Dogs inside Camper Shell

[shanebevel@gmail.com]

Hey guys, I am picking up a camper shell later this week for my Ford Ranger. It is a nice, new camper with seals on the bed and on the backdoor. It has sliding glass windows on the side. The truck is in good shape, no rust holes in the bed, no holes in the exhaust (that I know of, but l plan to have it checked) and the exhaust exits out the side of the truck behind the tire (factory) not in the back of the truck.

I plan to carry my setter(s) in a wire crate in the back of the camper shell this year. I may build a nicer box towards the front of the bed next year from plywood.

So, questions:

A. Does anyone else carry their dogs like this?
B. How worried do I need to be about exhaust fumes with the windows open/closed?
C. How cold can it get before I need to start worrying about the dogs. The one I will travel with the most doesn't have a really heavy coat, but heavier than an EP/GSP.

I have read about some child fatalities, but most seem to be in a sealed camper shell with a rusty bed floor and rusty exhaust.

Thanks in advance,
Shane

[Kmack]

This is how I haul mine around.



I worry about the heat (I pour water in the plastic kennels when it's hot) but the cold has never been a problem. I put some grass hay in there if I will be leaving them overnight.

[shanebevel@gmail.com]

This is how I haul mine around.



I worry about the heat (I pour water in the plastic kennels when it's hot) but the cold has never been a problem. I put some grass hay in there if I will be leaving them overnight.

Nice setup, in my head I see the platform you have except the bottom being the dog box and the top being a futon mattress over the platform leaving just enough room to climb in and sleep.

So you leave the side windows open when in transit, right? That was my plan, and the dogs have beds that go inside the crate when it's cold. Luckily, the truck and camper are white, so that will help some with the heat, but we won't travel with them when it's really warm outside.

[RayGubernat]

Unless you have a muffler or pipes with holes in them, if the exhaust exits the side, the only place the exhaust can come in it where the tailgate meets the bed. and in the very front where there are weep holes for water. It can get sucked back in because of the vacuum that the back end of the truck creates going down the road, but I believe the greatest danger from the exhaust is when the vehicle is idling.

I have a piece of carpeting that butts right up to the tailgate which should stop most of the fumes from entering there. A piece of felt or spongy foam glued to the tailgate would seal it up even tighter. I also caulked the weep holes in the front...just in case. I also make it a practice to put the kennels six inches or more away from the tailgate, instead of butting right up against it, again...just in case.

Years ago, when it wasn't illegal, I had a pass through sleeve between my truck cab and the camper and my son used to sleep back there on trips and play back there when he wasn't sleeping. You may be sure that I never perceived any sort of issue. Before I let my son stay in there, I had my wife drive around with me in the back...just to be sure.

If you have wire cages, you will need to have some kind of windproof cover for them, even in relatively mild weather. An open wire crate is great in the summer, but I think that even when the temps are in the 60's, a dog should have a realtively small, protected space, in which to sleep. Unless you have a whole passel of dogs in that camper shell, they will not generate enough heat to keep each other warm, much less comfortable.

RayG

[shanebevel@gmail.com]

Thanks Ray, that makes me feel better. Also tells me I need to come up with another plan for the built in dogbox/platform. Seem like having dogs on bottom would be a bad idea. But I think that with two hardside crates (smaller by nature) I could put them end to end and still sleep next to them.

I use the wire crates in the house cause they are larger and we crate the dogs all night and when he have ppl over etc. We have wraps for them because we keep the house pretty cool at night. But having another couple smaller hardside crates sounds like a good idea. Plus, if I put a platform/cargo storage in, then the wire crates would be too tall I think (it is after all a midsize truck)

This guy has one killer setup.. I could for sure see building this.

http://www.bajataco.com/Camper1.html

Shane

[shanebevel@gmail.com]

Also, a well built platform and a lockable tailgate handle would provide me with semi-secure storage for camera gear and such (I am a professional photographer)

[Georgia Boy]

I carry my dogs in the exact same manner as you described except I do not have wire crates. I live in Georgia and haul them out west all the time. Just got back from a trip a few weeks ago that dumped 14 inches of snow on us with temps around 10-12 degrees at night. Dogs stayed in the boxes in the back of the truck no problem. When I scraped off the snow and opened the back I could feel warm air come out, they also had the windows fogged up.

[Kmack]

This is how I haul mine around.



I worry about the heat (I pour water in the plastic kennels when it's hot) but the cold has never been a problem. I put some grass hay in there if I will be leaving them overnight.

