# A Crate in a 2 door Honda Civic...



## doxsee (Jun 14, 2007)

Hey everyone,

I am currently trying to figure out a safe way to transport my GSD in my 2 door Honda Civic. I had initially played with the idea of a seatbelt harness, but have come to the conclusion that that probably isn't safe enough for my 4 hour drive to Schutzhund training. However, I don't really know what kind of crate I could fit in my little car. It is a 2003 Honda Civic EX. The only think I think might work is if I put the crate together inside the car and left in in there. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Crates to recommend?

Thanks!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Erin, I have a 4 door Mercury Sable, so I'm not sure if this would work with a two-door, but I have a crate that collapses flat and then opens upward (I know a lot of crates advertise to be "portable" but really when you open them you have to fold it out sideways so in reality you need TWICE as much room as the crate). It's called a Precision Pet Suitcase crate. I have a working line female and a size 36" crate. She could maybe even fit one smaller for car rides (b/c there's no need for the dog to be standing up). It's fairly heavy, but I think the wire gauge is good, it's a sturdy crate. I got mine for about $80 on Amazon. When it's flat I slide it onto the seat b/c it doesn't fit through the door when it's open. Once it's on the back seat I can fairly easily open it up or collapse it on my own. I use bungees to attach it to the child seat anchors behind the seat, but honestly even if my car rolled, there's no way the crate could even get through the back doors or onto a passenger b/c it's so big compared to the inside of the car. Also if DH is driving his seat is jammed against it, basically locking it in place.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: doxseeHey everyone,
> 
> I am currently trying to figure out a safe way to transport my GSD in my 2 door Honda Civic. I had initially played with the idea of a seatbelt harness, but have come to the conclusion that that probably isn't safe enough for my 4 hour drive to Schutzhund training.
> Thanks!


Wow, I thought an hour was a drive for SchH training!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Have you seen this site (click here)  and read the links mentioned?


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## doxsee (Jun 14, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: LiesjeI have a working line female and a size 36" crate. She could maybe even fit one smaller for car rides (b/c there's no need for the dog to be standing up).


How much does Kenya weigh? I think this crate may work for me (gotta go measure the back seat







), but my GSD is still just a pup. I don't know if I should do the 36" or smaller. She is also a working line female.


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

If you get a strap that attaches directly to the seat belt closure and a sturdy car harness, I think they're very secure.


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: zypIf you get a strap that attaches directly to the seat belt closure and a sturdy car harness, I think they're very secure.


Maybe, but I never would want to leave my dog loose in my car while at club. Dogs have been known to jump through a window or at the very least tear up seats they get so fired up once protection starts.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

> Quote:Maybe, but I never would want to leave my dog loose in my car while at club. Dogs have been known to jump through a window












I use the harness/belt system for my dogs and not sure what that above statement means at all. The harness straps and links can hold thousands of pounds. And they link directly THRU the latched seatbelt systems in the vehicle. So unless you have some broken belts. Or some kind of extremely old car not fitting into the Federal Highway Safety program, the dogs are a part of the vehicle and can't jump out.

This is the RuffRider:  (instruction video here) 









This site has the Champion harnesses Click here 









IF your dog is a chewer, clearly they could gnaw thru the straps/seat/car. But otherwise, the dog isn't going anywhere.


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## GunnerJones (Jul 30, 2005)

You take your Honda down to the dealership and trade it in for an multi/flexi fueled mini van

http://automobiles.honda.com/shop/?model...:20080916145026


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: MaggieRoseLee
> 
> 
> > Quote:Maybe, but I never would want to leave my dog loose in my car while at club. Dogs have been known to jump through a window
> ...


MRL,

I think they are talking about the dog being in the car with only the seatbelt to confine them while everyone else is training. You would have to leave windows open for ventilation and that gives the dog an opportunity to try to jump out.

Also, if the dog gets wound up (which most do at Sch training) - they could do serious damage to the inside of the car.

The seatlbelt could work for active transport but you really do need a crate or some way/place to tie out the dog when at the field but not actively working. Leaving them in the car wouldn't be such a good idea.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Can you fold the rear seat down for more room for a crate?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: doxsee
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: LiesjeI have a working line female and a size 36" crate. She could maybe even fit one smaller for car rides (b/c there's no need for the dog to be standing up).
> ...


She usually weighs between 55-60lbs. She's only 21" tall, but my other dog Coke who is like 26" tall often naps in this crate at home (he chooses too, I leave the crate doors open). I would not use it for a dog 22" or larger as a long-term crate (like going to work for 8 hrs), but to keep a dog safe on a car ride I don't think a dog needs as much room, as long as they can turn around if they want. Coke has ridden in this crate in the car as well.


