Crating Juno for travel -- wire crate OK in car?

[ShoresDog]

I'm driving up to Oregon this week with Daisy and Juno. I'm going to take the rear seats out of a minivan so I can set up a crate in back. Daisy is a good traveller; she hunkers down in a low spot and naps, basically. But Juno's idea of how to ride in a car is to sit in the middle with her head on my shoulder, "helping" me, so she will ride in a crate. In fact, if there's room, I'll set up Daisy's too. What I'm wondering is, are there any safety reasons that I may not have thought of regarding having a dog in a wire crate in a moving vehicle? I don't have the large Vari-Kennel kind of crates, but if there's a strong reason to, I could get them. Thanks!

[DTrain]

I very seldom use crates when traveling with the dogs. I have too many dogs and too little room anyway. Like Daisy my dogs like to be in low spots, behind the seats etc. or they will go to the back of my Jeep and make a dog pile. Before they adopted this habit I used doggy seat belts which I preferred to crates. It allows the dogs to sit or lie down. Of course there is a period where they do not like the idea and if Juno is an active rider he may not like the idea. If your crates will fit in the back it is a safer way for them to travel than being up and helping to drive. I must say that having a pile of dogs has made me a far more aware driver. Of course anything can happen and I am always concerned with being hit on the side.

[Shetlander]

I think putting your dog in a secure crate is a very safe way to travel. One of my club members was in a pretty bad accident recently (hit by another car) as she returned from a big show with multiple dogs. The wire crates held up the best. She had a collapsible plastic crate that fell apart. I don't know how regular plastic crates would hold up. If you can strap the wire crate down, that is best of all.

 

I often crate my dogs when traveling. Quinn usually rides up front with me (the front air bag on his side turns off due to his weight) in a seat belt. Now that I think of it, another club member was in an accident a couple years back and her dogs were in seat belts which she felt worked fantastic. For Quinn being crated in the way back puts him at significant risk if I was hit hard from behind. I feel he is safer up front with me in his seat belt and he likes the view better. Not all dogs will tolerate a seat belt. My first Lhasa thrashed around in his and would get tangled up badly.

[MaggieDog]

Nothing in normal situations precludes the use of wire crates (tho they do tend to rattle lol), but be advised that in a crash the welds can fail, resulting in loose wires, and the rear of a minivan is often part of the crumple zone. That said, all crates have their disadvantages in a crash, so there's no real ideal solution as of yet.

[1sheepdoggal]

Morning Jan, Hope you have a wonderful/safe trip. Oregon is a beautiful state. In regards to crates, I use both vari kennels,and wire when traveling. I think, that in a crash situation, that the vari kennel would be safer. Though it would depend on the velosity of the crash, (not to be morbid) But for a young pup like Juno, it would probably be a nicer treat to be able to see you and her surroundings, and have better air flow to keep her cooler. I would advise to bungee the crate down, and that would give it a bit more stability if there were any quick slamming on of brakes or anything. My preference is a wire crate, but I do feel that the vari kennel is safer, but not sure if that is really true or not. Just seems sturdier. Maybe they need to do crash tests on crates and rate them like they do other things to let the consumer know which is safer/tougher. I always try to remind my clients too, that when traveling, remember to put temporary alternate ID on them. For where it is you'll be staying, just in case.

[urge to herd]

Jan, if you come through Sonoma Cty, (on the 101 route) stop and say hi if you have time. I know where a couple nice dog parks are that are fairly quiet in the middle of the day at least.

 

Travel safely and have a great time,

 

Ruth n the BC3

[Sue R]

My dogs either use seat belts (we have a small car and crates are not always an option on trips) or wire crates (we have Ultima). When using the crates, you should secure them so they don't fly around in an accident. I either secure them by the way I pack other material in the car (it's just a Subaru Outback wagon) or, without that option, I need to tie them down to solid connections.

 

Enjoy your trip! We have fun travelling with the dogs although it sure is extra effort to provide for them.

[juliepoudrier]

Like others have said, you don't need to buy different crates than what you have. I feel like my dogs are safer in the plastic Vari-kennels, but as Erin noted, both types of crates have their strengths and weaknesses. I would suggest something to cover a wire crate with in case Juno ends up acting nervous or just overstimulated in it. I tried wire crates once, thinking it would be cooler in the summer, but my dogs were very uncomfortable--that is, they were so used to riding in "enclosed" plastic crates that I think the openness of the wire unnerved them a bit. If you can, I would put Daisy in a crate too. I used to carry six dogs loose in a Honda Civic, but I always worried about what would happen in an accident--flying dogs hitting me, being ejected, etc. Have fun!

 

J.

[ShoresDog]

Thank you all very much for the input! I think it should be possible to secure the crates to the floor, and that is a very good suggestion. I'll let you all know how it goes. This is my first long car trip with dogs.

[RaisingRiver]

When I do crate in the car, which is sometimes, I use the varikennels because that's what I have in the house. The wire crate rattling would drive me INSANE, but I would think the plastic would be less injurious to the dog then wire is a bad crash. That said, I've seen a ga-jillion wire crates used for show dogs, etc so there must not be any major reason not to use them - esp if that's what you have anyway.

 

Have a safe trip! See you soon!!

[NCStarkey]

Hello everyone,

 

Jan, you have received some terrific input and suggestions about traveling safety with your dogs! I, too, feel that our dogs should be secured either in crates or seat belt/harness systems when in our vehicles for their safety and ours.