Nice setup, in my head I see the platform you have except the bottom being the dog box and the top being a futon mattress over the platform leaving just enough room to climb in and sleep.

So you leave the side windows open when in transit, right? That was my plan, and the dogs have beds that go inside the crate when it's cold. Luckily, the truck and camper are white, so that will help some with the heat, but we won't travel with them when it's really warm outside.

Shane,

The center plywood in mine is made in three sections front to back. I remove the back two and move the dog boxes to the front next to the cab. I use a couple of therma-rest pads and sleeping bags on the floor and it works well for me and three dogs. There are storage compartments along the sides with doors that hinge up. I have room for shotguns, extra clothes, groceries, etc. and it keeps it a little more organized when I am out for a few days.

I do leave the rear windows at least cracked open if the dogs are riding back there. I feel it gives enough ventilation to offset any fumes that might find their way in.

[shanebevel@gmail.com]

Thanks a lot guys! I am really getting excited about this project. I have three weeks to have something pretty workable in place for my trip to Hays, KS. We will be staying in a motel on this trip, but I would still like to have the platform in place. I also plan on carpeting the bed of the truck so that storage bins will slide in and out and so I can store light stands, tripods and such without getting them banged up.

I got a heck of a deal on a Ranch brand shell. It's $500 and already painted to match the truck perfectly, has the third taillight and a dome light installed. Just have to pick up some clamps and new weather stripping for the bed caps. I am picking it up on Thursday.

[Kmack]

If you're considering carpet, I suggest you look on e-bay for a Bedrug liner. The material will stand up to gas spills etc. and it is padded which is nice on the knees. I bought mine for $74.00 from an online store as I recall.

[Shadow]

I made a wooden dog box for my 84 Ranger pickup with a matching camper shell, used it for 9 years with three Britts- just put some straw in and they were fine in Northern Minn winter and down here in Kansas- locking back end is good

didn't put any carpet or anything down but sure could have- made a nice setup

[3Britts]

I carry mine in travel kennels very much the same way that Kmack does and I have never had a problem either.
You should be fine.

[Elroy's Bandit]

A. Does anyone else carry their dogs like this?
B. How worried do I need to be about exhaust fumes with the windows open/closed?
C. How cold can it get before I need to start worrying about the dogs. The one I will travel with the most doesn't have a really heavy coat, but heavier than an EP/GSP.

I run a Chevy Silverado 1500 with a cap. I have 2 hard shell kennels in the back and have at times put 4(although you have to move 2 out to get at the back 2)
Placing the crates to the front can pose some issues like getting at the kennels and not being able to use the entire area in front of the crates due to access.
I had the same concerns about the exhaust a few trucks ago, so I placed a carbon monoxide meter in the back and checke3d at idle, at 60mph, with the side windows open, back hatch window open and truck at idle....etc....etc. I found there were only very small issues with side windows open and truck at an idle. The meter was still within limits of ppm so I really never worried after that. Of course if your not dealing with a new truck, new and correctly fitted cap with all seals in working order, and a good exhaust system....I would be a little leary about placing my dogs until you have thoroughly tested .
I leave my dogs in the back in the winter. I do not leave the windows open when I am driving long distances on the highway and the temp is below about 40 degrees. Even on 25 degree nights, the water bowl does not freeze in the back, so it's not nearly as cold as the outside air temp.
Bill L.

[shanebevel@gmail.com]

Thanks for all the help here guys. I got almost everything built and ready to go. The only thing I lack is the doors on the back. All told it holds 3 crates and a large cooler (could hold four crates, no cooler) 4 guns in hard cases, and still plenty left over for camping gear and tools. Of course with all that in there it will be a pain to load and unload dogs, but it works... and for a shortbed Ford Ranger, that's a decent load!

Best setup will be me and one or two dogs, I can carry everything and still sleep inside the shell.

If folks are interested I will post up some photos when I get the back doors built later this week. With a locking tailgate the under storage area will be fairly secure (well, short of someone with an axe)

Shane

OH! I almost forgot, the entire thing is removable within about 3 mins with no tools. Just set it upright in the corner of the garage and you are set to carry big loads.

[tbuckus]

Yes, post some pics when you are done.

To continue putting yourself at ease, we transport our dogs in a canopy all the time. Some are in a kennel, some are out (fighting issues), and they do fine temp wise. We leave the windows closed if it is cold outside (-30 degrees) and they sleep on blankets.