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The GangMRL,
> 
> I think they are talking about the dog being in the car with only the seatbelt to confine them while everyone else is training. You would have to leave windows open for ventilation and that gives the dog an opportunity to try to jump out.
> 
> ...


That is specifically what I am talking about, except dogs have went THROUGH a CLOSED window breaking the glass. It's just not a good idea leaving a dog uncrated in an automobile with protection work going on. Some dogs get ridiculously fired up and can hurt the car or themselves.


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## doxsee (Jun 14, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The GangCan you fold the rear seat down for more room for a crate?


I definitely can. The biggest issue is probably getting the crate into and out of the car.



> Quote:You take your Honda down to the dealership and trade it in for an multi/flexi fueled mini van


I wish! I had considered getting a bigger, four door vehicle, but it's hard to justify because the Civic will be paid off this year and is fuel efficient. It's already going to be expensive to drive to club.

As some others have mentioned, the only real issue I have with using a belt is that she will be sitting in the car when the other dogs are on the field and she's bound to find fun ways to amuse herself







I would definitely use the belts for other trips, but I think a crate would be more appropriate for this situation.


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

There is no way my dogs could breach my harness seat belt system unless they could drag the whole seat with them. And, yes, I've seen them excited with window rolled down.

They don't have enough leeway to actually get out of the window, open or not.

You have to find the same anchor ( a dealership can show you if you don't know) that one uses to secure a child seat and then attach the mechanism to that.

Oh, and I wouldn't leave dog in car in heat even with windows rolled down.. at least not in Florida.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

doxee, if your club has permanent grounds and a clubhouse or storage area, another option is to use the seatbelt/harness system to travel and to keep a collapsible crate at the club for you to keep your dog in during training. A collapsible crate can be stored discretely without it being in the way.

You DEFINITELY will want to crate your dog during training. I used to keep my mixed breed, medium drive dog loose in the car when at the club. She never showed any destructive behaviours in the past, and I felt that she could be trusted to behave. 

Well, it wasn't long that the "light-bulb" went on for her when it came to protection training. Everyone was warning me, in a friendly manner, that once her drives get woken up, she WILL need a crate, and they were right! The day I caught her trying to gnaw the glass of the parially open window in an effort to escape and make it to the field was the day I knew I HAD to get her a crate. 
I mean, what are you going to do, discipline your dog for _wanting_ to work? And if a medium drive dog can get this hyped up, you DON'T want to see what a high-drive dog would do!


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: zypThere is no way my dogs could breach my harness seat belt system unless they could drag the whole seat with them. And, yes, I've seen them excited with window rolled down.
> 
> They don't have enough leeway to actually get out of the window, open or not.
> 
> ...


I hear what you are saying, but this is a situation that her dog will be in a vehicle in need of safe containment for up to *10 hours or more.* She has a long drive to club and then it's not as if she will be able to just show up train and leave. During this time, her dog will eventually become very fired up once it understands what it's there for increasing the possibility of chewing up the interior. The reality is that working dogs spend a lot of time crated in a vehicle. The use of fans, tarps, water and in extreme cases AC handles the heat.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

If the dogs are so crazed they eat thru the belts, or destroy the car, both those would clearly be problems so crates are better (can't they still break their teeth on the metal crates if they are going that insane? )

But just want to say, I take my dogs to training also, and sometimes they are in the car all day. One of the reasons I like the setup with the belts is I CAN leave all the windows in the car open and the dogs are still contained and held in the back seat by their belts. While they can still stand, sit, turn.


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: MaggieRoseLeeIf the dogs are so crazed they eat thru the belts, or destroy the car, both those would clearly be problems so crates are better (can't they still break their teeth on the metal crates if they are going that insane? )


This is an issue with some dogs out there, which is why they have the high quality aluminum crates where the bars are close enough together to provide good ventilation but a dog cannot get ahold of them. In most cases it seems that when a dog is crate trained early on they just seem to "respect" the crate and not try to bust or eat their way out. My Diesel is like this, he gets nutty but does not try and break out. If he did, he could without issue. 

It's a real concern to some as you don't want your dog wearing himself out in the crate before training! Truth be told my female would probably be fine on a harness, but I would not try that with Diesel.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Yeah, I had a Honda Civic and the hatchback was plenty big for my 2 dogs. 

*Then I started training them for tracking. * 

I really needed something where I could crate the dogs and leave the doors open, so I bought a nice used Honda Odyssey for about $10K. I hung on to the Civic for a while, but finally sold it this summer. The Odyssey gets okay gas mileage at round 20-25 mpg.


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