# riding in the pickup



## neb_bo (Feb 3, 2007)

my 19 month shorthair did a faceplant out of the back of the pickup doing 45 down a gravel road. i didnt even realize it till i got to the place i was heading, which fortunately was only 2 miles from where i left. it still took me an hour to find her. she was fine, a little road rash on her face, but no serious injuries. that was the most tense hour ive had in a long time. i was on the edge of tears, looking in the ditches, expecting to find her with a broke leg or neck the whole time. ive always let my dogs ride in the back in nice weather, and never had anything like this happen. they are trained not to get out until the tailgate is down, and they are given the "ok", so i know she didnt do it intentionaly. it was very windy, and i think she was standing on the edge, and a windgust hit and nocked her over.

anyways, very scary experience, and some food for thought.


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

It's a very poor practive to ever, under any circumstances, let a dog ride in the back of a pickup truck uncrated. Crate the dog and save it's life.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

I am constantly amazed at all the dumb *** ******** down here that drive with their dog hanging out of the back. What if the dog slips out of the truck, gets thrown out into traffic in a collision or gets a rock/bug hit in it's eye... :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll:

You can always tell who does not give a rip about their dog.

Glad your dog will make it this time. I hope you learned something from it. You have to be smarter than your best friend so they do not get put in dangerous positions.


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

My dog rides in the cab. If someone doesn't want to ride in the back seat with him they can drive their own car. My dog does more work to find birds than any hunter so he's entitled to a spot in the cab. Warm in the winter, cool in the summer, nice soft seat to lay on. On the very rare occasion that he does ride in the box I have a topper and he still goes in a travel kennel that's strapped into place.


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## Goosehunterdog (Jun 12, 2005)

I crate mine 100% of the time...Even when using plastic crates strap the crate in the box of the truck!!!!


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

Every time I see a dog in the box of a pickup not in a crate I cringe. I used to let my 7 year old ride in the front seat with me and then 2 years ago I had to hit the brakes hard for a deer and she hit the dash hard, hard enough to make her gums bleed. From then on it has been in the crate either in the crew cab or in the back of the truck, with the boxes screwed down. That is the safest place period....


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## neb_bo (Feb 3, 2007)

well, i maye be a dumbass *******, but i do care about my dogs. i dont know why i dont crate them all the time. in the winter they ride in the cab most of the time, otherwise theyre crated. theyre both very personable, and very much a part of the family, they sleep on my bed quite often, so i guess i dont think of them as dogs, and i dont like making them get in the box. like i said, theyre very well trained about vehicles, they load, kennel and unload on command, and theyve never jumped out of it when its stopped. i see alot of guys who have 3-4 dogs, and theyre more hunting tools to them than friends, and thats not me.

i did learn a very big lesson, and believe me, its not going to happen again. i feel terrible that something like this happened for me to realize what a risk i was putting them in.


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## taddy1340 (Dec 10, 2004)

neb_bo,

Chalk it up as a lesson learned and understand it was your fault/mistake. I have no doubt you love your dogs. In the crate is where they belong. I was an idiot and let my male ride free in the box for a whole trip of 200yds and he jumped out...landed hard on his hip and was yipping fiercely...I felt like a piece of $hit. I should have! I was an idiot and won't do it again. Fortunately, nothing was wrong with him other than scared.

I too am amazed when I see people driving down the road...upwards of 70 mph and dog(s) in the box. No reason for it. I believe some think they look cooler. Others just may be too lazy/cheap to buy crates.

Lesson learned and never do it again!

Mike


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

How do you guys feel about riding in a crate in the enclosed trailer?


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

USAlx50 said:


> How do you guys feel about riding in a crate in the enclosed trailer?


I feel it's a death sentence. If you insist on doing it, put a temperature monitor in there that transmits to your truck cab. The dog can fry, freeze, get gassed, or get asphyxiated, take your pick. Not a good idea at all.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

This was only for during the hunting season in the fall. With vents open I figured it would be a better temp then him freezing in the back of the pickup box in his crate. Haven't really needed to worry about it yet but I was wondering for future reference. Looks like I'll need to get one of those neoprene kennel covers for this year. In years past I always had a pickup with a topper.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

USAlx50 said:


> This was only for during the hunting season in the fall. With vents open I figured it would be a better temp then him freezing in the back of the pickup box in his crate. Haven't really needed to worry about it yet but I was wondering for future reference. Looks like I'll need to get one of those neoprene kennel covers for this year. In years past I always had a pickup with a topper.


that would be best if you cant let him ride in the cab


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Bobm said:


> USAlx50 said:
> 
> 
> > This was only for during the hunting season in the fall. With vents open I figured it would be a better temp then him freezing in the back of the pickup box in his crate. Haven't really needed to worry about it yet but I was wondering for future reference. Looks like I'll need to get one of those neoprene kennel covers for this year. In years past I always had a pickup with a topper.
> ...


He does when there is room and he isn't full of mud. :wink: Not always possible though.


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## verg (Aug 21, 2006)

I don't allow my dogs in the cab. Nothing against it, I'm just kind of anal about the cleanliness of my cab. However, I still put my dogs in a kennel in the back of pickup even though i have a topper. I learned a small lesson the other day. Going goose hunting with my young male lab, I must have turned the corner too sharp and saw in rear mirror the kennel turn over on its side. My dog must have been standing and it got too top heavy and slowly flipped. No injuries etc. I think he kind of caused it himself being all riled up and being a big dude but either way, a strap over a crate is very safe and we owe it to our dogs.
We all learn from our mistakes-that's how we better ourselves.


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## bisontraks (Dec 22, 2006)

What size crate should a person use for a seven month old lab? I have an XL but it seems really big for him. I am trying to decide between an intermediate or large. It will be strapped down in the back of my pickup without a topper. Has anyone tried the insulated covers that you can buy for them in real late fall? Any suggestions?

Thanks for your help.


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## verg (Aug 21, 2006)

Keep your XL as your dog has lots of time to grow. Plus they should have enough room to turn around in. I have a cover for my crate even though i never use it. They work very well.


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## dogdoc (Oct 31, 2004)

I once had a guy complain about the $800.00 I charged him to repair the fractured leg on his lab after he let it ride in the back and it jumped out on the highway. When he picked the dog up to take it home, he put it right back in the bed of the pick-up. Some people will never learn. I cringe every time a see a dog riding in the back of a pick-up. Don't do it!


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

_*I had a black lab leap out the back window of a '65 Rambler several years ago. We were going 55 or 60 down a black topped road and that sucker rolled for a long way.
I figured that was the end of that dog but he got up and came running back and jumped in and we were on the way again. 
Dan*_


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