Biggish dog in pick up truck?

[Vagabond_Homesc]

Hi, newbies here. We are researching trucks and travel trailers as we'd like to do some long term travelling within the next year or two. We have two boys (8 and 5) plus one 60lb Goldendoodle. As we look at pick up trucks with extended cabs we realize we might have a problem with where to comfortably put our dog.
Those of you with pick-ups and large dogs. Where do you put your dog when the 2nd row is already occupied? We live in Texas and there is no way we can put him in the bed during summer.
We thought about looking at larger SUVs but that seems it would limit our trailer options.

[StirCrazy]

we had a extended cab and now a crew cab, what I did is built a woden suport to bridge the gap from the back seat to the middle arm rest of the front seat so the dog could be in the middle of the back seat laying strait ahead with his head between the front pasengers. (I have a 88 Lb Lab) it gives lots of room even for two adults and the dog in the back.

Steve

[RetiredRealtorR]

pitch wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
Generally big dogs travel better in crates, as they do not have to fight to retain their balance in a moving vehicle. As they do not have hands to grip with, motions, expecially quick or hard stops, can cause them to fall or have to scrabble to keep their balance. In our motor home, our two, (50 and 80 pounds) wantyed their crates back on the back bed, usually with the doors open, where they could lay down, curl up, and be safe. They liked the security of the smaller space.

No dog should ever be in a crate!

Hmmmm. Must be a cat person, because it's obvious that knowledge of dogs is minimal :C

[marcel]

We had our two similar aged kids in the backseat of our 1999 Chevy 2500 HD extended cab: you know, the one with the assisted-suicide door for the back seating. Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever would sit on the seat between the kids. We never heard any complaints that the kids were encroaching on each other's space. Instead, we heard groans that the dog was crushing them. Much quieter drive! :^)

We did upgrade to a full crew cab and a 4WD diesel with the Allison when the second very big dog adopted us (Tibetan mastiff mix?) and we challenged the old gasser with some nasty grades that it failed on. Solved a bunch of problems with that upgrade!

[blt2ski]

pitch wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
Generally big dogs travel better in crates, as they do not have to fight to retain their balance in a moving vehicle. As they do not have hands to grip with, motions, expecially quick or hard stops, can cause them to fall or have to scrabble to keep their balance. In our motor home, our two, (50 and 80 pounds) wantyed their crates back on the back bed, usually with the doors open, where they could lay down, curl up, and be safe. They liked the security of the smaller space.

No dog should ever be in a crate!

As I said earlier, there is not right or wrong, only what the dog feels is correct......

With that said, if you have to plane travel, unless you have a tiny lap dog, you WILL be required to crate your dog to go on a plane in most cases. My sister who has one that has finished 2nd at Westminster, flies her sheepdogs all around the states, and sometimes other parts of the world in a crate frequently.
You can choose how you want to travel, Many of us will choose preferably a tied down one over a loose crate vs no crate and loose!

Marty

[wa8yxm]

Did I mention I used to cuddle Cleo, a couple hundred pounds of Rottweiler Tow Yard Dog. She's not mine

I now keep house with about 25 pounds of Kitty Cat. Ok, so he's old enough to vote. (I wonder if I should register him) but Maine Coons (one gene Just one Gene off from a Wild Lynx) are nice and cuddly cats Especially the toms>
Alex is an altered Tom)

[CFerguson]

If you want to be impressed with how much room a crew cab full sized truck has, go to a construction site and see how many ....uh, 'day workers' get crammed into one.

(and i am in no way deriding anyone who busts his butt to Work. my total disdain is for those that wont work)

[John_Burke]

I take 3 grand kids, two yellow labs and too much gear. I pull my travel trailer with a one ton long wheel base van. It works great, have space to spare.

[RetiredRealtorR]

Buy a Class A

BTW, it being hot in Texas is not why you don't put a dog in a pickup bed. Never, ever, EVER let a dog ride in a pickup bed.

[wa8yxm]

pitch wrote:


No dog should ever be in a crate!

There are two schools of thought on that. I share yours.

[campigloo]

Have you looked at vans?

[JAC1982]

pitch wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
Generally big dogs travel better in crates, as they do not have to fight to retain their balance in a moving vehicle. As they do not have hands to grip with, motions, expecially quick or hard stops, can cause them to fall or have to scrabble to keep their balance. In our motor home, our two, (50 and 80 pounds) wantyed their crates back on the back bed, usually with the doors open, where they could lay down, curl up, and be safe. They liked the security of the smaller space.

No dog should ever be in a crate!

Err what? Our youngest dog loves his crate. We keep it closed (without him in it) during the day when we're home otherwise he'll drag all his blankets out and run around the yard with them, but at night or when we need to leave the house, as soon as we open the door, he hops off the couch and curls up in there.

[ford_truck_guy]

pitch wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
Generally big dogs travel better in crates, as they do not have to fight to retain their balance in a moving vehicle. As they do not have hands to grip with, motions, expecially quick or hard stops, can cause them to fall or have to scrabble to keep their balance. In our motor home, our two, (50 and 80 pounds) wantyed their crates back on the back bed, usually with the doors open, where they could lay down, curl up, and be safe. They liked the security of the smaller space.

No dog should ever be in a crate!

every one of my dogs were crate trained... Heck, at 7, the oldest will sometimes go and curl up in the crate when the door is open.... NOW, traveling down the highway in a crate in the bed of the truck is a different story..We don't do that, never have, never will.
Nor will they ever travel while in the crate in the trailer...

[pitch]

Johno02 wrote:
Generally big dogs travel better in crates, as they do not have to fight to retain their balance in a moving vehicle. As they do not have hands to grip with, motions, expecially quick or hard stops, can cause them to fall or have to scrabble to keep their balance. In our motor home, our two, (50 and 80 pounds) wantyed their crates back on the back bed, usually with the doors open, where they could lay down, curl up, and be safe. They liked the security of the smaller space.

No dog should ever be in a crate!

[cptqueeg]

Prob plenty of room to ride in front passenger floor as well once the human passenger is comfy. It's a pretty safe spot w plenty of cool air available.