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Crates or portable kennels provide safe, secure transportation for your dog while traveling in cars, trucks or SUVs. They're the best way to keep them contained and provide a small measure of protection in case of an accident.

Dogs love 'em too! Used properly (not as a punishment), they become a safe haven/den for your dogs (especially true if you crate train when teaching house breaking). Throw a blanket, straw, wood chips or a specially made kennel pad in the bottom of the crate and the hard bottom is a little more comfortable. Dogs can also nest in the insulating stuff and keep warm. You can increase the insulation factor by purchasing a kennel jacket that blocks out wind and helps hold body heat in. You should really consider one of these if your dog rides in the back of a pickup.

All that's great, but there is a problem with crates. If you put a wet dog in them, runoff can collect in the bottom of the container causing your hunting buddy to sit in a puddle of water. I've had this problem at tests, training days and after hunting. There are two fixes for this:

First, you can drill holes in the bottom of the crate so runoff can drain out. That works pretty well, but any insulating debris you put in the crate will likely clog the holes and/or fall out as you move the crate around.

Second, you can purchase or find some grease mats. These are used in commercial kitchens to keep workers from slipping on wet or greasy floors. The soft rubber construction is fairly supportive and comfortable for your dog to lay on, but more importantly, it raises them up off the floor of the crate about half an inch. The holes in the mat allow water to drain and collect on the floor while keeping pup out of it.

You can usually find them in 3-foot by 3-foot interlocking sections. Just buy one section and cut it with a handsaw to fit the floor of your dog's crate. You'll most likely have enough left over for another crate or to save and use as a replacement mat. It's likely you'll never need to use it though; these things are durable and probably won't wear out.

Comments (3)

from 86Ram wrote 6 weeks 12 hours ago

Good tips I'll try it out for my dog this season. I'm trying to get her used to riding in the truck. Got a suggestion on how to prevent accidents. I try to let her run around a bit prior to putting her in the truck so far it hasn't worked.

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from BrianLynn wrote 6 weeks 11 hours ago

Hey 86,

How old is she? How often have you had her in the truck?

It sounds like a fear urination rather than actually having to go. Like a dog that rolls over and pees on you when you approach and try to pet it. They're showing absolute submission to the point of reverting to puppy behavior. Only in this case it doesn't work.

I don't know how much you've had her in the car/truck or how old she is, but try some of these things.

Start slow and easy.

Just get her in the truck and/or in her box and don't move. Let her just sit in there see that nothing bad happens. Progress to starting the rig and letting her just sit there with it running.

Then move to backing up, pulling forward, just getting some movement in there. Then, short rides around the block. Like once around the block! Then come back the next day and do it all again.

Keep everything associated with automobiles positive. Show her there's nothing to fear.

You might also try even feeding her in the rig. If she's food-motivated it could go a long way to helping secure the rig as a safe place.

Just repetition and positive associations.

Also, is she in a crate while riding? Or free roaming? If she's in a crate, how big of a crate?

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

B

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from 86Ram wrote 5 weeks 6 days ago

BryanLynn: She is 16 weeks old. She rides freely in the back and seems to enjoy it. When we're at home she tries to get in the back of it so I put her in it she runs around. It's just when we take trips the 4 times shes been in a vehicle she defacates. She did not do it when we first got her. I'm patient with her. I wash it out of the truck and off her paws of course. I just don't know what to do to help stop it.
I want to put her in a kennel and try it. possibly a medium size. She's a Walker Hound if that helps with her size. I can do the short rides with her easily. to help get her more accustomed to riding. That's one tip I was thinking about from the time I got her.

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from 86Ram wrote 6 weeks 12 hours ago

Good tips I'll try it out for my dog this season. I'm trying to get her used to riding in the truck. Got a suggestion on how to prevent accidents. I try to let her run around a bit prior to putting her in the truck so far it hasn't worked.

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from BrianLynn wrote 6 weeks 11 hours ago

Hey 86,

How old is she? How often have you had her in the truck?

It sounds like a fear urination rather than actually having to go. Like a dog that rolls over and pees on you when you approach and try to pet it. They're showing absolute submission to the point of reverting to puppy behavior. Only in this case it doesn't work.

I don't know how much you've had her in the car/truck or how old she is, but try some of these things.

Start slow and easy.

Just get her in the truck and/or in her box and don't move. Let her just sit in there see that nothing bad happens. Progress to starting the rig and letting her just sit there with it running.

Then move to backing up, pulling forward, just getting some movement in there. Then, short rides around the block. Like once around the block! Then come back the next day and do it all again.

Keep everything associated with automobiles positive. Show her there's nothing to fear.

You might also try even feeding her in the rig. If she's food-motivated it could go a long way to helping secure the rig as a safe place.

Just repetition and positive associations.

Also, is she in a crate while riding? Or free roaming? If she's in a crate, how big of a crate?

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

B

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from 86Ram wrote 5 weeks 6 days ago

BryanLynn: She is 16 weeks old. She rides freely in the back and seems to enjoy it. When we're at home she tries to get in the back of it so I put her in it she runs around. It's just when we take trips the 4 times shes been in a vehicle she defacates. She did not do it when we first got her. I'm patient with her. I wash it out of the truck and off her paws of course. I just don't know what to do to help stop it.
I want to put her in a kennel and try it. possibly a medium size. She's a Walker Hound if that helps with her size. I can do the short rides with her easily. to help get her more accustomed to riding. That's one tip I was thinking about from the time I got her.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment (200 characters or less)

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.