Dog Friendly GX Build

[Littlehouse]

One of the main reasons I purchased the GX was to get our family out more. "My wife and two huskies" My truck was well protected but lacked 4wd, so we rarely committed to snow days, off-roading, etc. for the fear of getting stuck. Road trips were done in rentals due to the inconvenience of road tripping in our model 3, or lack of reliability of my truck, and that doesn't allow for two high-energy and very hairy dogs.

What have you done to dogproof your GX?

Phase 1 of my build will include keeping the third row folded until I have the time and money to pull it out and install a Goose Gear plate system. I've seen good reviews on Canvasback liners in the 4runner forums, but also came across Ultimate Pet Liners as well. Both can be optioned with side protection, which I'll be skipping. I'm more worried about hair in the carpet than anything. The ultimate pet liner comes in at $100 more.

The next piece of this is safety. Have any of you been able to fit two dog crates side by side? I'm currently looking at Lucky Duck, Gunner, and Dakota Kennels, but it doesn't look like any of them will fit side by side. Ruffland is also a consideration, but I'm pretty sure my dogs would be through that door in less than a minute. "We had to move to ICC Collapsible crates inside the house when my boy was younger after he destroyed a wire crate"

Another idea is to use their SleepyPod harnesses, and just tether them to the rings on the floor in the cargo area. Even though the harnesses are crash tested, I think using them this way would be less safe than the crates but give the dogs more mobility. My female does get carsick sometimes, so I'd have to get some sort of "Weathertech" liner as well. Sitting them up in the second row is a no go. I tried it once with the truck, and never did it again. They hated it.

 

[TomEf]

We've got two intermediate Ruffland crates side by side in the GX with a little extra room, two larges MIGHT fit. Not sure how your dogs get through crate doors, but these ones are pretty beefy and thick enough they can't really get any purchase on the door with teeth. In my LX we normally use one of those pet seat covers for the second row with some crash-rated harnesses that click into the seatbelt buckles. Probably not quite as safe, but it gives them some mobility and you don't give up your entire cargo area.

 

[r2m]

Whatever you do I'd suggest a thick carpet, like shag for flooring. When you're off roading and bouncing around, that'll give the pups something to grip to so they're not banging around in the back.

 

[Littlehouse]

We've got two intermediate Ruffland crates side by side in the GX with a little extra room, two larges MIGHT fit. Not sure how your dogs get through crate doors, but these ones are pretty beefy and thick enough they can't really get any purchase on the door with teeth. In my LX we normally use one of those pet seat covers for the second row with some crash-rated harnesses that click into the seatbelt buckles. Probably not quite as safe, but it gives them some mobility and you don't give up your entire cargo area.

What pet seat cover do you have?

 

[Littlehouse]

Whatever you do I'd suggest a thick carpet, like shag for flooring. When you're off roading and bouncing around, that'll give the pups something to grip to so they're not banging around in the back.

I was thinking about using moving blankets if they are roaming in the cargo area, and some sort of crate pad if I can get that to work. All of my research is pointing to not being able to fit two large crates thus far.

 

[rex in bama]

I was thinking about using moving blankets if they are roaming in the cargo area, and some sort of crate pad if I can get that to work. All of my research is pointing to not being able to fit two large crates thus far.

I think you are on the right track. As much as I like the look of the canvasback product, a large canvas blanket works as well or better. I also keep both my english setters in one large collapsible Doskocil crate - works great and folds flat if I allow them to roam. It is under the blanket in this pic

 

[TomEf]

What pet seat cover do you have?

Whichever one Costco had. I've seen some fancy ones and I've seen some crappy ones. This one seems to be average but was also only $15.

 

[Tex68w]

We use a generic cargo/rear seat back cover I got pretty cheap off of Amazon, it doesn't fit to laser exact specs but for a generic size it works quite well. I then took it to my boat/auto upholstery shop and had them sew in a zipper so that I could still keep it attached and use the 60/40 split seat fold at the same time. When we travel with the dogs I simply fold down the seats and give them the room they need and the cover protects the seats and seat backs. I don't have an issue with hair sticking to it like I have with a few of the pricier brands in the past and their more suede like material. I think I might have $50 in it.

