RiverStar-Aura Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 (edited) Sorry for starting so many topics -- I usually don't like starting them as I feel I'm clogging up the forum -- however, I've taken my dogs to see Steve (K9 Pro) and crating both dogs while in the car has been suggested to help curb their reactivity to other dogs we drive past. As there are so many types available, I thought I'd ask which would be a) safer/safest and b) best suited to my needs. I only drive a Getz so it's quite small and as such, my dogs must travel on the back seat as Getz's don't have much boot space -- unless I completely fold the seats up so they rest against the back of the front seats (60/40 ratio) See photo below: Would buying a wire crate be safer to use with the seats folded up or would a soft crate on the back seat suffice? Also, do I go for two crates or just one larger size, depending on what fits in my tiny car? Then I guess, how would I go about securing the crate, or can I leave it not strapped in? Logic is telling me to anchor it in, but I'm not sure as I've never crated dogs before. Any suggestions will be much appreciated! Thanks guys, and I promise no more new topics for a while! :) Edited August 3, 2013 by RiverStar-Aura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 If they aren't going to destroy a soft crate it might work well as they are more enclosed. Depends on your dog though, mine are happy in a soft crate but they aren't for everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 If you can fit two suitable sized wire crates with the seats folded up that would be best and safest. If the crates fill all the available space then they don't need to be anchored as they have nowhere to move to. If there is space around them they would need to be tied down somehow, maybe to the baby seat anchor points or tie them to the seats in front so they cannot move around. Wire crates offer more protection in an accident and allow greater air flow so if you need to travel the dogs in summer the dogs would be cooler. I have two 36" crates in the back of my wagon and they only just fit so have no room to move around at all. Measure the car and the dogs and work out what will fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyBlue Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Do you plan on having the dogs travel in the crates as well as waiting or their turn whilst the car is stationary? Do you need to be able to set the crates up outside of your car too? Airline crates would probably be the safest in an accident. Wire crates would provide the most ventilation and allow for visibility whilst driving. Have you considered getting a tailgate barrier and effectively turn the whole car into a crate? One or multiple crates will depend on your dogs and what you are doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted August 3, 2013 Author Share Posted August 3, 2013 Do you plan on having the dogs travel in the crates as well as waiting or their turn whilst the car is stationary? Do you need to be able to set the crates up outside of your car too? For now, crating the dogs in the car is to help curb their reactivity (barking/trying to lunge) to things outside the car. Kirah barks and reacts to other dogs on the footpath and even motorcycles when they pull up behind me at traffic lights. To try and stop the carry-on, I've been told to try a covered crate to block out the cause of the barking. Zeus isn't too bad, as he seems to be reacting to Kirah's barking. Airline crates would probably be the safest in an accident. Wire crates would provide the most ventilation and allow for visibility whilst driving. Have you considered getting a tailgate barrier and effectively turn the whole car into a crate?One or multiple crates will depend on your dogs and what you are doing? I hadn't even thought of an airline crate -- thanks for the suggestion as I'll definitely look into them too! I do have plans to get into agility, but I haven't thought that far ahead. I've seen people leave car boots open with their dogs happily lying in crates that way rather than setting them up outside but this would only work if you can park close to the training area. There's definitely a lot more to think about than I first thought, but so far it seems that one crate per dog is the way to go rather than having the two dogs share the same one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 The wire ones rattle which drives me nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jed Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 I watched a Tv program, which I now think is on youtube about safety and dogs in cars. None of the harnesses they tested were adequate, and all broke during an accident, allowing the dog to fly eveywhere. The crates they tested fared no better - none of them stood up in an accident. I would buy whichever one you fancy. And yes the wire ones do rattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 (edited) I've always transported my pugs, and the rescues, in travel crates on the back seat of the car. I currently mainly drive a mazda 2 so it's pretty small. I can fit two crates on the rear seat. I move the passenger seat right back so it sits tight up against the crate on that side or I use the seat belt (just the lap sash part) to secure them. Edited August 4, 2013 by ~Anne~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 I drive a Getz as well and a large k9pro soft crate fits quite nicely with both back seats down. I think you'd struggle to get 2 smaller crates in the back of a Getz unless they were tiny. I'm actually thinking of getting a bigger car so I can fit more