Just me, but I think it's cruel, (and in some cases dangerous,) to put members of your family, (the dogs,) anywhere but in the back seat, properly harnessed and clipped in to the seat belt receptacle with a suitable adapter.

 

I don't see the difference between the dog in the cab with the windows down and in the back with the windows open.
People have been doing it for decades and even in the cab with no A/C.
Obviously if you stop for any length of time or get caught in bad traffic you'd want to check on the conditions back there.
Strap the kennel up tight to the back of the cab.

 

People are a lot more sensitive nowadays though Jasen... especially Texans. :lol:

 

Have fun gassing your dog with carbon monoxide.
There's a reason why you don't see people do this very much.

 

I see people do it all the time including police and their dogs... no different then most of us as kids riding in the back with or without a toper

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Most states and provinces prohibit unsecured animals in the back of the pickup truck. I see many hunters transporting their dogs crated in the rear bed. The crates must be secured to the bed of the truck right behind the rear window. A topper would further protect the dog, but you must have open screened windows to allow air flow. I saw one hunter who had wired a 12v socket into his bed and ran a small fan. This was a few years ago.
The carbon monoxide concern is good to keep in mind. There are battery operated alarms available you could place in the back to warn of any danger. In fact, you should try it out driving around with out the dog first. Idling at a standstill would be the worst I imagine. You could block the drain holes and seal the bottom of the tailgate for the trip to keep out gases.
Lots of breaks during the trip, lots of water; in summer you could place a wet towel down for the dog to stay cool on perhaps.

 

It is quite normal to let dogs ride in pickup beds in Montana. I had no idea some folk thought it was bad until i was in my 30s and found out that its actually something illegal in some states.

Dogs love it. Like people love ice cream. Never seen a dog keel over from carbon monoxide before either [emoji2957].

Heck the wind does more damage to eardrums than the exhaust noise ever would (speaking from experience).

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I crate my dog and strap her kennel in the bed of the truck.
She loves it...means we are going hunting and she get to work her nose. She loads up and then kennels.

I would kennel your dog in the topper. Can you open some windows on the topper to promote airflow??

2018 CC LTZ

 

He already stated his camper shell had windows for ventilation.

 

Must be a Texas thing, because i never, until now, heard anyone ask if it was ok and safe to transport a dog, or any animal, in the bed of a truck. If the topper has windows the dog will be good.

 

Must be a Texas thing, because i never, until now, heard anyone ask if it was ok and safe to transport a dog, or any animal, in the bed of a truck. If the topper has windows the dog will be good.

Uh, prolly just a concerned pet owner asking a question. Don't think it is a 'Texas thing'.
If so, I missed the memo

2018 CC LTZ

 

The OP isn't from Texas...

 

Have fun gassing your dog with carbon monoxide.
There's a reason why you don't see people do this very much.

You need to get out of Connecticut more. You've obviously never been to a field trial or a hunt test or even a dog show before.

 

Must be a Texas thing, because i never, until now, heard anyone ask if it was ok and safe to transport a dog, or any animal, in the bed of a truck. If the topper has windows the dog will be good.

Uh, prolly just a concerned pet owner asking a question. Don't think it is a 'Texas thing'.
If so, I missed the memo

2018 CC LTZ

Lol, ok. He asked if it was safe. My point was that it is safe. Get out of your feelings.

 

We kennel our dogs in the topper all the time pheasant hunting. All weekend. In and out all day long. I wouldn't do it when too hot out.

 

Thank you all for the replies. I sincerely hope I didn't open a can of worms here but I fear I might have. I have tried putting as much thought into this as possible. I really looked at a lot of camper shells, options, and ran scenarios through my head. For example, I really liked the looks of the toppers with the SUV windows big lo and behold they only tilt out slightly in the rear. I want something with full half sliders, more airflow. I also optioned in the front sliding winding. Again, more airflow, plus I have a rear slider in the truck. I do plan to crate the dog in the back. A couple reasons, there will be other stuff in there, plus I figure if I put a bed in the crate it would help if there were any sudden stops. The carbon monoxide I didn't really consider as the truck is almost new with no holes in exhaust, it isn't dumped under the truck, and the bed isn't rusted out. I figure the only remote possibility would be sitting idled for a long time. Even then it seems as though there wouldn't need to be much of a breeze to negate this. The most plausible scenario is the high temps. Which is why we have gone with the camper top with the largest windows. We have also researched battery operated fans, discussed the need to travel in the morning or late in the day when coolest, making frequent stops, and even discussed taking two vehicles if it's really hot and we aren't traveling too far.

