Dog in the back of trucks -- with toppers.

[Kfamr]

What do you think of it?

My dad is thinking (and wanting) to get a topper very bad. He's been wanting to get one, but he says it'd be a good idea to get one for our trip to Ohio.

He says that the dogs could ride back there with the topper, and us in the cab. Maybe even I would ride back there with them.
I can't stand seeing dogs in the back of the truck alone.... but what do you think of toppers?

We'd get a window in between the cab and the topper - so the AC could go back there, and dad even said you can get fans installed.

I'm kind of iffy about the idea, and would like your opinions on it.

I'm sure the dogs would be fine.... but I worry too much. :p

[Kfamr]

BTW, i'm talking about a topper like this;
http://www.4are.com/img/new/full/mx_f150_04-16.jpg

[Fox-Gal]

I know a lot of people do that and it's better then when there's no topper. I'm just more into seat belts or carries in the car for my guys, but sometimes things can't work out that way, so you do you best to make then safe what ever way you can.

But my worry is what happens to the dogs if you have to slam on your brakes for some reason? They get slamed up on the side of the truck bed. Ouch! My friend drives her Newt around in the bed of her truck, now. In a nice pin with welded brackets to keep the pin sercure, because she learned the hard way. Things happen. When it comes down to it a little slam in the pin is better then being thrown around one end of the truck to the other.

I have seen trucks with fans set up for the dogs and if you put them in their carrier, I don't see any real big problem with it. You Have to have good fans though.

Make you a little bed back there too and you all will have a nice cool ride to Ohio. You know you'll want to be with them. :D

[Kfamr]

That's something I thought of....


But if I was to be back there with them, it wouldn't a problem. I also thought of bringing along Nala's bed so she could lay in it.
The cage will more than likely comes with us as well.

My dad is on the phone calling around for prices and such now.

[anna_66]

I think it's a good idea. But I also agree with Fox-Gal. We had a truck many years ago & went to my parents house (in SC) and there were a couple of times we had to slam on our breaks and it scared poor Keisha to death. We ended up crating them and they were much happier.

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

I am not sure if you remember me posting about it, but Drake had an accident in the past in the bed of the truck. We didn't have a camper top on it. Drake broke a rib and ended up with a lot of staples and scared a few years off me.

A week later we got a camper top for the truck. Drake doesn't ride in the back unless it is a short ride. It has a window that opens up to the cab so the AC can cool the back area. We have travelled back there before. If it is a very long trip. We set it up with lots of blankets, pillows, etc... I have slept back there with Drake many times.

[wolf_Q]

I would really worry about them being loose back there (and you!). I think if you're going to do that the best thing would be to put them in crates and tie the crates so they don't slide around. Like others said, if you had to slam on your breaks the dogs would really be sliding around and could get hurt.

[lbaker]

I put down indoor/outdoor carpeting when I had my pickup truck and it kept them from slidding around. I also put some cheap padding around the sides. Crates would have been impossible for me because when I had my pickup truck (with top) I also had 7 dogs. Now I only have six :( Although I don't have my truck any more I do have use of my d-in-laws mini-van so it's still possible to take the dogs to the country and/or the beach :cool:

[Cincy'sMom]

I have a topper on my truck and a rubber mat on the inside that helps some with traction, but still I very very rarely do I allow the dogs to ride back there. Occasionally for a short trip (less 5 miles), if the van is not here, I will do it, and never on the highway. I am just not comfortable with it.

I have put a crate in the back before to transport a stray dog.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Kfamr


What do you think of it?

... the dogs could ride back there with the topper...

Maybe even I would ride back there with them.


You're not going to like what I'm going to say... :(

The big issue here is SAFETY!

Modern vehicles are designed with all sorts of SAFETY devices -
seat & shoulder belts, airbags, side-curtain airbags,
knee airbags, padded dashboards, roof roll-over protection ...
and the list goes on...

But all that "safety stuff" is designed into the Passenger Compartment -
and NOT in the cargo area of a pickup.

People (and Dawgs) get hurt in vehicle accidents when their
(soft) bodies are not "restrained"...
if the vehicle *hits* something and *stops* - suddenly -
the (soft) human or dog continues to move forward
(at say 50 mph)... until the human/dog *hits* the now
STOPPED inside surfaces of the vehicle.

