# Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to share?



## Northern GSDs (Oct 30, 2008)

OK, so I've really been toying around with some different ideas for crate set ups in my 4runner.

Here is my list "criteria"....

1) Double dog set up for 2 GSDs

2) Entry/exit door for each via the back hatch

3) Doors on the other end for emergency exit via the side passenger back doors.

4) Preferably round bars (at minimum at the tops of the crate/box) as my one gal really does a number on her nose when she's vamped up hearing other dogs working during protection etc

Here is the MAIN problem issue:

1) Space between the interior wheel wells is only 41.75", so unfortunately that rules out the midwest suv side by side crates (plus I'm really not sure if they would be wide enough for my 90 lb guy). and the wheel wells are also quite high so an elevated platform would likely not work well (the height of the crate would then be too low).

I may have found someone who could do a custom aluminum crate set up for a great price locally but I'm trying to get some ideas (and I've been looking online and still can't find exactly what I am envisioning). 

So who here has some ideas they would like to share? Pretty please


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## Riley's Mom (Jun 7, 2007)

I'll be watching for some good answers here. I have a Ford Escape, tried the seatbelt thing, but they were constantly getting their legs caught in the belts, could have broken their legs twice now. It would be real easy for them to strangle one another with them, too. We had to stop fast once and although there was no accident and no in-car injuries, I can most definitely see that I don't want my 80lb dog to come flying from the back seat. Crates are not supposed to be real safe either. In an accident, they crack and break.

To bad vehicle makers don't offer a "Pet Lovers" version of their vehicles, with safety features already in place that have been safety tested. This would also be cheaper in the long run - us pet owners spend fortunes trying this and that only to find out this or that doesn't work.


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## MJF (Dec 30, 2008)

I don't have a crate but for Trip I use a harness/seatbelt thingie that you are supposed to put the seatbelt through. Well, the first time he got tangled in about 5 seconds. So, I purchased an awesome leash that has a seat belt latch about 6 inches or so from the clasp. I hook the clasp to the harness ring and the seatbelt goes in the seatbelt latch. Magic, he can get up and turn around, doesn't get tangled, but also can't go flying or jump over the seats. Good luck!


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## Riley's Mom (Jun 7, 2007)

MJF - can you post a link to what you bought or give us an actual product name, anything to go on so folks can follow up?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Nicole L
> 
> Here is the MAIN problem issue:
> 
> 1) Space between the interior wheel wells is only 41.75", so unfortunately that rules out the midwest suv side by side crates (plus I'm really not sure if they would be wide enough for my 90 lb guy).


That's a big issue. I was going to suggest those crates, they are the only ones I've found that can go side-by-side in my minivans (which measure 50" across according to specs BUT the seatbelt anchors on the floor make it impossible to fit two normal 36" crates side by side).

Custom is probably the way to go.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: MJFI don't have a crate but for Trip I use a harness/seatbelt thingie that you are supposed to put the seatbelt through.


This is a good suggestion but dogs doing protection work must be crated. They all get amped up and many of them would chew out of that seat belt in 2 seconds and destroy the interior of the car.


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## CWhite (Dec 8, 2004)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

HI,

I know a woman who has one of the professional crates in her Ford. I can't remember if it is an Expedition or Explorer but she loves it. 

I hear these are wonderful, but they cost a good penny. 
http://www.kustomkrates.com/


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## MJF (Dec 30, 2008)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

Here's the leash, by Bamboo: http://www.amazon.com/Bamboo-Quick-Contr...46730103&sr=8-2

The harness was from walmart, it's adustable and made out of material similar to seatbelts: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10315335

As you can see the harness pic shows the car seatbelt going through the loop in the back but if you try it, it gets tangled and the dog can't move. So instead I hook the leash end to the D-ring and then use the leash seatbelt latch. So far it has worked great, I've had to stop short a few times and the pup has been secured. But, I understand from another post that this really isn't an option for the dogs doing protection work. For general purposes its a safe and easy way to transport.


