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outfitting the truck for the dog

The Menagerie
#1

My little pipsqueak of a PWD pup is growing like a weed and will outgrow her truck crate in short order, so planning the next step.

(Side note: this is a fantastic crate for the truck, even for an occasionally objecting pup - https://www.chewy.com/kh-pet-products-travel-safety-pet/dp/102972 - but the large isn’t very big.)

Truck is a new-ish Silverado ext cab, and the back seat can either fold up out of the way or be normal. It’s narrower than the seat in my old Silverado, unfortunately. I’m thinking about getting a hammock with foam blocks in the gap between front and back seats. Orvis makes them, and probably isn’t the only one (but look how cute this is - http://www.orvis.com/p/battenkill-car-hammock/2m5m ). Seems like it’d work well to keep barn dirt / mud / sludge / debris in a limited area.

Side note: the PWD is the cutest thing you’ve ever seen but makes a fantastic mop for all dirt / mud / sludge / debris she can find at the barn, so get over it. hahahaha. Also you’ll love it enough not to care.

Any better solutions, short of making her ride in the bed? (kidding, obvs!)

#2

Well, I hate having to ride with a loose animal in the vehicle, so I would still be trying to think of solid construction crate options…nothing will fit?

We used to have an extended cap Silverado and it was pretty big…but can’t remember exactly the dimensions.

#3

Nope. It’s frustrating. Seems like there’s a lot less space than in my old Silverado. The back seats may be thicker so they take up more room folded up.

My dogs have always traveled loose after passing most of puppy-hood, so that doesn’t bother me.

#4

Fold up the back seats, put a rug on the floor and a cover over the folded seats. And seat covers on the front seats too. Dog hair can goes everywhere. The newer extended cab doesnt have as much room with the seats folded up as the older models?

#5

If your Chevy is like mine, the seats won’t fold up out of the way completely which I didn’t like for my lab. I use one of the hammocks and love it! I don’t have the foam blocks and my dog does pretty well but there was definitely a learning curve until he figured out where the seat actually ended.

#6

The problem with loose dogs (or cats) is that they become flying projectiles if you have to stop short, or, if God forbid, you are in an accident. They make doggy seat belts that somehow work in conjunction with existing seatbelts to hold the animal in place in case of emergencies.

I’ve been hearing horror srories about dogs jumping out side and rear vehicle windows–the doggy seatbelt would stop that for sure. :wink:

What’s a PWD?

Whatever it is–enjoy!!! :slight_smile:

1 Like
#7

Yes. Back when my dogs were all much bigger, (dobies and pitties) I used the dog seat belts to keep them in place. it was sort of like the dog-sideways image, except the metal wasn’t there. It was all sewn in one piece, with the loop that you would run the seat belt through. It wasn’t ideal, because they would turn around and twist it up.

The one with the dog facing the photographer, I think I like better than the one I had. Dog seat belt design has progressed since I had that old one. The new ones have more padding on the front where the stress of an impact would hurl the dog, and there are snaps that insert right into the seat belt clip, with swivels to prevent the twisting.

dog seat belt old.jpg

1436163-left-1.jpg

#8

We have luxury accommodations for our dog in the back seat of the p/u - Weather-tek seat covers, a dog bed that takes most of the mud. We also have weather-tek floor mats throughout. Then I put old saddle pads on the floor that can be taken out and shaken or washed easily. They fit really well.

#9

Great use for old saddle pads

#10

Thanks, all. PWD is Portuguese Water Dog - relevant only to suggest the amount of dirt that gets tracked around.

Old saddle pads (and wraps!) are already in service. :slight_smile: Will think about all of this - thanks!

#11

Well I have one over you, OP - my dog is a Boxer, single coated and by the time she jumps out of the truck her snow white legs are spotless again. But either way, nobody likes a decent truck to be filthy, do they?

1 Like
#12

I have a “new to me” car with black cloth interior. Looking for solutions also because although he is a small dog (28 lbs)… he’s black & white & the amount of hair and dirt he can deposit into a vehicle is shocking.
Right now I have a seat cover on the front seat where he rides with a big towel over that. That way I can pretty quickly pull the towel off the seat if I have a human passenger.

#13

I have a new used car as well, and just spent a minor fortune attempting to keep it clean from my dog. I bought a backseat cover from Orvis, but went with the version that has a mesh window between the front seats. My car doesn’t have vents in the backseat, and I thought it would be too hot back there with having a hammock blocking the airflow from the dash vents. I cringed at the price, but it’s REALLY nice. Heavy, well-made, and the dog seems to really like it. She seems to feel more secure with the hammock. It looks nice, and fits very well- looks like a custom made cover for my car. The added advantage is she’s a small enough dog that she doesn’t try to hop over the hammock into the front seat, which was her favorite thing to do before when she was left in the car.

​​​​​​http://www.orvis.com/p/grip-tight-windowed-hammock-seat-protector/2ect

I bought two front seat covers that are terrycloth/towel material with elastic cords to keep them in place on the seats off of Amazon. A little lighter weight than I wanted, but easily removable and washable. Also splurged and bought Weather-Tek floor mats and cargo mat as well. The car is a fortress against muddy barn dogs now, but the hair still flies around all over the place inside. :lol:

1 Like
#14

This company makes the best seat covers I have ever used. I have tried numerous covers and these are the only ones I will buy from now on. My dogs go from barn to beach. Hair and water does not get through these!! They are lightweight, super easy to apply and remove, machine washable and dry in 10 minutes. https://www.soggydog.ca/

#15

Weather-Tek is an American made product - they make floor and cargo mats that are specifically made for specific models so they fit exactly and protect against mud and wet. Well worth their cost.

I give them a shout-out because of their customer service - when I mistakenly called our truck a club cab instead of a crew cab it was no problem at all for them to fix my mistake. I had a very personable service lady, too.

#16

why must all of these things be black?! Yuck.

#17

Our mats are beige

1 Like
#18

think Weather-tek products come in several colors, black, tan, maybe gray. Was just looking at their site. Got a new to us Ram Mega Cab with the lOnghorn interior. We flatten the back when the dog goes instead of the hammock in the F-150. But this truck has a lighter interior and the black hair is sticking on the back wall. Need to come up with something.

1 Like
#19

No suggestions, but I feel your pain with the PWD curly hair!!! I have a poodle… Who loves the back of my Subaru when I fold the seats down and put her bed back there…we call it her “throne”. My nephew (age 2) says “look Bailey car is here!” - my car is now known as the “Bailey Car” LOL

2 Likes
#20

We don’t give our Boxer the privilege of having the back seats folded down…she has to manage with just the ‘trunk’ part
of the Forester with a nice doggie bed in there. We bought the protective rubber mats for the back of the back seats
and it is working ok.

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