Ruff Tough

[Garrison]

Time to purchase a couple new crates. I have a leggy 65lb Shorthair and a solid 65lb Lab, was wondering if the Ruff Tough Intermediate would be ok. They overnight and spend quite a bit of time in them when we make cross country hunting trips every year. I currently fit the large Vari's in my current vehicle but would like to be able to fit two in a smaller crossover suv-ish type car in the future. Any ideas? BTW on sale at Cabelas.

[41magsnub]

My very leggy 55lb GWP who I bet is as tall as your GSP, just with a lighter build, fits ok in an intermediate ruff tuff kennel. It's the upper end of okay, if she was any taller it wouldn't be.

I rarely use it though since I mostly do road trips in my 2013 outback with a pet barrier behind the 2nd row. I can haul 2 bird dogs back there pretty comfortably as long as they get along. I've pretty done long trips with a ~70lb lab and the GWP sharing the space.

[Garrison]

My very leggy 55lb GWP who I bet is as tall as your GSP, just with a lighter build, fits ok in an intermediate ruff tuff kennel. It's the upper end of okay, if she was any taller it wouldn't be.

I rarely use it though since I mostly do road trips in my 2013 outback with a pet barrier behind the 2nd row. I can haul 2 bird dogs back there pretty comfortably as long as they get along. I've pretty done long trips with a ~70lb lab and the GWP sharing the space.

Can you fit two intermediate crates in the back of your Outback?

[41magsnub]

I wouldn't even be able to get 1 in there and close the hatch unless I folded down the 2nd row.

[Garrison]

Thanks

[RyanDoolittle]

Time to purchase a couple new crates. I have a leggy 65lb Shorthair and a solid 65lb Lab, was wondering if the Ruff Tough Intermediate would be ok. They overnight and spend quite a bit of time in them when we make cross country hunting trips every year. I currently fit the large Vari's in my current vehicle but would like to be able to fit two in a smaller crossover suv-ish type car in the future. Any ideas? BTW on sale at Cabelas.

Both my GSPs are in Vari-Kennel Intermediates (back when Vari-Kennel actually made good kennels). I plan on going with the Ruff Toughs for my pick up and will use the Intermediates as well.

[Fun dog]

Thanks for the tip on the ruff tough kennels being on sale at Cabelas. I've been wanting to get a couple of intermediate kennels as I should be able to fit two in the back of my Forester and still have the back seat up. Now that we have a Cabelas in Anchorage I can get them shipped to the store with no extra shipping cost which would be prohibitive otherwise.

[Garrison]

Thanks for the tip on the ruff tough kennels being on sale at Cabelas. I've been wanting to get a couple of intermediate kennels as I should be able to fit two in the back of my Forester and still have the back seat up. Now that we have a Cabelas in Anchorage I can get them shipped to the store with no extra shipping cost which would be prohibitive otherwise.

Would love to know if two will actually fit with the seats up, was thinking maybe Forester for a new daily driver. I have a Diesel Excursion for my hunting/tow rig but wouldn't mind some better fuel mileage on some of the longer trips when it is just me and the dogs or commuting to work. I have a little Civic for my commuter now and is not the most dog friendly vehicle.

[Fun dog]

I'm just shy an inch, maybe less of being able to get two vari kennels in the back with the seat up. The ruff tough has a smaller outside dimension which should make it just right. I'll know by the end of February if my calculations work ok. The forester is a nice vehicle with great gas mileage for a vehicle of its type.

[41magsnub]

I'm just shy an inch, maybe less of being able to get two vari kennels in the back with the seat up. The ruff tough has a smaller outside dimension which should make it just right. I'll know by the end of February if my calculations work ok. The forester is a nice vehicle with great gas mileage for a vehicle of its type.

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Not to make this a Subaru thread, but....

I test drove both before deciding on an outback. I thought the Forester was a bit small. It is taller than an outback, but the usable space behind the back seat is actually considerably less. At least in the 2013 model year. It was so much less I wouldn't have felt good about putting in the pet barrier and hauling a single dog back there. Part of it is the geometry where the barrier would have to go is almost all the way to the back window.

[Fun dog]

Well I have the 2014 model. Maybe it's a bit larger. It's more than adequate for two dogs in the back. It won out over the outback because of the gas mileage. With one crate I can drive with the seat up and we're just lacking an inch with two crates in the back.