Those with dogs....

[83white]

Kind of a two part question.

1-I am thinking of buying the Outback Drawer setup and the cargo barrier that works with it. Not seeing one in person, does this still give two med-large dogs room to romp...ie headroom?

2-with the sliding windows and my brother-in-laws dog jumping out the back of the 4runner with the window down, what have you guys done for the sliding windows to keep the dogs in. A screen won't work, they would break it. I was thinking about a bar or the sort half way up the window. I want them to be able to stick their head out, but not be able to jump without me knowing.

Thanks everyone.

 

[brianinaustin]

For the second question... I saw a post while back where someone had taken conduit (maybe), flattened the last few inches of the ends, drilled holes, painted it black, and mounted it horizontally behind the 2nd and 3rd row seatbelt bolts keeping dogs in/perps out. I'd fogotten about that one. Post a link if you find it!

 

[92LC_good2go]

I can only speak to the second question.

I too have large dogs -- a large black double-wire-coated airdale/god-knows-what-else/terrier mix and a red pit bull/rhodesian ridgeback mix... and they love nothing more than to hang their heads out of an open window. But...

They are no longer permitted to get their heads fully out of the window. Not since 2 years ago, when I was a passenger in my mechanic's truck... and his dog was hanging his head out the window in pure joy. And a stone or something flew up from the road, and took his eye out. His vet AND mine (different animal hospitals) insist that it's not at all uncommon for a dog to get injured like that.

Ever since, I do not let my dogs get their heads out; I crack the windows enough for them to get their noses full of rushing air - while keeping their precious heads *inside* the truck and car.

 

[92LC_good2go]

This brings another question to mind:

My black dog is getting old. He still LOVES Land Cruiser rides, BUT, some days (esp rainy days), he just can't seem to make his jump up from the driveway to the open tailgate. He's 55 pounds, and *his* bad days are also usually *mine*, meaning I can't always lift him up, anymore.

He has to ride in the rear, much of the time, because, usually, if I'm going to the vet, it's with half of the critter crew at a time, so the cats in their various carriers get the first rear seat, and the dogs get the rearmost cargo area (third seats flipped up away), and I subdivide with a pet barrier. I usually put the ferrets in another carrier on the front passenger seat, with me, and, if the turtles need to go, I just put them in a bucket or box on the front seat floor. I save money (gas, tolls, and a hefty 20% "multiple animal discount") if I take half the crew one week, and the other half the next.

Has anybody ever figured out a good way to help an older dog into the rear? Up onto the tailgate?

It's too difficult to get him to go up onto the running board (and he's rather clumsy on the runningboard), into the rear seat, have to push or coax him into the far rear, and put up the blasted barrier while he's trying to get past me into the backseat before I can get the darn barrier up in place.

All the pet ramps I've ever seen are too short for the Land Cruiser's height.

Ideas?

 

[Beowulf]

I use a telescoping ramp that is long enough for my lifted 80. It's a heavy plastic with an indoor/outdoor carpet for traction. Both still jump out and the Australian Shepard won't use the ramp in or out but she jumps like a cat and can flat-foot jump into the back with ease.

I got this Solvit brand at Petco. It is a bit on the spendy side but cheaper than a vet bill.

-B-

 

[alia176]

I can answer this question very well.

I too have a large Rotty and a medium size Border Collie. After installing a drawer system, I noticed that my two dogs are able to stick their bodies out way further than I'd like. The Rotty's head almost ends up above the roofline! So, I did the conduit thing to discourage them from doing this and also installed a 4Runner cargo net from Wraingler.com. The conduit also discourages from someone entering the cargo area by forcing the sliders open.

After the dogs are elevated, the potential to get tossed over the 2nd row seats in an emergency situation became very high. That's why the cargo net was installed.

The Rottweiler is very tall but the head room is still pretty good back there for him. However, I built my drawer system only 10" high in order to give the Rotty lots of head room in the cargo area. Here's a pic of this setup: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/alia176/detail?.dir=927e&.dnm=9354.jpg

Hope this helps!

Ali

 

[83white]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

As to the eye part. I never thought about that. I have before, but not when I posted this. Having a Expedition which I am getting rid of and using the 80 instead, the expo had windows that went out a little in the cargo area. So I suppose maybe I can make a hard wire screen for the windows. As you all are sure to agree I am sure, our dogs rule us and I want to make sure they can have those windows open. Has anyone ever made such a setup. I would think it would be fairly easy.

Next, I agree about the barrier and I am going to get that barrier from Slee. I wish I could do the net setup, but they have broken two universal barriers now. So it's a little costly, but a better option.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice and the story about the eye. You always "hear it may happen", but first hand accounts mean the world. God knows when I have put my hand out the window and got hit it hurt....and the scare of a rock into a windshield.....rather the glass the us or the dogs.

Thanks so much!!!

 

[davegonz]

Ali,
Could you post more pics of the cargo net? I'd like to check out how you attached it to your cruiser.

Thanks,

 

[stayalert]

The closest things to dogs I have live in NM......Cdan's canines help me keep the 80 running and I help put food in their bowls or so I'm led to believe....

