Crate/car question. - Page 1

So I'm having a little issue trying to take any of my dogs anywhere.  Typically they have always just rode in the back of the car which is fine. I drive a 2001 Toyota Celica. I fold the back seats down so the dogs have plenty of room.  If I'm doing any training anywhere I need to have them in a crate so to speak, most require it anyway.  If I go to town just to go for whatever reason I don't care, they don't usually bother anything, and they go in stores with me so they're not left alone.  Is there any place that makes angled or custom car crates?  If there was a way to make a custom crate with a door, that could be built in......if you look where the seats themselves are folded down, Anubis can lay down on that spot, no problem, The roof is also a lot higher at that spot.  I wish I could find someone who would custom make something to where it could go accross the width of the car, and the length of the seats, with a possible door get out of where the passenger seat is, or the back middle.  A van or car is out of the question at the time, and my car gets 35 mpg as it is.  I can also remove the top parts of the seat that fold back if needed to help with any extra height needed,  If I can move that plastic middle piece it may....possibly fit a crate sidways, but I'm not so smart when it comes to cars.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

WT Metal probably has a 1-2 dog box that will fit your Toyota. They aren't cheap, but they are really good quality. There are distributors on both coasts.

What all training equipment are you talking about? I don't have so much equipment that I can't fit it in the front right now (collars, treats, leashes, some toys), or even in the back behind where the seats fold down.  I already said I will not be getting a van or truck for a while.  Though I do need something somewhat soon for this car.

Well, there will be dumbbells, bottles of water, buckets, training clothes, harness, the equipment is going sneak up on you.

Seriously, between what you would pay for a custom job to get anything that would fit in a Celica + the damage you will do to any resale value of that Celica when you go to turn it in, you're better off looking at a truck or SUV now.

When I talked to a crate builder about doing something for my fairly typical SUV the final cost with just a few tweaks to a 'typical' crate set up was in the $8K range.  A situation like your I think you'd be starting at $10K at the low end.

Your other choice, if you go to the same field is to see if you can leave a crate there and just transport your dog in the car or find a way use a bar seperator between the back seat and the front, though you have to be careful to get one that fits tight so your dog doesn't bust out when he hears bite work going off.

Good point FHTracker, I also didn't realize it would cost THAT much.  There is a guy down the road that has an older truck, could fit two crates and a lot of equipment in it.  Not sure the condition of it or cost.  If I'm just going around town I don't need something fancy.

 

I would leave the crate at the field.....however we use a soccer field here, and it would easily be stolen by someone on a different day. Otherwise I would.

GSDGuy,

I just happen to know the profile of a Celica and I'm thinking that when I talked to a crate manufacturer about putting a crate in my SUV where all that had to be done was to 'slant' the sides a little the price went up quick.

For a car where you'd almost have to build a crate from ground up in a design that wouldn't let you use pieces you already had in stock ... I got to figure it would be close to double what my 'standard' crate would have cost.

Get a roof rack and strap on some foldable crates....dogs in back until you get there....backpack full of equipment for a passenger. 

For a quick "right now" fix. If you must have your dogs crated at training, as is required by most clubs...get yourself a couple of wire foldable crates and leave them floded up behind your seats while you drive. Set them up when you get to where your going. 2 Huge crates shouldn't cost you more than $100 online from any pet magazine. When your done at training, just break them down and let the dogs ride free in your car on the way back home.