveling with guests who don't want a dog in their lap, what to do? We love our dog (usually) but people are more important than pets.

Most of the time we won't have guests. Most of the time we have guests they'll be our kids, who regard the dog as family. Perhaps by the time we have non-family guests the dog will be smaller.

Thanks

I tow a 5er so an SUV is out. We do have an SUV but the F350 is my daily driver and will not drive the SUV. Since we lost Buster last week we only travel with Roscoe. He stays on the backseat. If just to dinner or a short trip with guests Roscoe stays home. When taking the 5er Roscoe always goes with us. Guests ~~ I prefer not to have any other than my grandsons who are family. If really stuck with others I guess they 1.get the privilege of riding with Roscoe 2. driving themselves or 3. just staying home. My mother always said "company is like fish ~~ after 3 days both begin to stink". Our 5er has a queen bed for us and a sofa that makes into a queen that has never been used. I like the table/chairs so no dinette to make into a bed. The 5er is only 35' with 3 slides, just enough room for the 2 of us and Roscoe.

asquared · 09-19-2016, 12:40 PM

I have a 70 lb boxer/American bulldog cross. I travel with my DH and my 9yr old DD plus the dog in a crew cab truck. I have a 2/3-1/3 split rear seat. I give my DD the 2/3 side so she has a place for her drinks and books, kindle etc. the other third (think single seat portion ) gets flipped up. I put a small bed down and he lays comfortably on that while travelling. He can sit up and look out a window or snuggle up for some sleep or ask DD for attention. It works well.

nbrewer · 09-19-2016, 12:55 PM

I always have my dog in the back seat--either crated or in a harnessed in. There are way too many dangers, in my opinion, for having the dog in the truck bed.

oldsmasma · 09-19-2016, 01:02 PM

Always boxers for us. When we had a pick up it was a 4 door and the dogs wore harnesses that tethered into the seat belts. If guests didn't want to ride with the dogs they wouldn't be guests. We now have one boxer pup and he rides on the couch of the motorhome buckled in the same way.

Coolharts · 09-19-2016, 01:07 PM

This is also I have a concern about if I ever got a pickup and 5er. My dogs ride in their crate in the back of our Excursion, they have gotten use to the whole process and behave very well. One of my dogs gets nervous when traveling and when we do go somewhere with them out of the crate he jumps all over the place.

Springerdad · 09-19-2016, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs Evans

x3 - that's what we do too, basically a doggie seat beat, works great!

X4

Our Springers go everywhere with us. Back seat strapped in. Unless Sydney decides he needs some luvin' from his Mommy, and comes up to sit on her lap for a bit. Piper just spreads out on the whole back seat while he does that.

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