dog stuff in lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbaudry Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Just my 2 cents worth... I think I'd be getting 2 crates, just because of the risk of redirected aggression (e.g. Something sets Kira off, but because she's in a tight confined space she redirects to Zeus) The rattling of the wire crates drives me nuts too... I didn't like them to start with, however I think they are the most versatile of all. You can cover them as much, or as little as required to block out stimulus but also to allow for airflow. I found the soft crate can get really hot, and so does the airline type (to a lesser extent). If you're planning on using these as confinement too for agility etc... I reckon you have to go for something sturdy either wire or airline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbaudry Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 ETA I drive a small car too (focus) and would feel your pain if I had to crate mine. If we go away for the weekend, the boot is filled with bags etc, and the cat is the only one crated on the back seat between the 2 dogs in their harnesses... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 What size are the dogs that need to be crated? That will determine if you can fit two crates in or not. The airline crates are usually taller and narrower than the wire crates so something else to take into consideration. The only thing I would not use is a soft crate. They get very hot inside and the dogs can chew their way out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 DancingBC, I have an Aussie Terrier (6.4 kilos) and a Beagle x JRT (14.8 kilos), who's built much like a Kelpie. I've tested out the wire crates in Pet Barn a few months ago and the Animates medium size would be plenty big enough to fit both dogs comfortably. It does sound like wire crates or airline crates are the way to go -- especially if soft crates can get hot as my car gets parked outside a lot. The other suggestion I was given was to strap the dogs in low so they can't see out the windows, but all the products I've seen that attach a dog harness have a lot of leeway, which wouldn't stop my guys from being able to see out the window. Sometimes I wish it was legal to spray paint the car's windows black!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 Should the dogs be able to stand inside the crate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbaudry Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Definitely yes! Stand and turn around easily... K9 pro should be able to help you with this, I got my crate from them :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I would go wire crates so they can have some air flow in the car. You can cover the side facing the window so that she can't see out that way. I secure my crate in the back of my Hyundai Tucson (when the seats are down) by using a hockey strap around the head rest. This stops the crate from moving. I would also be buying two separate crates for each of them. Also makes it easier when getting dogs out of the car ie you are not trying to contain one whilst getting the other one out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 If you think it's one starting it and the other is following suit maybe you could start with one crate to put the instigator in and have the other one on the seat and see how you go and then get a second crate only if necessary.(But I would keep the possibility of needing two crates in mind when selecting sizes, etc so you know they'll fit if necessary) Have you tried the window shades that they sell for babies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 (edited) Also I'm just looking at the photo of your car and is there any reason they couldn't travel in the boot area? You could probably get away with covering the little tiny windows on the sides and they might be less likely to notice any dogs that would be visible out the rear window as you'd be past them and gone before they got a chance to get worked up. If you tethered them in to the centre of the car so they couldn't get up on the wheel arches to see out the tiny back windows then they would be hard pressed to see much that way. Edited August 5, 2013 by kelpiecuddles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I have a 30" crate for my 6.5 kg JS but he would be a lot taller than an Aussie Terrier who might fit in the 24" crate. My 25 kg BC can actually get into the 30" crate and somehow turn around but it is far too small for him. I got my 30" from OzGrooming World who advertise on here. Bengo crates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I have an assortment of crates as compete in agility with 3 dogs range in size from 4 kgs,10 kgs and 16kgs. The 2 smaller dogs are in two crates where the back seat would be normally. Personally I took the back seat out and then all 3 crates fit in well. But you could have 2 crates on the back seat. But what I wanted to say is that I went to Uncle Sam's warehouse and paid $39 each for a black metal fold down crate. I brought 2 of these and they fit back to back on the back seat. Each crate opens at each door. They fit my 10kg and 40cm high at the shoulder dog and the chi x probably doesn't need such a big crate but what the hell. The kelpie is crated back further as her crate is tied down and bigger. The crates from the petshop are heavier but these cheaper ones if put together properly are really good. At training I can just take out the crates and place on the ground. I only drive a toyota btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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