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  1. #11
    Senior Dog JackK's Avatar
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    I have a 2008 Tundra and it has been a great truck. I'm in the market for its replacement and am seriously looking at the GMC Sierra's. Not that the Toyota has had any problems just thinking I like the styling and ride of the Sierra 1500. I was planning to buy a Tacoma when I bought the Tundra. I went for a test drive and felt like I was in a Karman Ghia (for those that remember the squashed car). I moved up to the Tundra and have had it since new. It still looks new except for the mass of dog hair in the back seat. I get 17 MPG for mixed driving. If it is just around town and back and forth to work (3 miles), I get a whopping 13. Towing a 4,000 lb trailer through the White Mountains last weekend, I averaged 14 go figure?

  2. #12
    Puppy awackywabbit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TuMicks View Post
    I had a 2005 Tacoma 6 spd manual, 4wd, extended cab. I never had my 2 dogs in the cab, I think it would have been sorta snug. I don't know about the crew cab. We got an ultralight travel trailer (17 ft. long) and it was too much for the taco to haul. Plus, when towing, I got 10 mpg and with a modest size tank... that doesn't get you very far.

    I traded that in on the 2017 F150, 4wd, crew cab, 6 cyl ecoboost engine (3.7L) and the towing package. Here is the crazy thing. Are you sitting down? It gets better mileage than the tacoma. Around town, I'm getting plus/minus 16 mpg (the tacoma was better) but on the road, I can set the cruise control on 65-68 mph and I'm getting 24-26 mpg. It's crazy. So if I'm pushing the speed up, I "only" get 20-22 mpg. But, OMG... if you stomp it, the turbo screams and it'll snap your head back.

    Towing that little ultralight trailer is no problem. It handles great. On long uphill climbs (of which we have many in NV) I will have to kick it out of cruise and slow down.

    I was really interested in the Dodge Ram. But, after spending lots of time reading reviews of all the models, it was clear that the Ford has invested a lot in putting cutting edge technology into their trucks (their biggest money making line, by far.) The body is aluminum, (which dropped the weight down by 700 pounds) and according to what I've read, the steel frames are so tough, the bolt holes have to be drilled with lasers. It's safety rating was #1 in 2017.

    Check it out.
    Thanks I will. My first new car I bought was a Ford Ranger LOVED it. Kept it for 11 years and then sold it to my friends son who still has it.

    I did notice that the Silverados got similar gas mileage to the Tacomas but I have not looked at Fords yet. My highlander gets about 16/17 around town so I'd like to stay at that if possible even with a bigger truck.
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  3. #13
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    I have an F150, and love it, it is my second one. Definitely you want full sized for 2 labs. You can look into the advantages and disadvantages of trucks on your own if you have specific questions on the F150 i would be more than happy to answer them. No matter which truck you get I will offer you this advice. This is a large investment, you want to take care of it. You also want to plan it out ahead of time. Nothing sucks worse than spending this much money on something and finding it doesn't meet your needs.

    SCAB no matter which truck is plenty big enough especially for labs. The advantages of SCAB is you get a larger truck bed better to use it for truck stuff. It also weighs less, you can tow and haul more. Not much but it does cut a few hundred lbs off the weight of the vehicle. Also saves you some gas mileage. again not a lot but at gas prices over time, it can help.

    Decide how they are going to ride. On the seat or on the floor. If your choosing floor, make sure the truck will allow full access to the floor. I know 2015+ and the newer model Chevy trucks all have open floor in the back seat so they lift up. No matter which way you go get weather tech or husky back seat floor mats, I negotiated this with the dealer, made them provide them. They make them for most trucks, and they cover the whole floor. I prefer weather tech others prefer husky, both pretty much do the same thing. This will protect your carpet from hair, water vomit, easy to pull out and hose off. I prefer on the seat. The reason being, Hemi likes to look out. Makes him happier riding. Also doggy seat belts can plug right into the truck seatbelt system. Also it leaves all that space under the seat for storage. Hemi has toys and leashes and water bowls and things stored under those seats. I always have with me what I need to make him comfortable therefore make me comfortable. You can just use the empty space or again husky makes under seat storage which is awesome for trucks. See this for example Truck Storage Box, Back Seat Organizer, Under Seat Storage - Husky Liners® I for one am all about the under seat storage. However to do on seat, you need some other things. like seat cover for example. See my post here in this thread. Looking for a Pet seat cover