I ran the CanvasBack stuff in our 4Runner and I wasn't anymore impressed with it than I was with this cover which is 1/5 the price. I wanted the split with the zipper for when I car camp as well, it allows me to fold the 40 side down to sleep on while keeping the 60 side up and keeps everything still covered. I'll be moving to the Goose Gear setup as soon as they get the 460 specific sleep system up for sale so I'll no longer need it then, but it's been extremely useful for the money.

 

[Littlehouse]

We use a generic cargo/rear seat back cover I got pretty cheap off of Amazon, it doesn't fit to laser exact specs but for a generic size it works quite well. I then took it to my boat/auto upholstery shop and had them sew in a zipper so that I could still keep it attached and use the 60/40 split seat fold at the same time. When we travel with the dogs I simply fold down the seats and give them the room they need and the cover protects the seats and seat backs. I don't have an issue with hair sticking to it like I have with a few of the pricier brands in the past and their more suede like material. I think I might have $50 in it.

I ran the CanvasBack stuff in our 4Runner and I wasn't anymore impressed with it than I was with this cover which is 1/5 the price. I wanted the split with the zipper for when I car camp as well, it allows me to fold the 40 side down to sleep on while keeping the 60 side up and keeps everything still covered. I'll be moving to the Goose Gear setup as soon as they get the 460 specific sleep system up for sale so I'll no longer need it then, but it's been extremely useful for the money.

That looks pretty damn nice! Do the dogs slide around at all? I ended up purchasing the canvasback covers with a bumper cover, but may run something like this over them when I need more coverage. "Husky hair tends to turn cars into snow globes" I also picked up the Maxpider Kagu floor mats. I love them in the tesla, and hope they fit just as well in the GX.

 

[Littlehouse]

I received the first piece of my dog proofing plan, and am pretty happy with the results. Weathertech mats were the best thing I ever bought for my truck, but the look doesn't mesh well with higher-end cars IMO. I bought Maxpider Kagu mats for my wife's car and decided to go the same route with the GX. The fit is awesome, and there is sufficient coverage and depth for normal spills. The mats don't seem as deep as our model 3, but I think it will work.

 

[Littlehouse]

Remaining Pics

 

[Tex68w]

That looks pretty damn nice! Do the dogs slide around at all? I ended up purchasing the canvasback covers with a bumper cover, but may run something like this over them when I need more coverage. "Husky hair tends to turn cars into snow globes" I also picked up the Maxpider Kagu floor mats. I love them in the tesla, and hope they fit just as well in the GX.

No major slipping or sliding but they usually lay down while the vehicle is in motion.

Those Maxpider mats look nice but how well do they hold up over time and how "fresh" do they look after some use? I never really care about a mat not looking "high end" because it is after all just a mat and it has one job and that is to protect the floor and footwells from stains and wear and tear. If anything should be dirty or show wear it's the mats.

 

[Littlehouse]

No major slipping or sliding but they usually lay down while the vehicle is in motion.

Those Maxpider mats look nice but how well do they hold up over time and how "fresh" do they look after some use? I never really care about a mat not looking "high end" because it is after all just a mat and it has one job and that is to protect the floor and footwells from stains and wear and tear. If anything should be dirty or show wear it's the mats.

7 months in the car, and they look great. They rinse out well, and don’t show the fading my weather techs did. We will see how well these hold up over time in the GX. I get what you’re saying about mats. As long as it does its job, I’m happy. If it looks good while doing it, I’m happier.

 

[Tex68w]

I can't argue against that. I stopped using Weathertech's years ago, I find the Husky product to hold up a lot better, they fade less and they don't warp like the Weathertech's.

 

[rex in bama]

I can't argue against that. I stopped using Weathertech's years ago, I find the Husky product to hold up a lot better, they fade less and they don't warp like the Weathertech's.