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## Northern GSDs (Oct 30, 2008)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

The ones from KustomCrates have had me drooling for quite some time now. They are pricey but they sure look to be of incredible quality in terms of workmanship and space utilization







. The shipping combined with the cost of the crate likely isn't going to be a route for me though









So on the that note, here are a few planning options I am considering (thoughts & feedback welcome and I am definately open to suggestions!). I am probably meeting with the fabricator on Monday so I'm trying to figure out some plans for then:

Length can be as long as needed (I don't use the back seats at all and they are currently out of the vehicle anyways). So probably at least 38" long (the extra space when the escape doors are open/out would allow them to have lots of free space if they exit the kennel when they don't have to be in the kennel - would be lots of extra room for turning around etc when they do not need to be confined when we are not driving etc). 

1) Side by side (or double box) aluminum unit built that conforms (is "angled in") at the bottom around the wheel wells yet is wider above that so the dogs are able to comfortably turn around. 










2) Elevated platform (with equipment storage underneath which would be a total luxury) then have a double box on that that would then be wider but tapers top corners. So it would be quite a bit shorter - maybe too short? (about 24-25" high). 










3) Straight double box. Pros: cheapest & easiest to put in/take out if needed. _Cons: May be too narrow for the dogs (each compartment about 20 1/2" wide). _Pros: nice and tall (could be as high as 32").










Hmmmm.....what would be better...wider or taller.......thoughts? I've looked online to see if anyone has any custom crate pictures for their 4runner but nothing out there for large dog boxes. Or should I just pack it in and keep to my plastic crate set up


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## GSD4LIFE21 (Mar 8, 2007)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

Wow, nicole, thanks for this. I am searching for an older SUV and right now I am just not sure. I am waiting for my hubby to come back in Aug until we actually go out searching but we are trying to figure out what make and model for the crates. We would like to fit two crates and still room for my son to sit in the back..How pricey is the custom crates? This would be worth looking into for us...


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

I would say 2 or 3 (I like the equipment storage!) but it depends on what these are made of. Are they solid, or would they have bars? If they have bars, then I don't see the point in option 1 having them fit up against the sides because there wouldn't be much ventilation unless you have rear windows that actually roll down. My experience with various sizes and setups is that my dogs are more comfortable in smaller crates with more space around the sides for ventilation than when I cram larger crates up against the interior.


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## Northern GSDs (Oct 30, 2008)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

Thanks Lies - good feedback! I was thinking along the lines of round or soft sided square bars for the upper halves of the boxes and then pretty much full bar doors with a small lower section of sheeting to avoid paws getting between the bars in the lower section. Primarily for ventilation but also because I don't think "punched out" ventilation holes in solid aluminum sheets (like what many of the standard aluminum crates have) would work well for Jax since the edges would likely really rip up the top and side of her nose when she's hyped up. 

Of course this all depends on whether the fabricator I am going to meet up with is able to do such a plan. I have tons of other "I wants" (eg an option for a slide & secure inner panel to seperate the 2 sides with the option of removal for one large crate if so desired) but I am really going out on a limb for all these other "I wish list" custom items









Marie, custom crates (and believe me I've been searching online for about 2 years now) can range in price from $500.00 - $4000.00, depending on options, quality, etc. I'm really hoping to keep it at about 1200.00 but I know that may not be totally realistic for my option 1 or 2 pictures I did up as posted above. I must have like 20 pages of "plans" that I've drawn up. If only I had the talent (or hubby/friends etc) to do it myself, the cost wold be very reasonable!!!

Option 3 would be great (economically for me) but again, I'm concerned about the width. 

<span style="color: #6666CC">What would everyone say the minimum width for a ~90 lb and ~70 lb GSD would be? </span>

I think Jax (70 lbs) would be fine in a 21" wide, as she is quite lean, very agile, but tall (the XL plastic is actually really pretty roomy for her length and width wise). 

I actually found some pretty decent looking options from TriState K9 (knd of like pic #5 on the left bottom) and their L sized single is 21" wide ($400.00) but shorter in height and length than what I want plus there is no emergency/back door on it. They do custom work though as well, so for the price, that may be an option for me if the local folk aren't able to do what I want and the shipping doesn't eat me pocket book clean!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

What about buying two 30 inch tall x-pens (I think 36 in height might not fit in the vehicle but go to town with it. -- that way you get a door panel for each crate. Then you need to be a little creative. You can pull off the panels that that you do not need. You can use clips to get connect them in the back so in a pinch you could open them in the back passenger door. 