 

[ace10]

i second the expanding ramp. super strong, a bit spendy, but worth it... especially when the older dogs are exiting the rig. we use this one http://www.dogramp.com/

also... noses only out the window for the pups when travelling at public roads speeds.

$0.02

 

[rockclmbr]

My dog (77+ lbs) is always wearing a harness when on road trips. This will distribute the load better than a leash to collar scenario during hard braking. When on the drawer system, she still had plenty of head room.

 

[BPMOU]

I have two full size labs, and there is more than enough room. We'll see if that is still the case when my 10 week old lab is bigger (might wish I would have bought a Tundra).

As far as your dogs hanging out the window- as stated before eye injuries are very common with hanging their heads out the windows. I keep my labs in the back behind a pet barrier and open the rear door windows for air.

If you are still wanting them to be able to hang out the window, at least invest in some Doggles!

http://www.doggles.com/doggles.html

 

[fzj80kidpen]

BPMOU,
Now why didn't I thing of that.
Doggles what a great idea.
Perhaps someone could organize a group purchase

 

[83white]

SHHHHHHHH, my girlfriends wants those so bad ahaha and at $20+ a pop, not me....but really that is a good thought haha.

On a side not, do they make a think screen mesh like thing I can screen the window with. That can take a few good nose pushes haha

 

[cary]

Has anybody ever figured out a good way to help an older dog into the rear? Up onto the tailgate?

It's too difficult to get him to go up onto the running board (and he's rather clumsy on the runningboard), into the rear seat, have to push or coax him into the far rear, and put up the blasted barrier while he's trying to get past me into the backseat before I can get the darn barrier up in place.

All the pet ramps I've ever seen are too short for the Land Cruiser's height.

Ideas?

My German Shepherd didn't like a ramp so as he got weaker we would get him to put his front legs on the the tailgate and then pick up his rear and help him in. My wife started doing it and never had any trouble with it, despite him being 130 pounds.

 

[BPMOU]

83White,

I think that you should get them even if you don't like them, but your GF does. Come on, we both know that they will fit in around Boulder.

 

[92LC_good2go]

Doggles???
You mean there really IS such a product??? Where?!

My old dog, Midnight, will wear ANYthing I put on him. Denim biker's jacket. Leather biker's jacket w/ chains. BOots. Muttlucks (in winter). Hats, coats, rain ponchos, sweaters, t-shirts, medieval knight tabards, [chain] maille/mail armour --- hell, he'll wear ANYthing I put on him! I once put an old plaid kilt-like pleated skirt from my own childhood on the poor thing with a witch's pointy hat that I'd modified for his ears (for a Halloween joke)... and he wore it! (didn't like it, and he was clearly embarrassed as all get-out ... but he wore it until I took it off)

I'd get doggles for him.


I'll look at the other ramp, too, and see what they both look like.


It occurred to me that Midnight (who doesn't like "new" things) might not like walking up the ramp. I was just going to put his blinders on, and force the issue, if I had too.

When he was young, I sled- and wagon-trained and skijor-trained him to standard mushing commands. He wears his muttlucks when pullig wagon, cart, or sled, but not (obviously too dangerous) when we go skijoring together. He was (and still is) rather good, especially considering he's not any of the standard sled-dog or wagon/cart-dog breeds. But he was too easily distracted by squirrels (he's mostly big terrier mix, and border collie mixed in) -- so I made modified blinders (like horses wear) for him, and those worked just fine for all these years.

I was just going to put his blinders on, and walk him up the ramp. (or push his rear, if I had too)

 

[83white]

Yea hahaha. It's people like you that make the problem worse haha. It's not if I get them, I just know one day they will be on the dog and I will have to live with it haha.

 

[BPMOU]

83White,

I know how it is. We have three labs, two are my hunting dogs and the other is my wifes couch potato. Our youngest one is 10 weeks old. You can imagine my dismay when I found that my wife got him a rooster costume for Halloween. I told her over my dead body, the only thing that dog will wear will be a camo hunting vest. I'll tell her to post the pictures when I'm dead.

 

[92LC_good2go]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

As to the eye part. I never thought about that.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice and the story about the eye. You always "hear it may happen", but first hand accounts mean the world. God knows when I have put my hand out the window and got hit it hurt....and the scare of a rock into a windshield.....rather the glass the us or the dogs.

Thanks so much!!!

No problem.

Look, I too have been guilty of that. Of having heard about it, but never really thought too much about it.

Up 'till that awful accident, I still let all of my dogs ride with heads out of the window. It seemed like such a little thing, and they got so much pleasure out of it. Even when smartass Midnight learned how to operate the power window rocker switches... and escaped out of the window, occasionally, while at a red light... and even after getting a fat fine and a ticket once for it... I still let him hand his head out for his pleasure. (yeah, the stupid mutt actually did it in front of a cranky cop - who "threw the book" at me; thaaaaanks, Midnight!)

But the day I was driving down the shore (Jerseyeans never drive "TO the shore", it's always "down the shore"... even if you're more southerly than the shore) with my mechanic, to pick up a bus, and his dog was blinded, was the last day I ever even sat in a car with anybody who let their dog stick his head out the window. I can't go thru that ever again. It's just one of my big bugaboos.


Someone said their dog BROKE TWO metal barriers?!
Even Rufus hasn't (yet) done that! sssssssshhh