all about dogs

If you like to take your dog with you nearly everywhere you go, and you may worry about their safety during the trip. Dogs love to be in the cabin with you, their heads dangling outside the truck window and ears flapping in the wind. As lovely as this is to see, it is not safe for either you or your dog as even the most well mannered pooch may be enticed to run around the cabin and end up in the lap of the driver.

If you have to transport your dog and especially if you will be alone in the vehicle, the best thing for you to do is to have a dog box put on the bed of your truck. Dog boxes are available in wooden and aluminum models and come in a variety of sizes to fit all breeds of dogs that will be required to to be transported. The setback is that purchasing a dog box can cost anywhere between 0 – 650 for singles and in excess of 00 for boxes that can accommodate 3 or more dogs. If this is not in your price range, you can make your own dog box for just under 0 to safely and comfortably move your extra family member in your tuck.

Required Tools and Materials

Tape measure

Drill

Box material (wood, aluminum, or hard plastic coated with polyurethane or vinyl this guide describes building a wooden box as this is the most affordable material).

Saw

Screwdriver

Sand paper/ Electric Sander

Hammer and Nails or A Nail gun or carriage bolts

4 Latches

Mesh grating

2 sets of small hinges

1 Handle

1 yard of thick carpeting

Staple gun

Instructions

Step One

With the tape measure, find the dimensions that will be needed for the dog box and make a note of them. Measure the height, width and length that the box will take up in your tuck, making sure that the top of the box will not obscure your rear view mirror and that your dog will be comfortable while being in the box. Also determine how tall your dog is for the door you will make in the front of the dog box.

Step Two

Mark the dimensions you have measured onto the wood in pencil and using the saw or a woodcutter, cut out the shapes required to construct the box. You will cut six parts when you’re finished: A floor, four sides (one side containing a door for entry and exit) and a top.

Step Three

Using the drill, make little ventilation holes in at least two faces of the box. Do not make holes in the top or floor of the box to prevent water from entering. After drilling, make sure that you sand down the sides that will make up the interior of the box. Cut out a square or rectangle from the side that will be used as front of the box. This will be the door.

Step Four

Piece together the box using the hammer and nails, nail gun or carriage bolts. (Persons using aluminum will need to weld each of the sides together). Secure the top, 3 sides and base to each other, leaving off the front with the cut out for the door.

Step Five

Using screws and hinges, secure the door that has been cut out to the piece being used for the front of the box. Check to make sure that it moves freely, opens outward and closes tightly. Add the latches to the door; add one to at the top and bottom and two on the side opposite to the hinges.

Step Six

Cut out carpeting and secure to the floor and sides of the box using the staple gun.

Step Seven

Attach the front panel with the door to the box using the hammer and nails, nail gun or carriage bolts and attach handle to exterior.

Step Eight

Paint the outside of the box with a sealer or water resistant paint and decorate

Step Nine

Make eight small holes into the bed of your truck and eight duplicate holes (four on each side) through the wood of the box that line up. Using the large screws and bolts, fasten the box to the bed of the truck.

Step Ten

Test your dog box without your dog. Put in a few full water bottles to mimic the motion of your dog during a drive and verify that the box doesn’t shift on rough terrain or when going uphill.

Tips and Warnings

1) Use protective equipment (gloves and goggles) when using nail gun, sanding or sawing.

2) Double check all measurements before cutting wood.