Restraing Dogs On Utes

[disintegratus]

I've got a hard top canopy for my ute. In fact, most of the reason that I got the ute was because we went looking for cars on a ridiculously hot day and I happened to stick my head in the back of a ute with a canopy (I was actually looking for a station wagon) and realised it was A LOT cooler in there than in the back of any cars I'd been in. I have sliding windows which get opened just enough to stick a nose out and are very stiff so can't be pushed open any more by dog noses. Aside from that, only Thundercleese is tethered because I learned the hard way that he will jump out of a moving vehicle. Luckily I was only going about 10km/hr at that point, but he always gets tethered now. I have found though that if I tether more than one of them, they get tangled up and that concerns me. I have rubber backed matting in the back so they don't slip around as well.

ETA: Just for the record, having a dual cab ute with a harp top canopy is pretty freaking useless for anything except having dogs in it. It's not big enough to put anything in, I can't transport long stuff because I don't have roof racks either. That said, on my next car (I want a space cab with a bench seat) I would like to get the canopy sealed to the cab and the rear window removed, I think that would be much more practical.

Edited December 19, 2012 by disintegratus

[HugL]

Our Ford Ranger came with anchor points either side of the cab tray. We ran a chain from one to the other and then a short chain with clip. We also used canvas to run shade along the rollbars giving angled shelter at all times and lessens the gap that end.

Our only problem now is that our sheep is too big to fit under the shelter so GSD gets it all while travelling between properties and yes they are both tied in. Gives our neighbours a laugh to see the sheep looking over the cab. :laugh:

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

I have a ute (moulded rear body) not a CAB CHASSIS (tray body)...

My dogs don't travel on the back because I don't have a strong crate or cage anchored to it - yet. I had planned to buy a ute with canopy so the dogs could travel safely by being tethered to the floor of the tray but I couldn't get one. I will never simply tether a dog on a ute or tray back - just my personal preference after seeing literally thousands of terrified dogs slip-sliding around the backs of utes and cab chassis vehicles at 100 km/hour plus on country roads and highways alike. I've seen parked vehicles with hung dogs (yep, dead because they couldn't quite reach the ground when they jumped over the side), I've seen dogs dragged along while the vehicle was moving (yep, dead because they couldn't scramble back onto the tray when they fell or jumped off the side), I've seen dogs hit by vehicles because they've come off the back, and I've lost count of how many I've almost hit for the same reason.

Meanwhile, up front in the DUAL CAB, is just the driver...plenty of room for the dog/s to travel but they're stuck on the back like a status symbol.

Mine travel up front. Or not at all. They're tethered in using a harness...except Molly who travels in her airline crate on the front seat with the seat belt around the crate for stability.

I will get my custom-made dog crate one day...in the meantime it's the cabin or nothing for my dogs. :)

[Rozzie]

You must live in cowboy country to have witnessed that many accidents involving dogs on utes

[mixeduppup]

I lived out west for a while and saw the dumbest thing. A guy threw his dog up on the back of the ute with an empty bucket of fox bait, the dog licked out the bucket and died. It's not just if the dog comes off but what's in the tray as well.

[raz]

after seeing literally thousands of terrified dogs slip-sliding around the backs of utes and cab chassis vehicles at 100 km/hour plus on country roads and highways alike.

Really? That's amazing. I dont think I've even seen thousands of dogs being walked let alone slip sliding around on utes. You must live in Canine Central.

[raineth]

I don't have a ute myself, but lots of people around here do and many of them have good crate set-ups for their dogs. The crate are bolted on and most of them are covered in shade cloth. I haven't seen what people use for the bottom of the crate, I guess it must be rubber matting or something similar. Often I'll also see some sort of drinking device attached to the side also. I think sometimes it is just a frozen drink bottle that the dog can lick the condensation off the outside.

[SLF]

Around our property the dogs are chanied to the centre of the ute. On short chains that prevent them climbing onto the top of the roof, and reaching the sides. They are short enough that yoou can have 2 dogs on at once without issue.

When travelling distance we take the other car which is a Captiva and they go in the boot/rear section. Behind a cargo barrier and still teathered.

I have seen too many dogs injured by falling off or slipping or injured from braking quickly in my job as a rural vet nurse.

If you teather or chain on a ute, you MUST check and maintain the chains.

[Esky the husky]

Meanwhile, up front in the DUAL CAB, is just the driver...plenty of room for the dog/s to travel but they're stuck on the back like a status symbol.

I have a dual cab ute, but I also lack air conditioning.

I prefer having my girl ride out back so she has some breeze.

Plus on the way back from an event, like a sled race it's much easier to hose the tray and crate off than it is to remove the stink and mud from my seats.

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

You must live in cowboy country to have witnessed that many accidents involving dogs on utes

I've lived all over NSW, the ACT, Vic, Qld and the NT...and I do a lot of driving.

Meanwhile, up front in the DUAL CAB, is just the driver...plenty of room for the dog/s to travel but they're stuck on the back like a status symbol.

I have a dual cab ute, but I also lack air conditioning.

I prefer having my girl ride out back so she has some breeze.

Plus on the way back from an event, like a sled race it's much easier to hose the tray and crate off than it is to remove the stink and mud from my seats.

So not having to clean the interior of your vehicle takes priority over your dog?

[♪♫LMBC♫♪]

You must live in cowboy country to have witnessed that many accidents involving dogs on utes

I've lived all over NSW, the ACT, Vic, Qld and the NT...and I do a lot of driving.

