Truck safety

[BillGraves]

I don't quite know where to start but here goes:

My dog paces in the back seat of the truck. I tell him to sit and have to push his butt down to make him sit but 10 seconds later he is back up again pacing. He does this at the house too; just paces from one side of the yard to another. The problem is, today, I had to hit the brakes pretty hard and he came right over the console (which was down but still an armrest in a dodge truck) and into the front seat because of hitting the brakes that hard. I am concerned that if I were ever in an accident with him in the back seat, because of his standing, that he would get really hurt. I don't have a cap so putting him in the bed of the truck is not an option and I don't want to spend the money right now for a box for the bed of the truck because I use the bed often. Any thoughts?

I thought trying to teach "down" might be of best use. I have tried in the past but he was 5 when I got him and couldn't figure out how to get him to lay down if he didn't want to. I tried holding his butt down and pulling his front legs out slowly to get him into the down position but he fought it tooth and nail. So are there any suggestions to teaching "down" for a large (65lbs) GSP who is all muscle?

Thanks,

Bill

[Vonzeppelinkennels]

Get a crate like used at home put the crate in the back seat & put him in it.Very simple soloution.

[BigShooter]

When it comes to safety a dog needs to be crated in a vehicle, period - just like humans need to be strapped in with seat & shoulder belts.

[BillGraves]

Gotcha. Now how about how to teach "down"?

[BigShooter]

Mount an attachment ring to the back seat floor. Attach a ratcheting pulley system. Hook it to the dog. Command down & use the pulley system for extra leverage as needed. Lots of praise for performance.

You could also fashion a removable barrier for the console area. Then install a rear seat hammock.

[gittrdonebritts]

If you really want to, you can buy a harness that attaches to the seat belt and keeps him put my brother In Law bought one for his Britt and it worked like a charm there only 20 bucks.

[kensfishing]

In a wreck a dog with a harness or collar attactment will get hurt alot worse than just putting him in a kennel. He'll be alot better off bouncing around, not by the neck.

[BigShooter]

In a wreck a dog with a harness or collar attactment will get hurt alot worse than just putting him in a kennel. He'll be alot better off bouncing around, not by the neck.

Please note I did not say anything about leaving the dog attached by the neck, only use the system to teach him down in the truck. Most of us have been well aware for decades of the dangers to a dog attached only by a collar riding around in the bed of a pickup truck which is where all the early reported injuries originated. Usually it was due to the relatively long length of a single rope involved before their neck got torqued by a sudden stop, turn or acceleration, with the dog sliding on the slick floor of the pickup box. Also some number of dogs jumped over the top of the pickup bed and hung themselves on the attached rope. Naturally it's common sense but kensfishing is right, common sense isn't so common anymore. It's also common sense that any object or dog not secured during an accident can become a lethal flying object, hence the urge for a crate in the back seat.

[snips]

CRATE

[RayGubernat]

Bill -

Years back I ferried my dog around in the back seat of a passeger car or station wagon. I had a couple that would not sit down. I got aggravated and distracted until I discovered the secret. It is called a brake pedal.

When going down the road if the dog stood up I hit the brakes... HARD. Of course I checked first to make sure no one was following close behind. The dog's own weight threw it right back into the seat. The bolder the dog was, the more forcefully it was pasted into the seat back. it didn't take them long to figure out that sitting still was a good option. I am pretty sure that a few trips up and down a sparsely travelled road will "educate' your dog as to the benefits of sitting or lying there relatively quietly and still.

The neat part is that, once the dog knows what will happen, if it does happen to get up and start to move areound due to overexcitement, a quick, light tap on the brake will remind the dog of what will come next.

RayG

[BigShooter]

Bill -

Years back I ferried my dog around in the back seat of a passeger car or station wagon. I had a couple that would not sit down. I got aggravated and distracted until I discovered the secret. It is called a brake pedal.

When going down the road if the dog stood up I hit the brakes... HARD. Of course I checked first to make sure no one was following close behind. The dog's own weight threw it right back into the seat. The bolder the dog was, the more forcefully it was pasted into the seat back. it didn't take them long to figure out that sitting still was a good option. I am pretty sure that a few trips up and down a sparsely travelled road will "educate' your dog as to the benefits of sitting or lying there relatively quietly and still.

The neat part is that, once the dog knows what will happen, if it does happen to get up and start to move areound due to overexcitement, a quick, light tap on the brake will remind the dog of what will come next.

RayG

What Ray described is part of my crate training for the dogs. When traveling I use crates the dogs can stand in because not infrequently the crates are taken from the vehicle and used inside a bldg. for an extended period of time (days or weeks not hours). This is especially true when its around zero or below zero degrees outside. The first couple of crated trips the dogs get Ray's braking education in small doses. Rather than do as Ray does in an open seat I prefer the smaller distances involved inside a crate to reduce the impact. The dogs very quickly learn to remain laying down, preferring also to lean against the forward most wall of the crate as they quickly learn fast stops are more frequent and violent than quick accelerations.

[4dabirds]

1. I think the thing to worry about is the safety of the dog. The crate is safer for the dog. 2. Hunting dogs are a huge investment in time and money. Why not protect them the best we can?

[BillGraves]

I've been thinking about doing the hit the brakes thing but wasn't sure. I will certainly try that now!

[k2k]

Having dealt with dogs in the back seat for years, I finally put them in crates in the truck bed, held down w/ a ratchet strap.

Driving without the distraction of dog(s) moving around in the back seat has been an eye opener. Much more relaxing (and safer) for everyone.

Before I got the topper, I would just throw an insulated crate cover on when it got cold, and the crate is at the front of the truck bed to help block the wind. About $100 for the crate and cover.

Best,

Karen

[JMc]

I use an aluminum box tied down in the back of the truck unless it colder than cold then I put down the backseat of my truck and put the dog in a medium pet porter. It's big enough for him to lay down and uncomfortable for him to stand.