    Next think at how they are going to get into the truck. This is probably the most important thing I can tell you. My first truck I made the mistake on getting my running boards.
    Here is a pic of my first truck, it is kind of hard to see but the running boards are chrome, and rounded, and there is a very large gap between the running board and the body of the truck. First time Hemi tried to get in his paws slipped off the running board, he hurt himself. Luckily he slipped out away from the truck as I then realized the space was huge compared to a lab leg. Had he slipped the other way his back leg would have gone between the truck and the metal bar and likely broke. So I spent the next 4 and a half years lifting him into the truck anytime we went somewhere. Which Hemi goes with me everywhere. Oh sure I had a ramp and other things but it wasn't always convenient. Heck even in winter and snow I slipped off those running boards getting in and out.


    New truck the running boards are large and flat and have grip. There are also so close to the body that there is no way a paw could ever get up in there and get stuck. He happily runs and jumps right into the truck now, no ramp or anything. It has made our lives a lot better. Picture of the new running boards you can see they are a lot closer.



    So my biggest advice would be take some time look at the running board options for the trucks, there are a ton, when I ordered my f150 I had like 12 to choose from. Pick the best one as it is not just you getting in and out, you have think of doggy feet too.
    Last edited by Jeff; 08-17-2017 at 09:16 AM.

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    awackywabbit (08-17-2017), barry581 (08-17-2017), JackK (08-17-2017)

  5. #14
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    Oh and just a plug for the F150, as far as I know its the only truck whose doors will open like this and let your pups easily get in and out.


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  7. #15
    Puppy awackywabbit's Avatar
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    Thanks so much for your advice and the pics. I really like those flat running boards! I'm looking forward to getting a truck now this post has got me all excited again.

    My 4 year old lab is not a jumper at all. Luckily he only weighs 63 lbs so I lift him into my highlander. He will jump out just not in. I will likely use a ramp for the truck. This dog will not jump over baby gate that my 4 month old is already almost getting over. He just never really took to jumping.

    Takoda prefers to ride on the seat as well. Actually on long trips he loved riding in his crate which I would fit up in the back with all the seats folded down but now with two labs that won't be an option so we'll likely do the seatbelt with a hammock cover.

    I take my dogs everywhere with me too so looking forward to getting a vehicle we can all be comfortable in. I've enjoyed the highlander but it was more a people car which I needed because my nephews lived next door. They have since moved so it is just me and the dogs so time for us to ride in comfort to the training fields and our other destinations.
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  9. #16
    Senior Dog JackK's Avatar
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    I forgot about the running board problems - I too have tubular round running boards on my Tundra, they have a small flat spot good for humans not so much for the dog. It became a non issue when CASSIE tore her ACL. I had just gotten her to jump in and out of the truck on her own and then she tore her ACL. I'm too nervous of further injury so I pick her up and put her in the truck. She does try to help - She puts one foot on the flat portion of the running board and turns her head around looking for me to do to rest.

    Jeff, I didn't realize Ford still offered those doors. We always called them suicide doors and I have no idea why.

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  11. #17
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by awackywabbit View Post
    Thanks so much for your advice and the pics. I really like those flat running boards! I'm looking forward to getting a truck now this post has got me all excited again.

    My 4 year old lab is not a jumper at all. Luckily he only weighs 63 lbs so I lift him into my highlander. He will jump out just not in. I will likely use a ramp for the truck. This dog will not jump over baby gate that my 4 month old is already almost getting over. He just never really took to jumping.

    Takoda prefers to ride on the seat as well. Actually on long trips he loved riding in his crate which I would fit up in the back with all the seats folded down but now with two labs that won't be an option so we'll likely do the seatbelt with a hammock cover.

