For those with big dogs

RottsNScotts

Well-known member
Hi! I have had 2 dog crates built behind the seats of my GMC Sierra pick up after taking the back seat out. They are still pretty small for my Rotties. Boomer seems to be fine but Abby, a month away from being 12 years old!, is really too stiff to be comfortable.

So, for those that have big dogs, do you travel with your dogs in your trailer? Are they loose or do you crate them? Do you find they are comfortable and happy there? How about just one dog in the trailer?

Yes, I worry about my "kids" and how this new lifestyle is going to work for them!

Thanks!
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
Old Mags our Labraweiler mix always traveled with us in the truck. I would never have left her in the trailer while we were moving. It would have scared her to death and we wouldn't have had anyway to know how she was doing. She loved going with us and was just the best friend we ever had. We lost her a few years ago but still think of her often....Don
 

Doublegranch

Mountain Region Director-Retired
While my "Aussie" girls aren't big dogs, Dakota is 47 lbs and Cheyenne at 10 months is 39.8 lbs. They ride inside my truck wherever we go. I would never put them in the RV while driving.
I have the Mega Ram so the back seat folds down and they have one large sleeping and play area with water and lots of padding. I have a stretch screen between the front seats from Petco
that keeps them from coming up into the front seats.
 

cfulton

Member
Our Lab gets 2/3 of our back seat with support built to level the seat for her nice bed. Small rug on the console as she likes to center seat drive.
 

boatto5er

Founding VA Chap Ldr (Ret)
We use a back seat hammock, but our Doxies only weigh 18 and 12 pounds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

wehavefun

Well-known member
Hoping for 10 years, I know their life expectancy average is 8, but I have to tell you, best dog we have ever had, she is an absolute pleasure.
 

Doublegranch

Mountain Region Director-Retired
I have an airline Captain buddy that has a male...what a Hoot! He tries so hard to play but is so big, it's like a bull in a china closet.
He just doesn't know how to handle the swift moves of the "Aussie" . It is a kodak moment for sure!
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Callie always rides in the back seat. Made a platform from a small folding table that fits perfect and she has her "blanky" she lays on. She knows if the "blanky" goes in the truck...she is going for a ride. I would never put her in the Horn while we travel.
 

Mrsfish

Well-known member
Our Lab gets 2/3 of our back seat with support built to level the seat for her nice bed. Small rug on the console as she likes to center seat drive.

Thats funny cause our yellow lab loves to do that too! It gets a little tight though when the black lab wants to try it though. Traveling with the girls is the best, would never put them in the rig but I do.know of people who have anchored crates in the toy haulers and say it works fine. Just not me.
 

RottsNScotts

Well-known member
Thanks everyone for the input! I will keep her in the truck with Boomer and I, maybe just make more frequent stops for walks. I am retired after all and don't have to hurry anywhere!

And, in case anyone was wondering, that is Abby on the right in the photo, Boomer on the left.
 

CaptnJohn

Active Member
Our 'old boy' just turned 17. He goes everywhere I go ~~ he now has a younger buddy. Both are around 25-30#. The back seat of the truck is theirs but they take turns sneaking up front. Would never leave them in the coach. The old guy needs to stop about every 2 - 2 1/2 hours so we all take a break. Both are rescues ~~ the old guy we got as a puppy and just picked up his buddy that is about 2.
 

Nbomar

Well-known member
We have to figure this out as well. We have two young girls 5 and 2 (humans) and an Airedale we just got who is growing fast. I doubt she will be able to fit in the back seat by summertime between the car seats.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

StarryNight

Retired Colorado Chapter Leaders
A Newfoundland @ 140 lbs and a Lab @ 65 lbs. both in the back seat (never in the rig while traveling). I made a cushioned platform to fit across the back and Don made a ramp that was kept in the truck bed...the ramp was mainly for the Newfie as he aged, to help get him in/out of the back seat (he was just too heavy to lift out). They loved traveling :)
 

Rottiesmom

New York Chapter Leader - retired
Hi! I have had 2 dog crates built behind the seats of my GMC Sierra pick up after taking the back seat out. They are still pretty small for my Rotties. Boomer seems to be fine but Abby, a month away from being 12 years old!, is really too stiff to be comfortable.