Meanwhile, up front in the DUAL CAB, is just the driver...plenty of room for the dog/s to travel but they're stuck on the back like a status symbol.

I have a dual cab ute, but I also lack air conditioning.

I prefer having my girl ride out back so she has some breeze.

Plus on the way back from an event, like a sled race it's much easier to hose the tray and crate off than it is to remove the stink and mud from my seats.

So not having to clean the interior of your vehicle takes priority over your dog?

Um, I'm pretty sure Esky also said that she feels her dog is better off in the back since her car has no air con. And besides, I think you are the last person that should be berating others about how they care for their dogs.

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

You must live in cowboy country to have witnessed that many accidents involving dogs on utes

I've lived all over NSW, the ACT, Vic, Qld and the NT...and I do a lot of driving.

Meanwhile, up front in the DUAL CAB, is just the driver...plenty of room for the dog/s to travel but they're stuck on the back like a status symbol.

I have a dual cab ute, but I also lack air conditioning.

I prefer having my girl ride out back so she has some breeze.

Plus on the way back from an event, like a sled race it's much easier to hose the tray and crate off than it is to remove the stink and mud from my seats.

So not having to clean the interior of your vehicle takes priority over your dog?

Um, I'm pretty sure Esky also said that she feels her dog is better off in the back since her car has no air con. And besides, I think you are the last person that should be berating others about how they care for their dogs.

Pardon? Why would you say "I think you are the last person that should be berating others about how they care for their dogs."?

And I'm not berating anyone; I was asking a legitimate question.

Do you realise how hot the tray on a ute can become? It would still be cooler in the cab without air conditioning compared to the tray when the vehicle has been in the sun all day.

[Are You Serious Jo]

LM, you don't know the situation with esky at all. The races are held during winter and if you had a muddy malamute or husky you wouldn't put them in the cab either!

[♪♫LMBC♫♪]

LM you were not asking a legitimate question, you were being judgemental and implying that Esky doesn't put her dog's well being first.

And I said what I did because we have seen some very questionable posts from you in the past about the way you care for your animals.

[Andisa]

You must live in cowboy country to have witnessed that many accidents involving dogs on utes

I've lived all over NSW, the ACT, Vic, Qld and the NT...and I do a lot of driving.

Meanwhile, up front in the DUAL CAB, is just the driver...plenty of room for the dog/s to travel but they're stuck on the back like a status symbol.

I have a dual cab ute, but I also lack air conditioning.

I prefer having my girl ride out back so she has some breeze.

Plus on the way back from an event, like a sled race it's much easier to hose the tray and crate off than it is to remove the stink and mud from my seats.

So not having to clean the interior of your vehicle takes priority over your dog?

Um, I'm pretty sure Esky also said that she feels her dog is better off in the back since her car has no air con. And besides, I think you are the last person that should be berating others about how they care for their dogs.

Pardon? Why would you say "I think you are the last person that should be berating others about how they care for their dogs."?

And I'm not berating anyone; I was asking a legitimate question.

Do you realise how hot the tray on a ute can become? It would still be cooler in the cab without air conditioning compared to the tray when the vehicle has been in the sun all day.

just highlighted the bit that you neglected to read or overlooked which would give you an idea of when the dogs are traveling on the back of the ute...sled dogs race in winter..

[persephone]

after seeing literally thousands of terrified dogs slip-sliding around the backs of utes and cab chassis vehicles at 100 km/hour plus on country roads and highways alike. I've seen parked vehicles with hung dogs (yep, dead because they couldn't quite reach the ground when they jumped over the side), I've seen dogs dragged along while the vehicle was moving (yep, dead because they couldn't scramble back onto the tray when they fell or jumped off the side), I've seen dogs hit by vehicles because they've come off the back, and I've lost count of how many I've almost hit for the same reason.

<br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: verdana, tahoma, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(238, 242, 247);">

sounds an awfully high proportion of dogs in utes ..and accidents!

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Inside isn't always done well either. There is a dual cab ute that I occasionally run into on our road, the owner sticks the kelpie in the back cab on the tip run. All good you think until you see that she winds the windows right down, and the dog dashes madly from one window to the next, hanging most of the front of its body out the window each time. I have actually pulled over to avoid travelling behind it before, because I hate wondering whether it's going to be the next turn where the flipping thing just comes right out of the window.

Anyway, good on the OP for asking. Most people around here, even the "tuff" guys, use cages. Usually covered with hessian or shadecloth.

[persephone]

The piggers here are usually identified because they use cages .... everyone else has tethers

[PuddleDuck]

Inside isn't always done well either. There is a dual cab ute that I occasionally run into on our road, the owner sticks the kelpie in the back cab on the tip run. All good you think until you see that she winds the windows right down, and the dog dashes madly from one window to the next, hanging most of the front of its body out the window each time. I have actually pulled over to avoid travelling behind it before, because I hate wondering whether it's going to be the next turn where the flipping thing just comes right out of the window.

Anyway, good on the OP for asking. Most people around here, even the "tuff" guys, use cages. Usually covered with hessian or shadecloth.

OT but when we go to the snow the dogs travel on the backseat rather than in the boot of my SUV. Usually an hour or so into the trip the toller works out how to open the electric window with her paw! Thankfully they have seatbelts on so they can't hurl themselves out

[mixeduppup]

The piggers here are usually identified because they use cages .... everyone else has tethers

I noticed that out west as well. Cages are becoming more common for working dog people around here now. I think it's fantastic. It probably because prices for working dogs are sky rocketing and they're protecting their investment.