# Dog-proofing your vehicle.



## yuriy (Dec 23, 2012)

The "quality leashes & ..." thread got me thinking I should share what I've done with my SUV to protect it from dirty paws.

Of course, transporting dogs in properly secured crates is the best option, but for those that require an alternative:

1. Protect the trunk / cargo area. The guys at https://www.canvasback.com make liners specific to different cars. The options in my car required a slightly different cover (compared the one made for "most" models of my car), and the CanvasBack folks worked tirelessly with me to make me a custom one based on photos and diagrams I sent over. I'm very happy with the end result:



















A car-specific rubber trunk liner goes on top and ensures that any spilled liquids don't actually touch the car.

2. If the dog will be in the interior (as I transport mine), get a seat cover, and door card protectors.

The linked seat cover is the best I've found. Its only downside is that the material on the bottom side is a bit slippery, so moves around on the seats more than I'd like. I went to a local hobby store, purchased 10 packs of plastic snap-in buckles, and had them attached to the underside at a local alteration shop ($40 of work). This allows me to run two nylon straps lengthwise under the rear seats, and three more perpendicularly (one under each rear seat). The seat cover is now rock solid.

Here you can see the two lengthwise straps:










3. To give the dog even more space in the rear, I spent a couple hours putting together a platform to fill the legroom space and thus "extend" the rear seats. About $20-30 worth of materials from Home Depot. 




























This platform is securely attached to the car's D-rings, and will not move even if the car is upside down. The dog happily takes advantage of the extra room.

If anyone has other ideas for making car rides more enjoyable, post up!


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## d4mmo (Mar 27, 2013)

fantastic.
Im sick of vacuuming my boys hair in the car


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

The safest and cleanest way is your dog in a crate with an ID tag on. This in case of an accident. EMTs can reach you without having to "neutralize" the dog, the dog cannot escape and if he does he can be ID-ed and your car stays clean in daily life.


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## jschrest (Jun 16, 2015)

I have something much less awesome setup in my car  I have a Rav4, so it has a back cargo area where the door swings out instead of up like many SUV's do. I have a three leash system that straps her safely into a halter, with hooks installed in the cargo area that the leashes clip to. She can sit or lay, but cannot move around. I have an old blanket I lay on the floor under her so I can wash as needed, and have never had an issue with dog hair all over my car. I did have to get a battery operated fan to clip up back there because the A/C takes awhile to reach the cargo area, but she has never seemed to mind, and LOVES going for car rides. Plus, if we were ever in an accident, she can't go flying, and since she is already leashed with the harness (basically a vest with clips on each side, and one on the front), it would be easy for a rescuer to remove her, and she would be leashed the entire time. 

Not the fanciest of ways, but it works great for us!


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## gsdheeler (Apr 12, 2010)

I have a Ram cargo van...no carpet just rubber matting, I built a wood deck in the back, crates on top, storage area underneath. when I clean out the van I do it on a windy day. Just pull crates, open all the doors and sweep the hair and diry out.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

I have a Hyundai elantra hatchback - I put the two back seats down, covered it with a huge plastic tarp, and then put blankets on top of the plastic. Piece of cake to keep clean. 

I used to have my dogs in a crate, but one day my car was totalled (thankfully no dogs in the car). I was rear ended and the trunk of my car was in the back seat and the crates literally exploded from the impact. 

For me, at the end of the day, as long as the dogs are not running around the car, can be quiet and lay down while travelling (and I worked very hard to train my dogs to be that way), then I don't secure them or have them contained. 

My friend is a paramedic and it took them over 30 minutes one time to try and untangle / cut the dog's leash and harness that it was tied up in. 

There are "bad" stories to every good idea, and I believe that people need to go with what they are most comfortable with, as long as the dogs can be calm / quiet in the car. 

My dog walker was recently in a car accident (SUV accident) and she had 10 dogs in the car, none of them tied up. They were all fine, and there were random people helping her bring these dogs out of the car and onto the grass. 

Two of those dogs are extremely reactive, and yet at that moment, they just followed the other dogs out of the car and laid down on the grass. Not one of those dogs lost their cool (I also credit about 100000% to the dog walker b/c she is also a trainer / behaviourist and freaking rocks!)


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## amburger16 (May 22, 2015)

I never knew so many people contained their dogs in their car until I joined here.. I didn't even realize half these things existed. 