Bad experience with weathertechs here, too. I ended up going this route for a stock look. Coverage is good and I like the color match

 

[Littlehouse]

The next piece of dog proofing came in and I really like it. I'm taking the pups to the vet tomorrow so it was perfect timing. I didn't try to make the fit perfect, because it's going to be used tomorrow. I'm usually OCD about wrinkles.

I'm also going to put grommets in the covers so I can reach the D rings in the floor. This will allow me to attach a line to the dog's crash harnesses so they don't jump over the seats nor get too hurt should I get in an accident. If this doesn't work I'll probably try the Ruff Land Kennels. I wanted Gunners, or Dakotas, but I don't think they'll fit.

I have an old seat cover I had in my truck that doesn't quite fit right, but it will work for now.

 

[Harper34]

I'm going to diverge from the group consensus here: A lot of people get by letting their dogs "roam the back" and throw up a mat/cavnas to protect the back areas from scratches, mud/dirt and hair. This approach might work for certain breeds of dogs. It does not work for larger, semi-active dogs which shed a lot (like huskies).

I drive a 5th gen 4runner (similar dimensions to the GX) with a German Shepherd (~100lbs of muscle & bone). He can't stay seated/down for more than 30-40 minutes and as such is always repositioning himself to look out the window. There is now a dirty spot on the rear headliner (from where his head rubs against it). As well, he sheds like crazy; I just recently did a deep-clean of the back area, but just finished a road trip and the rear area is already getting dirty again. Getting the hair out of the back area carpet liner (especially on the back of the mid-row seats) was tough and time-consuming; I now have a canvas seat cover which covers that carpet-liner, but the hair/dirt still finds its way into nooks and crannies. Long story short: storing big, shedding, active dogs in the back of these SUV's IS NOT IDEAL.

I'm at a crossroads of sorts: I'm looking for my next 4x4. My 5th gen 4runner has plenty of life left (100k miles and still running strong). The main issue, besides the uncomfortable seats: I need a setup which can contain the walking mess that is my dog, and one that can potentially accommodate a 2nd dog of similar breed and size. I've focused in on 2 options:

• GX460 with Goosegear plate system (to remove 3rd-row seats and give slightly more vertical storage space) w/ a dedicated, form-fitted dog crate system (likely from TransK9 USA). TransK9 USA. This will be expensive and the crate system will take up most, if not all, of the rear space. But a fully enclosed crate is the only way I'd even consider putting a big, shedding dog into the back of a nice GX460.
• Tundra with ARE truck cap and some sort of large crate setup (TransK9 USA, Gunner Kennel, some custom fabricated aluminum setup). The advantage of this is that all the dirt/gunk stays in the bed, out of the cab. I realize some people are not in favor of this approach due to exposure to extreme temps. My take: if its cold, put some hay and liner in the crate; if its hot, open up the vents/windows to maintain airflow during drives and keep your dog hydrated.

If you are deadset on staying with your GX460, you need to get a form-fitted, enclosed crate system...anything less will have hair and dirt getting all over the interior. My 2 cents.

 

[Littlehouse]

Wholeheartedly agree. The floor mats and canvasback cover 95% of the carpet in this vehicle, which made clean up extremely easy today. I also blow my dogs out constantly with a K9II dryer regularly to keep the shed down. Long-term, the 3rd row will come out, goosegear will go in, and I’ll probably get two kennels that fit. More for safety than for shedding. Shedding is expected And constant with two huskies. For a DD this thing is amazing compared to my truck. Once I start camping and loading it up, then I’ll see if I miss the space of my full size. Always trade-offs

 

[Acrad]

Not sure if you are looking for pet barriers as well but KAON sells a nice one. Remember AUD pricing so much lower...$1AUD = $0.65 USD

Light Cargo & Pet Barrier to suit Toyota Prado 150

Light Cargo & Pet Barrier to suit Toyota Prado 150 / Lexus GX 460 - KAON

www.kaon.com.au

 

[r2m]

Do they have chem-suits for dogs?
Or maybe a clean room bunny suit???