Now the problem is that you have two door panels and two wheel wells. 41 inches, and you need 48. There is no law that says the x-pen has to be connected at the corners. IF at the opening (beyond the wheel wells) you have 48 inches, you are home free. You can use tie wraps to connect the x-pen side panels to the front panel, just not at the corners, but a few inches in. 

With a bit of creativity, you could probably make the one crate wider for your big guy and the other skinnier. 

Now, depending on your dogs, you can either let them lie on the carpet of the car, or you can cut to size a floor panel -- use some material 1/4 or 1/2 inch stuff found at home depot or lows, and you can always put a crate pan on top of that -- that will keep fluids in place if necessary, as well as any other crate, and will protect the carpet from a bored chewer. 

For the top, use the unused panels of the x-pens. If necessary cut one to size. 

I think it would be cheaper than going custome.


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## Riley's Mom (Jun 7, 2007)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*



> Originally Posted By: CarolynI hear these are wonderful, but they cost a good penny. http://www.kustomkrates.com/


They do look very nice but I'm about literally choking on the price so I won't be going this route. I went to the SUV page and unless I'm blind on two reviews of the page, they don't even have one for a Ford ... amazing and weird. I don't even think they had one for a Chevy.


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## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

Here's another option to consider... I had them custom make mine after I gave them the measurements. They aren't as nice as Kustom Krates, but I too could not afford their prices.

WT Metal Auto Boxes 

Here too is a picture of the crates in back of my van. I built a wooden platform as I needed storage for equipment.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

Oooo I like Lynn's. I like that the bottom is solid. Even on a 5 minute trip with one dog, so much hair flies out around the bottom of my crates and pools along the edges of the van.


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## Northern GSDs (Oct 30, 2008)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

Lynn, those are lovely indeed! 

Could you give me an idea of what the measurements of the crate are in terms of the height and width since they look like a nice fit your crew yet they don't look _too_ terrribly tall (the crates that is!). I am hoping to go the platform route but am worried that 25" height is too short, as that is what the height would end up being.....









What gorgeous dogs!

Selzer, I've thought about modifying panels and such but a) I'm not all that talented (or patient!) to do that and b) I really need something that is completely stury with no little open nooks or crannies, as Jax is not only a great crate escape artist, she also will push her nose really hard against any litle opening and I'm worried that she could get part of her head stuck if everything is not completely enclosed and secured very well.









I'm going to see what the estimate will be to build what I am kind of envisioning and then I will have to see where we go from here! I need a custom crate fairy or elves to come and pay me a visit!!


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## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

Nicole, I believe the height is about 25". I'll measure them when I get home as I really don't remember. As long as the dogs can turn around in there, I wasn't too concerned about the height as they usually aren't standing for long in there. Dante's 25.75 at the withers & he's had no problem with these crates for the past two years. They are 48 inches long and I believe each side of the crate is 22 inches (44 total) across. But like I said, I'll take measurements later on for you.


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## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

Okay, I measured the height.. those crates at 27 " in height.


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## Northern GSDs (Oct 30, 2008)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

Thanks Lynn! That is really helpful info. 

So now I am faced with the decision as to whether I should go with the plan #2 option at 25" height.......decisions decisions.....I was thinking of leaving the top open, as once it is in the vehicle, they could not possibly get out of the crates, but then I am left with the worry of a vehicle accident rollover and how safe that would be....or I could maybe have a "cap" made that would clip on once the unit is in the vehicle.......







good grief, who would have thought this would be so hard!!


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## bergwanderkennels (Mar 26, 2009)

*Re: Crates & SUVs - Anyone with ideas/pics to shar*

Yup, sure did like the WT boxes totally worth the price also. 

But WT from us is 2 or 3 hours away (Closer to Patti). Oh and I had storage container added to my boxes but not sure if I am getting just a lip around the top or something covered? We will see when my boxes get here.


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## SharonJS (Apr 24, 2015)

Hi Lynn,
I absolutely love these crates. I was wondering if you could send exact dimensions, style etc. I think, from looking at the above responses, that these crates are 48L x 22W x 27H Also, approx how long did it take them to make these crates once you placed your order.


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