Dogs in a 3rd Gen

Greetings all.
Im close to ordering a new taco. As soon as VW buys back my TDI and I can put that whole mess in my rear view I will also be selling my 96 T100 and buying my first new car. Possibly a TRD PRO but surely a DCSB MT. Anywho....

I have two dogs and I would love feedback about how people keep their dogs in tacos. These dogs prefer to have a bit of separation when in the car so the small one can't bully the big one. And they are often quite dirty. Oh and without a barrier the big one WILL end up in the driver seat if I leave him for more then 30 seconds.

So the two options I am wondering about are the back seats folded down with some sort of barrier or two dog crates facing the doors. Or since I am putting a cap on the bed is an option but I have no experience with this I'm not sure how people deal with hot and cold weather in the back. I live in a part of the country where both are a concern. If they are in the cab obv that is not an issue, but I do like the idea of the cab staying dog free and the bed being for the dogs!

Any ideas or tips is much appreciated. Im anxious enough thinking about spending upwards of $40k on a vehicle, I want to make sure it can work as a dog hauler and preferably without the interior getting trashed in the first year!

Cheers.

 

Bolt two kennels into your bed, done and done.

 

I have a harness for my 2 labs that I buckle into seat belt. You can also Google dog boxes for the bed.

 

I saw someone on here the other day had some fabric (maybe like polyester/jersey material?) panels that draped over your interior door panels so dogs wouldn't scratch. You could buy those and also a full rear seat cover? Then the rubber all-weather floor mats, too.

 

Head to toe coverage works well for me. Depending on size, I'd say throw a travel kennel on one side so the small one can't be a jerk.

 

This guy ^ Put my post to shame. lol. But that's what I wanted to show you.

 

Wow those seat and door covers look great. Is that a custom set up or did you buy it somewhere. How difficult is it to remove the cage for times there might be human passengers?
I like the idea of kennels in the bed, But how do people deal with heating and cooling in the back?
Thanks!

 

I built a box for my pup.

 

Had to update,

I put a dog cover from Amazon (

$24 BarksBar Original Pet Seat Cover for Cars - Black, WaterProof & Hammock Convertible (Standard, Black)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019EOQ6AK/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_1) on the back seats and added dog collar seat belt, basically a short leash that attaches to a seat belt...(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FR8249U/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_10) this manages keeping the ole boy put (yellow lab) and controls most of his hair. But I will tell you if your dog sheds like mine what a pain on the ass to vacuum the hair out..(there's no way around it unless you have a dog that does not shed) so in cab ventures are limited.

Works well, and for kids too....most of my dogs have always been bed riders, but for the open backlash of animal activists I have reduced the bed rides for the dog unless we are in the sticks...and not open road. Regardless taking care of my dog is a priority.

 

No vents?

 

This.

I have the same setup, minus the bars. The "hammock style" seat cover is great, but they can jump to the front if motivated.

 

Look at Owens dog boxes or google Rough Tough kennels

 

We have a double cab so we put our small dog in cab with seats down we have built a platform for our weim in the canopy she can lay on her bed and see out. It works out well we can open the windows so they can sniff each other and make sure no one gets more treats than the other It works well for us.

 

Really the safest place for a dog is in a well-secured kennel/dog box. Also better for the interior of your truck (slobber, scratches, hair and smell). My hunting dogs ride in kennels in the back of the truck. I would like to upgrade to an Owens dog box eventually or perhaps the RTK boxes.

 

I have two dogs and both stay in the truck bed 100% of the time. I do not have to deal with hair/slobber/dog mess in the cabin. Unless you have a specific need for 100% of the truck bed, I highly suggest this route. I got a camper with plenty of ventilation and a "pet screen". I also order my cap without carpeting, which makes cleaning dog hair a breeze. The cap protects them from the elements, which is better than having kennels back there. I have a german shepherd and a boxer, and both have plenty of space taking up only half of the truck bed (way more more then say 2 kennels). If you really need to keep them separated, you can always get a pet gate. Also, I have a tacoma bed mat to soften the ride.

Keep in mind that the dog boxes mentioned in this thread require you to pretty much permanently commit bed space for those boxes. Removal of the boxes seems like a pain. With a simple camper shell, when the dogs are not with you, you have bed space available for options.

 

More info on this box? looks small/dark and hot...

Probably isn't, but it looks it.

 

Just a side note, but a major factor for me getting a Tacoma vs a 4runner was the ability to keep the dogs separated from the cabin. If you are willing to deal with dog mess in cabin, perhaps 4runner is an option.

 

On second thought, looks like a great Wife Box. Should help keep the chatter down to a minimum and I can wait to release her once I'm ready.

 

Camper shell is the way to go for me, but I don't need to separate two dogs. Before the camper shell I had a cover over the back seats and the door covers like a previous poster has, but the cab still got full of dog hair, dog smell, etc. Now the dog rides in the back with the camper shell, and because I built the platform I can sleep back there in a pinch and still be able to use the bed for storage underneath. Keeping her in the back is even better when she decides to roll in something nasty like a salmon or seal carcass at the beach! And if anyone is wondering about the ventilation back there for a dog with the ARE V-Series with their Outdoorsman Windoors, it's plenty! I leave the Windoors on the sides open and the slider open on the shell, and the slider on the rear windshield of the truck closed) and looked in the rearview and the dog bed was being blown around and picked up by the turbulence /wind.