Safe options for car travel
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 G1™ 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?