I've always trained my dogs they are not to touch me while I'm driving. Bear sits in the front seat, head out the window (Only down far enough for his head to fit & crank windows, so he can't roll it down by accident). He never touches me, other then if he lays down on a longer trip and rests his head on my leg or arm. Sometimes he goes in the back, sometimes I don't even notice he does it hes so graceful about it. He knows he is not to get out of the car until I invite him to.. Even if someone else says its ok he looks at me for permission. Trading off an old project/race car for a truck in the next couple months, so I wont have any other option anyways.


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## jschrest (Jun 16, 2015)

Amburger, 

I was in a bad car accident with my boyfriends dog about 10yrs ago. His dog (chocolate lab) was free reign in the car. He went flying through the windshield upon impact, and died from severe trauma. For me, it's not a worry of the dog causing an accident by bumping me or trying to climb into my lap, but for the safety of my animal. It was heart wrenching to see the condition of his lab. So mine is always harnessed and clipped in at all times, even if it's just a few blocks down the road. 

Kyleigh, I'll try and post pictures next time I have Lyka ready for a trip. The way the clips and latches are, there is no way for them to get tangles. They are mostly taunt, very little slack. Just enough for standing and sitting. The way they are attached to the vest, she cannot turn to get tangled. And, the have the clips on both ends, they aren't regular leashes, so she can either be unclipped from the ring, with it still attached to her vest, or unclipped from her vest with it still attached to the ring. That sounds so confusing. I'll post a pic, maybe that will clear up the confusing mess I just typed out


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## amburger16 (May 22, 2015)

Oh no, I completely understand the risk of accidents. Its all a matter of preference. Theres bad in every situation, and it depends what kind of accident your in. 

And just because a dog can't get tangled in a seatbelt/harness, doesn't mean something does not prevent it from being released. And a car can be engulfed in flames within minutes just because something metal arced your battery. Also, keep in mind none of these harnesses are actually crash tested to a real standard. A couple years ago a company did some crash testing to the actual motor vehicle standard, and only 7 brands made it through the 1st test. 

Something everyone should research and make sure the brand they are using have proven to be safe.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I use crates but beneath that I make a custom liner that costs less than $20. You can get these sections of indoor/outdoor style carpet from Lowe's for about $19, I believe they are 8x10'. I roll it out in my van and simply cut with a scissors to make it fit perfectly in my cargo area. I'm on my second van where I have done this. It protects the normal carpet and the stowed seating from any dirt, moisture, or scrapes from my crates, makes it really easy to just pull out and shake off. Unless I needed a fully waterproof cargo liner, I'd never spend any more money on one, these have worked great! The first is a 2004 Mazda MPV LX and the second is a 2006 Toyota Sienna XLE, both are minivans (the Toyota has more cargo space, bigger van overall). I wanted a lighter gray for the Toyota to match the rest of the interior but they only had the darker gray in stock that day so I went with it.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Amburger, for those involved in most dog sports and training, crating is not optional, it's a given. I've driven around town with a dog occasionally loose in my vehicle, even *gasp* riding shotgun (my vans both sense when there's something on the front seat that's too small for the airbag and it automatically disables). But when I'm at training or competing, it's not just about training manners so the dog isn't in my face while driving. For their own safety and comfort, they all need their own space where they can cool off and rest between their turns/runs and I know they are safe with all my doors open and windows down. I'm too lazy to bring ALL my crates inside to every training class or club training so I tend to also crate in my van at training (up until last week, I had three dogs training and competing). If I'm at a weekend competition that is two 12 hour days of competing and I have three dogs and it's 90* and humid out, I need my dogs' crates in my van so I can keep my van fully open, be running cords in so they have fans blowing one direction, and not have to worry about three dogs being loose with no restraint. Even if they are trained to stay in there, I don't like other people or dogs pestering my dogs while they are working hard at training and competing. Their crate is their desired safe zone, people can't reach in, other dogs can't come by and jump in. They've all dog the right amount of space (I size up when it's warm), comfortable bedding, water in their pails, and fans if they need it.


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## yuriy (Dec 23, 2012)

Liesje, carpet cut-to-fit is a great idea!


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## jschrest (Jun 16, 2015)

I never thought about that amburger. How scary! I guess there are dangers no matter how you do it


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

As someone who has rolled a car with a dog in the back, I always use s crate. Both of us walked away, had he not been contained, I don't know.


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