So, for those that have big dogs, do you travel with your dogs in your trailer? Are they loose or do you crate them? Do you find they are comfortable and happy there? How about just one dog in the trailer?

Yes, I worry about my "kids" and how this new lifestyle is going to work for them!

Thanks!


We have two big Rotties as well our female Hanna is 12 1/2 and 85 lbs and our male Samson is 8 and around 130 lbs. My hubby made a padded platform to go over the back seat and they use a ramp to get into the truck so not to stress there bone structure with jumping in and out. They absolutely love it and they have plenty of room to actually stretch out and sleep most of the trip. We went out to Goshen, Indiana last June and they slept the entire trip except when we stopped for a rest stop. We also have a barrier we bought in Petco that straps between the two front seats to keep them from jumping into the front seat when we leave the truck. The platform is easy to remove when not needed. They just love to go camping and know when they see the yellow camping world bag that carries their supplies go out the door they are right behind it waiting to enter the truck. Hopefully we will meet up sometime down the road. Good luck in your decision making.
 

RottsNScotts

Well-known member
It looks to be unanimous for in the truck so will do. Getting in and out has not been a problem as she knows "Paws" and puts her feet up and I lift her tushy (these guys help keep me up on my upper body strength! LOL) The problem is that I can't and won't have them loose - had a friend get to watch her beloved male bleed out after a collision where he was thrown through the front windshield and the added hazard of them escaping in the case of a crash or terrifying the first responders (we know what happens when that occurs)! Besides which, Boomer pesters the beejeebers out of poor Abby!

The problem is that at her age, she gets really stiff having to curl up in the small crate.

And CaptnJohn, here is a visual that should make you smile...weight wise, you would have to have 8 or so of your dogs in the back seat to weigh as much as mine! I know Abby is 105, Boomer was 116 at a year which was 10 months ago!

Rottiesmom, I am considering going to the Rottie Nationals in PA in May. Have you thought about dropping by for total Rottie immersion? It is really impressive! You can have the entertainment of seeing if anyone is brave enough to say something to me about Boomer's tail; I am guessing not, they know me well! VBEG
 

Crumgater

Well-known member
Our pups have always gotten the back seat in the pickup. The first truck we purchased was required to have a back seat - for the dog. :) We upgraded to a crew cab the last time around (when we got the 5er, added diesel, too).

The back seat in the F350 drops to a flat cargo platform, which when then put a covered pad on. Previously, we had a 100lb Dane/lab Plus a 60lb Bulldog/boxer sharing the space. Now it's "just" our 160lb mastiff. She uses the running board to climb in (but jumps out, unassisted).

There's not a crate made that fits the back seat and the mastiff... so that's a no go for us. And any review I've read of seat harnesses will decapitate the larger dogs... so, not doing that, either... We'd need to build something custom for accident containment. I understand the problem, though... we just haven't come up with a good solution that we can live with for our family.

P1000733a.jpg P1100228.jpg
 

RottsNScotts

Well-known member
The back seat in my Sierra crew cab also pulls out. My handyman (hired, not married! LOL) built the platform then was scratching his head how he was going to get 2 crates in there.

I came up with the idea of building them modularly with piano hinges connecting 2 sides each. They are then "locked" with the kind of hings where the tongue goes over a ring on the other half then you can twist the ring to "lock" it. (Yes, I know it has a name but I don't know what it is!). He made each side like a picture frame with some 2" x 2" wire tightly strung between each frame. Each side is made of 2 "frames" so no wire is sticking out.

When we get the truck out of the garage, I will see if I can get some pictures.

Worked great!
 

Rottiesmom

New York Chapter Leader - retired
Rottiesmom, I am considering going to the Rottie Nationals in PA in May. Have you thought about dropping by for total Rottie immersion? It is really impressive! You can have the entertainment of seeing if anyone is brave enough to say something to me about Boomer's tail; I am guessing not, they know me well! VBEG

I didn't know there were Nationals for Rotties where in PA will it be held? We have a few campouts during that month in PA but if it's close to where we will be it maybe something we can do. Would love to see Boomer tails always wondered what they would look like with a one.
 
Top