Carrying dogs - trailer or hitch mounted box

scaldybelt

Hi,

Anybody got any info on companies selling dog trailers (specially designed for ventilation etc.) or boxes for carrying dogs that would be attached using the tow bar onto a car?

I can see some companies in the UK that specialise in the trailers, but curious about any irish companies specialising in them as well as the boxes.

I have 2 GSPs, so it needs to be able to carry 2 large dogs - in comfort!

peasant

Personally, I'm not a great fan of trailers or hitch mounted boxes, for several reasons:

- in a trailer or box the dogs are sitting down fairly low and are exposed to all the traffic fumes, especially so in a hitch mounted box, where the turbulence of the driving vehicle literally forces the exhaust gases back into the box.

- in case of an accident the dogs are way out there without a crumple zone and basically without a chance

- and lastly, with your dogs separated from you, you have no contact and you don't know when they're getting distressed or uncomfortable and you have no way of calming them either.

cold_filter

if you loved your dog you'd bring him/her in the car, i know it makes the car smell but so what!

scaldybelt

I hear you both. They normally lounge in my estate car without complaint from any of us - and they will usually be in there......but I need a second vehicle (Peasant - you'll recall my post on a small camper van recently, that idea is now closed) and trying to find an automatic-estate is proving difficult. So I wondered about getting something that could go on the back of a saloon. It would only be for short local journeys.
The 3mth old baby cancels out the option of putting down the back seats in a hatchback.

I'll continue the search - hadn't thought about the fumes.

peasant

I know this isn't the motors forum, but HERE you've got your automatic estate for little more than a good trailer would cost.

The dogs could wreck it as much as they like over the next three or so years and then you just throw it away

Vegeta

cold_filter wrote:

if you loved your dog you'd bring him/her in the car, i know it makes the car smell but so what!

can you get seatbelts suitable for dogs?

scaldybelt

Good one. Just need to stick some surf stickers on the back window to give it street cred :cool: for the missus to be mildly interested in driving it for those 3 years!

Might even be able to fit a couple of bunks and a kitchenette in there for the camping trips!:D

SuzyS1972

Vegeta wrote:

can you get seatbelts suitable for dogs?

Yes you can in Halfords - they are made / recommended by the RAC
I use them for my pair - wouldn't be without them

scaldybelt

In our instance, 2 x 35kg dogs and a child seat somehow doesn't sound safe!
I'd be worried about my daughter catching a Bonio as I throw them back to the hounds when they complain at me putting the window back up because we're all freezing - She could choke!

Anyhow, have decided to import another estate from the UK in the coming weeks.

Sigma Force

Well your right about two large dogs and a baby in the back seat, even if your dogs are good with the baby it wouldn't be wise to put them all in together when you are up front and have to concentrate on the road. Also if you have to swerve or take a turn even with seat belts on such a big dog could really hurt a small baby.

If you only had the one dog it would be easy, just strap one into the front seat and the baby in the back. But a hatchback or 7 seater type in the long run would be so handy a good dog guard or doggy seat belts to keep them away from the baby would work.

We have a tiny car but it's a hatchback our two travel a number of ways depending wether there are other people in the car aside from myself and my daughter. One is a medium size the other small so it is easier though.

One option is the two dogs go in the boot with the lid off and a dog guard (smaller dog doesn't get car sick if we do that for some reason). Other option we put the small crate in the back with the small dog in it beside my daughter and the bigger dog sits in the front seat with her seat belt on.

By far hatchbacks are a godsend. We are getting a saloon car and was thinking also about the trailors for the back but I think the fact that they are so far away and one of mine is a very nervous traveller plus if there was an accident etc it put me off.
So I think we will be going with the little dog in the crate or seat belt in the back and the larger one in the front with a seat belt and hubby sqooshed somewhere in between in the back lol.

Saloons are such a nice family car but not very dog friendly if you have more than one dog. We've had a practical car for so long I just want a nice family one for a change.

All I know is if we ever got any more dogs after these ones they would be small or we'd have to change the car.
Sometimes I think a big ould hiace van would be the best idea and just throw everyone in the back of it hubby n all.

scaldybelt

Guineapigrescue: Thanks for the lengthy reply. I think it's worth pointing out that we already have a large estate where the dogs get to lounge in the back behind a dog guard. This allows me to still carry our daughter and up to 3 more adults in the car. I was after ideas for the second car originally here.

I have since decided to pick up another large estate car from the UK (well looked after, better spec, 50% cheaper than the equivalent in Ireland), and I look forward to chauffuering the family around the country during the coming years.

I can't understand why people don't buy estate cars more often in Ireland -for the small add-on in price they give huge advantages, but that's not for this forum.