    I take my dogs everywhere with me too so looking forward to getting a vehicle we can all be comfortable in. I've enjoyed the highlander but it was more a people car which I needed because my nephews lived next door. They have since moved so it is just me and the dogs so time for us to ride in comfort to the training fields and our other destinations.
    No problem, like I said feel free to ask any questions, trucks are just fun. Especially if your going to go all kinds of off the beaten path places. Oh and when I said Hemi jumps in, it more an expression, with the flat running boards, the floor of the truck, then the seat it is really like him just going up 3 big steps to get right in. Paws touch all those areas getting in to the truck. I actually just ordered yesterday a small strip that goes on with adhesive that will actually cover up the painted area there too right above the running board before the floor of the truck so in case a paws touches there he will still have traction. I would try it at least when you get your truck see if he will get in that way. For Hemi it is really just kind of like going up some narrow steps.


    Quote Originally Posted by JackK View Post
    I forgot about the running board problems - I too have tubular round running boards on my Tundra, they have a small flat spot good for humans not so much for the dog. It became a non issue when CASSIE tore her ACL. I had just gotten her to jump in and out of the truck on her own and then she tore her ACL. I'm too nervous of further injury so I pick her up and put her in the truck. She does try to help - She puts one foot on the flat portion of the running board and turns her head around looking for me to do to rest.

    Jeff, I didn't realize Ford still offered those doors. We always called them suicide doors and I have no idea why.
    Yeah Hemi would always put his 2 paws up on the rubber piece like ok dad, I need some help from here. It took some coaxing and some treats on the new truck for him to try but after he did it a couple time he had no issues. Suicide doors are only offered on SCab, the SCrew still has regular doors. Modern suicide doors are not like old ones, modern require the front door to open before the back can open. They are called suicide doors, because back in the old days well those doors led to much greater injury to people. First if you open them and someone comes along and clips the door, it slams the door back into the person, where if they open the normal way it just rips the door off the car. Also if your driving down the road and you open a modern door you have to fight the wind pressure to get it open, so it is very hard to open while moving, where suicide door you barely open them and the wind will open it the rest of the way and most likely take the person that open it out with it as they also didn't wear seat belts then.

  12. #18
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JackK View Post
    I forgot about the running board problems - I too have tubular round running boards on my Tundra, they have a small flat spot good for humans not so much for the dog. It became a non issue when CASSIE tore her ACL. I had just gotten her to jump in and out of the truck on her own and then she tore her ACL. I'm too nervous of further injury so I pick her up and put her in the truck. She does try to help - She puts one foot on the flat portion of the running board and turns her head around looking for me to do to rest.

    Jeff, I didn't realize Ford still offered those doors. We always called them suicide doors and I have no idea why.
    As of 2017 model they did not offer those doors.

  13. #19
    Senior Dog windycanyon's Avatar
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    I'd go w/ whatever you can fit crates into. Seen and heard of too many bad accidents in recent years where dogs riding free were killed. JMO!
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  14. #20
    Puppy awackywabbit's Avatar
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    Yea it's always a risk. I've read studies where both crates and seat belt harnesses have failed crash tests. The jury is out as to which is really safer since cars are designed to protect people in crashes and not dogs.

    I do tend to favor the seat belt harnesses myself because it is really hard to secure a crate inside a vehicle if you can even get one to fit. Most cars/trucks just don't have the tie down places inside the car to keep the crate secure in the event of a crash.

    When I had my Ranger I had my crate secured in the bed but had a really bad experience coming home from training one day. I had to swerve on the freeway to avoid a crash my boy Hunter was in the crate which was secured in the bed. The crate didn't move but it basically flipped him over several times as the truck swerved. We were lucky he did not break any ribs but he was pretty shook up after that. He rode in the cab from then on out. I had always been told the crate secured in the open bed was safer then him free in the extended cab but after that experience I disagreed.

    The last time I researched dogs/car safety was several years back and at that time the only crash test proven crate was not sold in the USA and was only available in Europe. It was basically a custom made dog box can't even remember the name now but it had passed several crash tests. Vari Kennels do offer some protection but not the best.

    Just have to pray there is never a bad accident. Heck I used to ride in a lawn chair in the bed of my Dad's pick up as a kid way before seat belt laws so there is a part of me that realizes that we can go a bit overboard when it comes to safety. I do seat belt my dogs in with harnesses though just as a precaution even though I'm not sure it helps much.
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