 

However, there is something else to consider that hasn't yet been mentioned, instructions on what to do with the dogs if you are in an accident and unable to tell the emergency personel your wishes (if you are unconscious, are already taken from the scene for medical care, etc.). Years ago, Ethel Conrad composed a letter containing such instructions, which was published in the USBCC newsletter.

 

With Ethel's permission, I revised the article a bit, and you can find it here:

Emergency Letter

 

I hope that this information helps, and I wish safe travels to all!

 

Regards,

nancy

[RaisingRiver]

However, there is something else to consider that hasn't yet been mentioned, instructions on what to do with the dogs if you are in an accident and unable to tell the emergency personel your wishes (if you are unconscious, are already taken from the scene for medical care, etc.). Years ago, Ethel Conrad composed a letter containing such instructions, which was published in the USBCC newsletter.

 

The letter and photos are a great idea. I do that when I leave my dogs at home with the neighbor to care for them, including the pic (in case they get out/get lost). But I hadn't considered to do that while traveling. And the letter shown is much more detailed (and probably much more needed/useful) then my standard if anything happens to me/us, so and so gets the dogs.

[ShoresDog]

Thanks for the excellent suggestion and template, Nancy! And it sounds like a good idea to have such a letter when someone is petsitting, too.

[Sue R]

Thank you, Nancy, for that information!

 

We don't go anywhere with a dog or two or three without taking the flyers I have printed up. One is with a color picture and one is the same but black-and-white. That way, if the unthinkable was to happen (at home or elsewhere), I have something I can take right to a copy center and make reward flyers. Of course, we have them here at home if we are not gone visiting (and I have Julie P to thank for that idea, from when Kat was missing and she blanketed the neighborhood with flyers, that ultimately led to her recovering the Kat Rat).

 

The "what to do" info is something I don't have, and what an excellent idea! I'll have to do that next.

 

Jan - I am sure you will have a wonderful trip! We go down to NC several times a year in our Subaru Outback wagon, with three dogs, their crates (36" crates, folded down in the back), and all the dog gear and our gear, plus whatever we are taking for kayaking and/or sailing (sometimes with Ed's little sailboat in tow, and the rudder in the car, or two kayaks on top and the paddles inside). We even did that once with our adult daughter also (three people, three dogs, all that boat stuff, gee whiz, we were crowded that time). And no outside luggage carrier. And we all travel just fine and have a grand time. You will, too!

[theshine]

I have always used wire crates in the car, which happens to be what I use in the house too, but I was told by the sheltie's breeder that air circulates better in the wire crates, which makes sense to me, and air doesn't circulate all that well in my van as it is. Seat belts for the dogs are not an option for us, as we have kids too and the seats are full of people, lol.

[Tassie]

My two ride together in a large wire crate. It is removable (and that has been handy) but normally it sits right in the middle of the back of my station wagon. Lots of advantages - I can leave windows a fair way down when I'm stopped - leave the dogs in the car to sleep overnight when necessary (just cover over the crate with ligth blankets) - leave stuff in the car and have it safe from my little bitch (I use the term advisedly) .... you get the idea. I also have a clip on crate coupe so they always have access to water (unless they've knocked it over).

 

One thing to consider - flooring in the crate - I got some ribbed rubber flooring and cut it to size, so they're not skidding round on the metal.

 

My guys have travelled thousands of kilometres - including a few trips of over 6000 km in a few weeks. No problems - knock on wood.

 

Have a wonderful trip. I've been through Oregon on the train going up to Seattle - it looked like a beautiful part of the world - at least, what you could see from the train.

[bexie]

Molly now has a wire crate secured in the back of my suzuki for road trips. We strapped it down with sturdy baggage straps. That stopped most of the noise, actually, and some plastic tubing on the handles of the doors stopped the rest.

 

One tip though--put an extra blanket or something wadded up along some the edges. Molly hated the crate until we did that. She always lay in her basket curled up along the basket's sides and that supported her when driving. Wire is uncomfortable. So now with the blanket she can curl up comfortably in the crate and still have the support she had in her basket.

 

We also have white sheet in the car for covering at the angles the sun comes in. A sheet can still breathe and we don't cover all of it. But white reflects the hot sun and helps keep her cooler.

 

Enjoy the trip!

[ziggzmom]

Like others have said, you don't need to buy different crates than what you have. I feel like my dogs are safer in the plastic Vari-kennels, but as Erin noted, both types of crates have their strengths and weaknesses. I would suggest something to cover a wire crate with in case Juno ends up acting nervous or just overstimulated in it. I tried wire crates once, thinking it would be cooler in the summer, but my dogs were very uncomfortable--that is, they were so used to riding in "enclosed" plastic crates that I think the openness of the wire unnerved them a bit. If you can, I would put Daisy in a crate too. I used to carry six dogs loose in a Honda Civic, but I always worried about what would happen in an accident--flying dogs hitting me, being ejected, etc. Have fun!

 

J.

 

Hi,

 

When I travel with my dogs they are all crated(I use wire crates). If I make a stop for lunch or rest stops, I can leave the windows down without worrying about them jumping out. I have a ventlock for the hatch of my minivan and paddlocks for the boys crates. You can also buy battery operated fans to help out when you make those rest stops.

 

Have a safe trip~

 

Janet