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Large dog with no top or doors, who's doing what?

10K views 40 replies 22 participants last post by  Stankgearoil 
#1 ·
I have dug through some of the other threads but I haven't found the awnsers to what I am looking for.

I am looking at getting another Great Dane and I was wondering what people are doing with Giant bread dogs when there are no doors on. I'm not one to just let one lay around untethered.
 
#2 ·
I have a blackhawk belt with a triangle link attached to by rear roll bar which I attach a carabiner to then attach a short leash (strap, etc) and then it goes to my dog which is wearing a harness. The leash is long enough that the dog can move around, but not get tangled and not get over the outside of the Jeep. This method works so I can quickly get my dog in and out via the carabiner.
 
#6 ·
I use the RuffRider Roadie harness in the biggest size for our Leo. It accomodates over a 37" chest. I am not sure how big it will go, but our Leo has a 40" chest and it fits fine.

This harness has a built in tether/short leash that I fasten to the rear roll bar, right above the seatbelt location, using a heavy duty strap I made and heavy duty add-a-links. This gives him enough room to just barely touch my ear with his nose but he cannot get out of the Jeep. I have pictures of this strap I made, but not one with the pooch in the Jeep.
 
#8 ·
Great Danes are so awesome! :)

Depends on how much risk you are willing to take.

Case in point:
Fellow member was cruising down the road, minding his own business. Car ran a stop, "T" boned him which flipped his jeep, and he went sliding down the road on the roof.

Can you imagine what would happen to a dog tethered to a sport cage... :eek:
Don't think I could handle the aftermath of listening to my dogs screams in that scenario.

So whatever you consider, think about the all the distracted drivers, and consequences of their stupidities before spending your hard earned cash.
 
#10 ·
Great Danes are so awesome! :)

Depends on how much risk you are willing to take.

Case in point:
Fellow member was cruising down the road, minding his own business. Car ran a stop, "T" boned him which flipped his jeep, and he went sliding down the road on the roof.

Can you imagine what would happen to a dog tethered to a sport cage... :eek:
Don't think I could handle the aftermath of listening to my dogs screams in that scenario.

So whatever you consider, think about the all the distracted drivers, and consequences of their stupidities before spending your hard earned cash.
A valid point. There is one long video out there of off-road rollovers. In each case with a "loose" dog and open top- the dog was able to jump out without harm. That bothered me for awhile- however roll-over accidents (on-road or off-road) are far less common than a hard stop, a dog in another car, swerving to avoid road kill or road debris etc. occur far more often. So mine are strapped in.Just my opinion.
 
#9 ·
I used to use the method above (grab handle between soundbar; leashes attached) but I've stopped. Twice now- once with doors on but door open, and once with tube doors- my dogs have jumped out from the front. Nearly hung themselves because the leash was attached above. In each case I was there so no harm was done but they could've hung themselves. Your Dane would be tall enough that it wouldn't be an issue- but injury is still possible. (they tend the thrash around when this happens). I'd only run doorless with a pet barrier behind the seats in this set-up. And attach to a harness not a collar.
I bought a strap from Safari Strap that runs between the roll bars and behind the front seats now. Leashes attached to it.
 
#12 ·
Here's what I used when transporting one Doberman in the back of a JKU HT with doors on.
http://www.amazon.com/Huaiysl-Belt-...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

But, I think I like the rough rider harness better. I had not seen it.

I don't think I would transport a dog in any Jeep with topless and doors off. Too much like transporting one in the back of a pickup, even if they are tethered.

I also use the JKU to transport rescued Dobermans, and I always use a large wire crate at that point. It is a strange dog that may have been traumatized and suddenly start thrashing. Here's one I transported recently, picking him up at a shelter and starting him on his trip to South Carolina. He was very traumatized after three days at the shelter, but after spending a few days with a foster he came out of his shell and is doing fine.
 
#14 ·
I have a Lab and Great Dane mix, about 120 pounds. I also have a 4 door. When he's in for a ride I just keep the back doors on, roll the windows down half way for him, keep the back caged in with the safari straps and lower the seats so he has enough room to move.

I've thought about ways that I could get him to be in one place with the back doors off, but the thought of him breaking through them while I'm strapped in the front and getting out of the vehicle is not worth the risk to me.

I do take the fronts off, but he knows not to get in the front seat, and its easy for me to block him with an arm if he gets a little close.

This system works for me, and he always has a great time when going for a ride in the jeep.
 
#19 ·
A leash fastened to the rear floor tie down hooks always worked for my 2 labs. Is it safe in the event of an accident? Probably not. In most instances my labs would just sit in the back without any restraints on when they traveled with me. They sat in the rear with their heads resting on the back tailgate or rear seat looking forwards. If I had the doors and top off, my worry becomes not of protecting them in the event of a potential accident but they may get a temptation to jump out of the vehicle and find themselves in the middle of traffic which would be much more dangerous.
 
#24 ·
I have two smaller labs, so not sure that my info will be too helpful to your big Dane. But my boys wear seatbelt harnesses (not walking harnesses) purchased at Petsmart. Each is clipped to an 18 inch long, 1 inch wide leash. The leash is clipped to the floor tie-down by looping the end through double caribiners. I use the front floor tie-downs on my JKU, one for each dog. (My back seat is folded flat and stays that way; I do not have human passengers back there.)

