Riding Shotgun

[Nate K]

I own a pickup truck and take the pup everywhere with me. Usually she lays in the passenger seat and sleeps while we are out and about.

This morning I put her in the back seat because I was dropping my daughter off at school and the pup cried and cried and cried until we unloaded my daughter and she was able to jump up front.

I know many talk about putting the dog in a kennel in a vehicle but I do not have room in the cab for a kennel.

Would getting a harness that hooks to a seat belt be the best option to get her used to riding in the back?

I have been looking at putting a topper on the truck but even if I ordered it tomorrow it takes them 60 days to come in. Would I be better off to just let her enjoy her time up front and start with the kennel once I have a topper?

[campgsp]

It take two to three weeks to get a topper. Not 60 days. Just so you know

Your dog has become acustom to riding in the front seat so tying her up in the back is going to be a headach at first. But it will work. You don't want to risk not having her tied up and jumping upfront while going down the highway.

[Ms. Cage]

Many times our dog are allowed to ride in the truck with us. If Howie is traveling alone many times he'll allow the dogs to ride up front in the truck. Dogs get crated or put in the trailer when Howie arrives where he's headed.

[DonF]

Why don't you just let the dog ride up front between the two of you?

[Nate K]

It take two to three weeks to get a topper. Not 60 days. Just so you know.

Sorry to disagree but it takes 60 days. I know this because I have four work trucks each with a topper and each topper took about 60 days to arrive.

It is probably less time if you order a standard topper, but all mine are paint matched which adds extra time. I would guess different companies have different turn around times also. All of my toppers are Century. I looked at the A.R.E. line but think Century is just as good of quality at a better price.

The big difference with this topper over the ones on my work vehicles is that this topper won't have all the fancy shelving inside. Just needs side doors and good ventilation.

[Nate K]

Why don't you just let the dog ride up front between the two of you?

This is not a problem now and that is exactly what I did last weekend when I took my kids and nephews up north to cut some firewood for their great grandmother. It would be a logical solution until a topper arrived. But once she is 80+ pounds I wouldn't want her there.

[campgsp]

Have 2 a.r.e cx series caps with side vented windoors both sides, front tilt down windows, fully carpet, duel lights, and painted to match guaranty. That only took two weeks first one, three weeks second one bc of flawed windoor, from manufacture to my trucks. Lots of add ons.

Think century is screwing you man. Just saying.

See how long they tell you for just all the add ons I have on a century. (Maybe your work shelves take longer but I really doubt it should.) If still more then three weeks get an a.r.e.

[millerms06]

If I let the dogs ride along without a crate, they are in the back seat tethered and have to deal with it. Better to possibly hit the seat than the front window if we were to ever get in an accident. How old is the pup now? Couldn't your daughter hold the pup in the backseat for the pup to get used to being back there?

[jwnissen]

Before you even think about a harness, do some research. I saw some videos of them testing the harnesses and not one of the dogs would have survived a crash. Most of them would have broken their necks. I would just keep her in the back, she will eventually get use to it.

[bobman]

Put your kid in the back seat seatbelted in...you can get another dog

[nikegundog]

Why not just put in the crate in the box without the topper?

[zigzag]

I have a topper and rarely let the dog just ride free in the back. I don't think it is really a safe option. Most of the time I use a mid size crate that just barely fits behind the passenger seat in my extra cab Toyota pickup. I also have a larger crate that I can strap down in the truck bed for long trips. Short trips with more then one muddy dog then I just let them ride free in the back with the topper. If your gonna use a Topper to haul your dog loose in the back, consider putting down a horse stall Matt that you can cut to fit your truck bed. That gives them a soft pad for there feet and keeps them from sliding around.

[Nate K]

Have 2 a.r.e cx series caps with side vented windoors both sides, front tilt down windows, fully carpet, duel lights, and painted to match guaranty. That only took two weeks first one, three weeks second one bc of flawed windoor, from manufacture to my trucks. Lots of add ons.

Think century is screwing you man. Just saying.

See how long they tell you for just all the add ons I have on a century. (Maybe your work shelves take longer but I really doubt it should.) If still more then three weeks get an a.r.e.

I am going to check into turn around time on a A.R.E. tomorrow. Century has always been 60 days and if A.R.E. is 2-3 weeks for a small amount more I might be having to switch.

Why not just put in the crate in the box without the topper?

I guess maybe I am a little bit of a softy but all my work trucks have toppers because I didn't like the idea of animals riding in the back exposed to the sun or cold. If I can't handle a raccoon or skunk riding exposed there is just no way I could do it to a beloved pet.

She spent 6 hours in the truck today with me while I ran around doing a route and preferred the floor in the back seat today. I think the sun through the window onto the black interior motivated her to seek cooler ground.

[millerms06]

Before you even think about a harness, do some research. I saw some videos of them testing the harnesses and not one of the dogs would have survived a crash. Most of them would have broken their necks. I would just keep her in the back, she will eventually get use to it.

True but you forgot to mention that providing a form of restraint reduces the probability of the driver becoming distracted, which has been a consistent concern among law makers and law enforcement. Is it possible PETA will ever recant their feelings about pet crates with regard to this subject?

[ibbowhunting]

this reminds me of a co worker, he and a friend were going hunting and put his dog in the back seat, the dog kept try to get in the front seat, the passager ask him to control his dog, and he replied ...well you are in his seat... make me laugh