Dog Trailers............good or bad? - Page 1

I have always thought that a nice trailer would be great to have.  Then I think of all the vehicle exhaust that the dogs would be subjected to and I know that cannot be healthy.  I asked one guy about his trailer and all the fumes and his reply..........I'm sure they thought of that.  Being right behind a running vehicle........many diesel at that..........I cannot believe that the fumes would not effect the dogs.  My SAR dog leaves the station when he knows the engines are going to be started..........he hates the exhaust that bad. Thoughts anyone?

love my trailer, dogs love it too.
we bought it for hurricanes - to be able to escape and take all our dogs with us.
we load all of our dogs up for shows and to go on vacation...

when we ask them to load, they know its time for fun... and happily load. when on vacation - on our property, when they want a timeout they jump in and take a nap.. they are fed in the boxes and when we have to leave the property, the dogs are kept in the boxes. we keep it in a shaded area to make sure the temp stays cool. bears and wild cats cannot get to them - a plus!

as long as the rig is moving, exhaust isn't a problem. we do not sit at idle unless its a stoplight.

All the brands of "Dog Trailers" that I've seen both in the U.S. and Europe don't have vents into the trailers from the front...therefore the fumes go around the trailer and not into it...
All the vents are on the Box's door and all the trailers that I've seen have their doors towards the outside or side or back of the trailer...And when you're moving the fumes would blow around the front of the traile towards the back and outwards...
Maybe there are some trailers with vents on the front...towards the back of the vehicle but I haven't seen any...

I was never one that likes pulling a trailer...and really still aren't...but to take a number of dogs with you at one time...a trailer is the best thing to have...I have a 4 Box WT and I was skeptical at first...but it pulls like it's not even there...I'm so happy that I got one...
To me the one thing that I'm so glad that I got and not so many have it and that's "dual axels"...I've only had 1 flat tire on my trailer but with the "dual axels" I barely even knew I had one...I would think that if you had only a single axel and got a flat tire on the trailer that I might just flip and lose not only my trailer but good chance my dogs too...

~Bob~

I have debated this with myself for a long time. I have a full size cargo van that I can load up more dogs than a practical size trailer will hold as I normally take 6-8 dogs to a show at once. The biggest worry to me is that in case of an accident, I don't want my dogs in danger in an unstable and vulnerable trailer, I want them with me. If we die we will die together! lol Also I like to have them with me so that I can hear what's going on with them and talk to them if need be. So, anyway.... that's my point of view. Who knows maybe someday I'll change my mind, but for now that's how it is and how I want it.
Debby 

For more than four dogs, I would recommend a large cargo van, or possibly buying a normal cargo trailer and modifying it for dog-hauling. A regular trailer has the advantage of serving as a covered staging and grooming area, which can be invaluable in bad weather. If you have a small number of dogs, I am with Q Man in my experiences with WT Metall trailers. Easy to haul, convenient, though I would likewise advocate the dual axel incase one happens to lose a tire.

Sitasmom,
If a bear wanted to get into your dog trailer or your car it easily could.  It would be highly unusual, I just wouldn't count on the trailer to keep a bear out.  I would store my dog food some where else, it is a big attractant. 

Slamdunc - we always keep all food (and trash) closed up in a land sea shipping container that is located quite a far distance away from the trailer, but thanks for the thought...i'm so glad you care.

I care about the dogs.

A person I knew had a very spendy imported GSD that they had in a wire crate in the back of their cargo van... they had a really bad accident caused by the other driver. The wire crate pierced the dogs heart & killed him. We just move our dogs in our van in airline crates, we feel it is safer. Do trailers are so small and you have to put into factor that you might be having a teen driving like an idiot then hit you with little to no insurance for you to recover a dog. You know your a good driver but you have to look out for the other guy when it comes to accidents. If I had my way we would be driving a tank with our dogs in it...lol There are far and few in between accident but if you get hit with a dog trailer how safe are those dogs? Will the trailer hold up to a hit?
Could your dog get out if the trailer was hit? If so is the dog a threat to others is injured? ( some could ) Then the PD would have to shoot a dog..... I know this part because I hear it all the time. It is really heart breaking. If you have an accident & your dog is not letting the EMT's in your car, the PD is told to shoot to kill the dog if the life of the human is in need of medical care and the dog is interfering with the life care needed to save the driver or passengers. In a nutshell, it is personal preference. We travel with a mini van, our airline crates are tired down & dogs are muzzled, we have info on the crate doors on what to do with them in case of am accident, we have a dog taxi on call with credit card number, a vet to take them too and if my service dog is not hurt, she comes with me to the hospital. Info is also stapled to our auto registration & proof of insurance! 

You travel with your dogs muzzled in their crates?