However, I can tell you this set-up will not work with the doors off. I did try it once, driving in the driveway, slowly, and my "smarter" boy ended up on the ground trotting beside his door. Well, kind of trotting - he could not get all 4 feet down at once due to the shorter leash. Naturally I was just doing a test so basically saw him fall out; he was leaning out and just slipped. He only "trotted" a few feet because I stopped immediately, of course. No harm done, but it showed me that for my setup, there is no going around without back doors. Maybe some of the guys who had center tie-down, or tie-up, have been successful that way. For me, though, I run without front doors, but leave the back ones on for the dogs. It's much less cool, but as a former prosecutor, I've seen too many traffic accident photos involving dogs. I'm not risk free, I'll admit it - I imagine if I roll it, my dogs will be badly injured by hitting the roll bar - but I think they are in pretty good shape to sustain a non-rolling crash. Good luck solving your problem. If your dog is like mine, it's damn near impossible to leave the house without him.

Oh, and I do run it topless. Just not doorless. One boy does not much like the wind and simply lays in the center right behind the console, and the other one dons his doggles and hangs his head out for maximum wind effect.
 
#27 ·
Still on that high horse? Kinda sorry that you thought I got irritated with you. It's got to be hard to balance up there on that horse with such a big head and I would hate for it to get any bigger and make you fall and hurt yourself. (See I do consider all angles) Like was stated earlier this thread was to gain information. So glad you keep chiming in and saying the same thing over and over.

You are right about one thing though. Ultimately I will do whatever I decide because it is my decision not yours. Your opinion has been stated and noted but its just that an opinion. Unless you have anything else useful to say please stop wasting my time.
 
#28 ·
After how many years of the internet? And, after how many years of the "chat boards" my friends and I accessed with our C-64's and Atari 130's?, it still never ceases to amaze me how a topic on a chat board often progresses. The OPM will ask a legitimate question about something. Several other posters will respond, usually with relevant information. Then, almost as often as not, someone comes along to post a statement that either (A) has nothing at all to do with the original question, but rather is a statement of ignorance or prejudice vaguely related to the topic at hand, or (B)is in disagreement with others who replied to the OPM in good faith. When challenged on their views, both types will respond with vitriol, insults, and denigration of the majority's intelligence, while continuing to contribute nothing at all to the conversation the OPM and others were trying to conduct.

For these people, (and you mostly know if you are one or not), I offer the following advice: If you have nothing to add to the conversation other than hate for the subject at hand or the people involved, STFU. If you have a dissenting opinion on the replies being posted, feel free to post your opinion, or perhaps turn it into a reasonable debate, free of insults and claims of superiority because of your opinions. To all who participate, please stop turning so many threads on so many boards into pissing contests - you only show your immaturity and do nothing to answer the questions the OPM was asking.
 
#29 ·
Further thoughts -

I got so wrapped up in my own high horse rant that I forgot to say anything relevant to the subject. While I agree that a pet crate may be better in some circumstances, it has been my experience that leaving a pet uncrated in a vehicle does not pose an imminent threat to the pet. While seat belts may not be designed for pets, they are certainly designed to restrain the forward movement of large objects (people) weighing several hundred pounds, in a vehicle accident. I highly doubt that extra devices that adapt seat belts to other occupants, like dogs, cats, children in some types of child seats, etc. will nullify the restraining properties of seat belts. I will be quite comfortable with restraining my Labradors with a chest harness attached to a belt or floor hook when my JKU arrives in the next week or two. As an alternative, one could always take some advanced driving education to learn how to avoid almost all accidents in the first place.
 
#32 ·
I purchased a long Safari Strap that attaches to each roll bar near the seatbelts in front. (Runs behind the front seats.) Dogs leashes are attached to it with a D-ring. I used to use the sound bar method but my dogs have nearly hung themselves trying to get out on 2 occasions. And that was tube doors with full sleeves. My German shepherd is very long/tall. She can't really hang herself- but she got wrapped up in the leash. Could easily have hurt herself. The long strap behind the seats doubles as a block- and I also use a bungee between my trek admor seat covers.
 
#36 ·
Seriously? It's a dog. Mine rides in the back. The humans are secured. If I am in a serious accident then the dog's fate is incidental. They are replaceable. Before the "you monster!" comments please understand that we don't all grow up the same. My first pet was a piglet that we roasted on a spit years later. Second was a calf.

Once watched my dog eat the poo as it came out of another dog's rear. Not human. Sorry for being such a human supremacist, but the dog is a criminal deterrent, killer of varmints, and retriever of prey. They are animals. What do you think those teeth are for? Eating berries or tearing flesh from bone?

Secure that mutt anyway you see fit.
 
#40 ·
I am not going to question your motives, but keep in mind how much damage the weight of a dog flying through the cabin during an accident would do to you or your passengers. Would you feel safe having an ax or a fire extinguisher loose in your cargo area? I can tell you that my dogs are big enough that they can do serious damage just by running full speed into me, I would hate to have 200 lbs. of canine flying towards me uncontrolled at 45+ mph.
 
#39 ·
I have a 70lb Rot / Lab mix that is crazy strong. The best thing that I've found that can keep her tethered is SURVIVOR Big Dog Seat Belt System, and it's fantastic. Wrap the anchor line around the roll bar, and then you'll have to buy an extension to get enough length, and it clips to the harness. There's no way she's getting out.

 
#41 ·
So could a suitcase, a bag of mulch, a watermelon, or any number of power tools. Wear a helmet.

If I start reading about the mounting number of human deaths caused by unsecured family pets during car accidents then I'll change my habits.

Reasonable: Considering how to keep a dog from jumping out of a moving vehicle (which I interpreted as more in line with the o.p.'s original inquiry).

Less reasonable: Viewing it as a blunt trauma projectile that should be ratchet-strapped to cargo hooks inside a plexiglass housing.

Unreasonable: Equating it's life to that of a member of your family.

Again, secure it however you want.
 
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