I often see many dogs in truck beds and boxes for hunting dogs around here. I was really wondering if there was any others doing the same as I want to, any tips, and things to watch for.

 

We did put our pup in the back seat, but she has grown to 60 lbs. now. I haven't gotten to it but i am going to be running a chain from one front corner if the bed to the opposite rear corner, and then put a short chain directly in the middle. That will allow her to have a little bit of movement but not enough to be able to get outside of the bed.

 

Be real careful tying your dog up in the bed. If there is enough slack to move a bit, it might be enough to get over the side of the bed and hang the dog. As for all the carbon monoxide talk, it's not reality. Maybe in an old rusted bed with holes in exhaust, but not in a well conditioned all intact truck. Here in Western NY, there are lots of people with Bird Dog Boxes and even whole trailers devoted to dog transport. We have huge pheasant releases in the area and people from all over come to hunt and they all have these boxes and trailers for their dogs. They all look happy and healthy. Us Gen X'ers grew up riding all over in the beds of trucks. Did lots of things that seem to appall people today.
https://www.gundogsupply.com/dog-boxes- ... ilers.html

 

Have fun gassing your dog with carbon monoxide.
There's a reason why you don't see people do this very much.

You need to get out of Connecticut more. You've obviously never been to a field trial or a hunt test or even a dog show before.

Exactly. Watch a pro pull up with a bed full of dog boxes and a trailer filled with more dog boxes. Works well.

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You need to get out of Connecticut more. You've obviously never been to a field trial or a hunt test or even a dog show before.

Exactly. Watch a pro pull up with a bed full of dog boxes and a trailer filled with more dog boxes. Works well.

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A lot of those 14-20 hole dog trailers are bigger than my house and more ornately decorated!!!! :lol: :lol:

 

I didnt thing Texas had snowflakes. Color me shocked.

Yes your dog will be absolutely fine crated in the bed

If your exhaust has no holes in it and the bed has no holes in it there are no worries about carbon monoxide. Ventilation is great insurance against it too.

We hunters crate our dogs in the beds of our truck all the time. My Springer Spaniel loves it in his crate.

Dont let the "Beto Males" try to convince you otherwise. You and your dog will be fine.

 

dang city folk.

 

Even though my buddy rides in the bed with the shell on I want to get him a crate to ride in back there just in case something were to happen. (knock on wood)
I also am looking to get a rear seat cover/Hammock for dogs so when its overly hot out He can ride in the cab with us!

Who uses a Hammock/dog seat cover and what one would you recommend?

 

If the pup is secured in there with good ventilation there shouldn't be any problem. And like said, if there are no holes in the bed for CO to enter, then there is no issue there, especially with vents. Just make sure everything is latched and there is no way for the pup to escape.
It'd be a different story if it was open bed, but then of course the dog would need to be in a strapped down kennel. I've seen unleashed and unsecured dogs just out of open truck beds before on the highway and its heartbreaking.

 

I rode in the back of a pickup with a topper from Illinois to Michigan in August several times as a kid. My dad rigged up one of those tiny fans and had the sliding window on the truck opened and the slider on the shell opened with a "boot" joining the two windows. The fan pulled AC from the cab to the back. It was still hot as heck in the very back but near the cab it wasn't bad. I hunt a lot and people kennel their dogs up all the time in the back. It can get hot. If youre worried get a cooler AC unit. Its a cooler you fill with ice and it runs off of a battery fan. I've used them camping before and they blow our ice cold air. Just a thought