I am trying to figure out the best way to ultimately transport Diggity safely in my car. I drive an Acura MDX. Right now, I have him in a metal crate in the back of my SUV. It's a cheap metal crate and I am sure doesn't offer any crash protection. I am in the process now of researching options for him once he is full grown. According to his breeder, he should be around 70 or 75 pounds. I really like the Gunner kennels, but I think it would be a tight fit for the Intermediate and the Large won't fit in my car.
Gunner:
GUNNER KENNELS G1â„¢ INTERMEDIATE DOG CRATE
I also like the Variocage, but again, I think he might need the larger one and it won't fit in my car:
Crash Tested Dog Crates | MIM Variocage Single | Pet Transport Cage
Not to mention, both options are super pricey.
The other option is a harness, which is what I used for my previous dog. I had her in my back seat, which I don't want to do this time for various reasons. This time, I would set him up to be in the cargo area of my SUV. Which means, I'd also want to get some sort of barrier. Maybe something like this:
MIM Safe VarioBarrier - Dog Safety Products
Anyway, I want to see how big he ultimately gets so I make the right decision on size.
What do you all use to safely transport your labs?
For those of you who put your dog in your cargo area, how much of a pain is it to harness them in back there?
Ruff Tuff Kennels (RTK) but I think they are now called Ruff Land Kennels. They are ratcheted in the back of my van. They are XLs with two doors and the extra latch. I had a TransK9 in my Subaru Outback and it was fine for two, but no barrier, so they had to ride together. They are much more comfortable in the RTKs.
You might want to join a Facebook group called Dog Sport Vehicle Ideas & Set-Ups. Tons of info there.
bmathers (02-01-2019)
I have one of these Dog Crates | Dog Cages | TransK9USA | Acura | MDX which are designed to fit your specific vehicle. I have the one that fits the Toyota Highlander, which has a removable center divider that I don't use, as both dogs travel in there together with no issues. Yeah they are a bit pricey, and shipping will be about $350. I first saw these when I was at Crufts a few years ago and was really impressed with the quality. I really like that I can lock them to make sure the dogs are secure. The other nice thing is I can leave my back seats up and still use the kennel, which wasn't an option with other types of crates.
I looked at other types of kennels and dividers and in the end I felt it was worth spending the money as it was something that I use pretty much every day going to different training areas for field work and obedience. I felt this was probably the safest option.
bmathers (02-01-2019)
Just sent a request to join that Facebook group. Hoping they have a few others with Acura MDXs that can tell me what fits. Thanks!Originally Posted by Labradorks
Thanks! Looking into those. I like a crate that you can see through. I like the Variocage for that reason. The Gunner is super safe, but would block my view.
This TransK9 one looks nice: Dog Crates | Dog Cages | TransK9USA | SUV Crate | B33ss
Do you know if they have done crash testing on these crates? I have read on several web sites that the only two crates actually crash tested are the Gunner and Variocage.
Gunners and Variocages have the best ratings.
I think TransK9 did a test but not in the USA. The things I didn't like about my TransK9 is that it was less space than I wanted (though that has more to do with the car than the cage), you HAVE TO have your back seat up for it to work properly (same with Variocage) and to be safe for the driver, and at least in my Subaru, in order to get the largest crate that fit, the cage was in crumple zone of my vehicle. It was also permanent back there, but no biggie as I'd put my groceries and other shopping items in there as long as there were no dogs, of course.
The Gunners are great, also, but very expensive and super heavy. If I drove a truck with a canopy or open bed, I'd definitely have one of these. Obviously they'd be ratcheted in!
I chose the TransK9 over the Variocage because the TransK9 was larger for my car and everyone says the Variocages rattle. Also, I don't like the bars on the Variocage.
Once you get on the site (it can take a few weeks) you can do a search for the different options and different vehicles. There are "real life" crash tests as people share experiences getting in accidents on that site and how crates held up.
For me, the RTK worked for several reasons. Each dog gets their own crate and they fit well. I liked the ventilation with the two doors and the fact that if I were rearended or the hatch on my van failed, I could get them out through the front and/or sides very quickly and easily. The TransK9 has an escape door but it's small and you have to practice and train your dog to use it. If your backseat doesn't fold flat, it's especially hard for the larger dogs. You can lock the RTKs with the additional latches, which also keep the door closed in the event of an accident. If you get a crate that is too big for the dog, they will slam into the doors and that is the weak point in these crates. Also, if your crate flies out of your vehicle onto the highway. You must ratchet down your crates for your and your dog's safety. Depending on how big Presto gets, I may downgrade to a L vs. an XL. I like that I can take them in and out by myself and store them inside. In fact, I have a third, as I have three dogs. But I'm often with the two dogs, so the third crate is in the house and is Presto's sleeping crate.
bmathers (02-01-2019)
Not a Member of the Labrador Retriever Chat Forums Yet? | |
| |
Posting Permissions
|
|
Reply With Quote