A camper or topper doesn't "restrain" anyone riding in or
under it - "soft" passengers can still move forward (at 50 mph)
until they *hit* the back of the truck cab in an accident.

Granted - No one "plans" to have an accident on a trip...
But let Phreddie Firefighter tell ya - they DO Happen! :(

Bottom Line ~
It is REALLY *NOT* SAFE for ANYone -
Human or 4-Legger - to ride in the CARGO area of a vehicle -
with or without a "roof" over their heads!

And... you need to consider a couple more safety issues -

Pickup trucks with campers / toppers tend to "pull" the
exhaust fumes up and around and INTO the rear of a pickup -
tiny gaps or cracks can allow DEADLY carbon monoxide fumes
to be sucked in and sicken or kill the riders.

And lastly - is it "legal"?
MANY States, cities and small municipalities have laws restricting
WHERE you can ride in or on moving vehicles;
and when you MUST be secured with a seat belt.

*MY* suggestion ~
Play it SAFE - let everyone - 2-Leggers AND the FurKids -
ride "up front" - it'll be a much SAFER Trip! ;)

/s/ Phred

[Kfamr]

My brother just doesn't want to take two vehicles..... I'm sure they'd be fine back there, and all three of them are good in vehicles.... We'll see what happens

[Fallon]

i think it's an ok idea especially since the air would be going back to them and they would be right by you guys. i'd sick back there with them too if i were you.

[lbaker]

I would rather NOT see what happens but I too, am at a disadvantage when it comes to how to take them out for a romp? - when I have more (six now) that would want to go for a WALK IN THE PARK - BEACH, COUNTRY - off leash. What to do :confused: hOW DO I gEt THeM tHerE ?? I can't fit six crates in the vehicle :( Am I not capable of caring these babies the way they should be treated? oh bother said Pooh, I am a bear of very little brain

[Kfamr]

I didn't mean as in if they get hurt or something and see what happens then.

I meant see what happens as in how we decide to drive.

[lbaker]

Sorry KayAnn, I should have worded that better. I know that... sorry

[sabies]

You could get the egg-crate mattress covers to line the cab if you do decide to travel that way. Then put the dog bed(s) on top of that so they can lie down with extra pillows to protect from sudden braking. Don't let them stand, even if there is enough room.

[Kfamr]

Nope, they don't stand while we're in the vehicle. They know to sit or lay down. Which, in this case i'd make them lay.

[Kfamr]

I guess it doesn't matter anyways. The type of topper I would only allow them to ride in would be one with a sliding window form the cap to the back... which it'd cots an extra $400 or something for just that.

I'm pretty sure we're just going to take two vehicles, the pups, dad and I in one -- Lauren, Kenny, and Honey in another.

[Karen]

When my Dad had a pick-up with a topper, he went to the junkyard and got a whole back seat from a car and installed it in the bed, the back of the seat went against the back of the cab, and the seat essentially filled that whole "wall" below the window. That gave a cushion against people bouncing against the wall of the cab on sudden brakings (we'd just hit the seat, as in a car) and gave us a nice place to sit, and seat belts. It was bolted to the bed of the truck, and could be removed if he needed the cargo room, though I don't recall that ever happening.

[Twisterdog]

The two concerns with this are temperature and safety. If you can open the window to the cab, that probably takes care of the temperature problem ... although I think it might still get a little hot back there.

It's not safe for you to ride in the back of the pickup, without a seat belt. And your dogs should really be in crates which are securely tied down, so they can't slide.

[Kfamr]

Which neither really matter anymore, because we're going to take two vehicles.

The toppers are too expensive, and I would not allow my dad to get one without windows.


Thank you for your responses everyone.

[FizzGiggs_Mommy]

I think this is ubsurd but I have seen here in NJ doggies rideing in the backs of trucks tied to a runner bolted in the middle of the bed. When I visited my father in FL we drove from NJ to Key Largo I had my two pugs in the bed of the truck in a crate with a topper on the truck. They slept most of the ride until it started to rain (The Florida Monsoons:D ) anyway back to the subject.....I think as long as you have a topper on the truck they will be fine. besides it will be fun to ride with them back there you will have all that room to yourselves. But just to be safe bring your doggie first aid kit.