[jane032657]

We are wondering what those with dogs do when it is quite hot out and you are taking your dogs out for a ride, such as to the park? If your dogs are in the back of the pick up truck under a closed canopy, how to do keep it cool for them? We have a special exclusive dog car now but will not have it in Florida-we have one dog that licks the window in the car all the time as a nervous habit so we do not let him in the good cars. Now we are going to consolidate and have one vehicle, a new pick up with a canopy so the dogs can travel in the back, but we are wondering about heat. What do you do IF you do not take your dogs in the car itself but use a truck and have the dogs travel in the bed of the truck? What is your solution to keep them cool? Or is the only solution to have them in the back seat of the truck in the air conditioning? Thanks!

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by jane032657

We are wondering what those with dogs do when it is quite hot out and you are taking your dogs out for a ride, such as to the park? If your dogs are in the back of the pick up truck under a closed canopy, how to do keep it cool for them? We have a special exclusive dog car now but will not have it in Florida-we have one dog that licks the window in the car all the time as a nervous habit so we do not let him in the good cars. Now we are going to consolidate and have one vehicle, a new pick up with a canopy so the dogs can travel in the back, but we are wondering about heat. What do you do IF you do not take your dogs in the car itself but use a truck and have the dogs travel in the bed of the truck? What is your solution to keep them cool? Or is the only solution to have them in the back seat of the truck in the air conditioning? Thanks!

Put yourself in their shoes. What would you want your experiences to be like. Answer those questions and you will do whats best for them. Our pets look to us for nothing but love and will reward us back 100 fold. I say put them in the air conditioned cab of the truck. Heck, they are pretty funny to watch sometime and a quick lick always makes me smile.

We had a truck and the cap (canopy) had sliding windows with screens to let in the air. Plus we had a sliding back window from the front cab to the truck bed so some of our A/C went right back into the bed of the truck. You do need to be careful and never leave them inside while you go into a store, it will become an oven too quickly.

[jane032657]

Yes we were thinking a canopy with sliding windows and a window which opened into the truck for the A/C to get in.
Of course we will do what is right for our dogs, that is why we are asking the question of what others do...we have never lived in the Florida heat and are asking for assistance so we make the right decision. Our dogs rule our life, which is why we bought where we did in The Villages and why they enjoy their 1/2 acre fenced home here in Seattle which we also bought because of them...and every chair and bed is claimed by them as well. And I heat the electric blanket for them so they are warm in winter on our bed...
Obviously we are asking so the dogs are comfortable. We are well aware of not suffocating the dogs for heavens sake...they have their own car here in Seattle as well, that should tell you how well they are cared for... with air conditioning.
We are hoping to have one vehicle to meet all needs (ours and theirs) and two golf carts...

[jane032657]

Oh and just to add, our Irish Setter licks the windows without stopping, so much that in our Eddie Bauer Explorer, the back seat mechanism to fold the seat down was rusted by his saliva, so gross I know. THAT is why we do not like putting him in the good cars. Our English Setter is no problem at all in the car, but our Irish Setter, well. you never want to see it to believe it! That is how the Eddie Bauer car became owned by the dogs. You would NEVER put a live person in the back seat!!! It would be cruel after the Irish Setter rode in it....

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by jane032657

Oh and just to add, our Irish Setter licks the windows without stopping, so much that in our Eddie Bauer Explorer, the back seat mechanism to fold the seat down was rusted by his saliva, so gross I know. THAT is why we do not like putting him in the good cars. Our English Setter is no problem at all in the car, but our Irish Setter, well. you never want to see it to believe it! That is how the Eddie Bauer car became owned by the dogs. You would NEVER put a live person in the back seat!!! It would be cruel after the Irish Setter rode in it....

They have seat belts for dogs. I throw a sheet in the SUV for the dogs to sit on when we transport the dogs, it is easily washable.

In Florida, it is illegal to lock dogs in a car, good law, some people don't realize how hot it can get.

[jblum315]

Originally Posted by jane032657

Oh and just to add, our Irish Setter licks the windows without stopping, so much that in our Eddie Bauer Explorer, the back seat mechanism to fold the seat down was rusted by his saliva, so gross I know. THAT is why we do not like putting him in the good cars. Our English Setter is no problem at all in the car, but our Irish Setter, well. you never want to see it to believe it! That is how the Eddie Bauer car became owned by the dogs. You would NEVER put a live person in the back seat!!! It would be cruel after the Irish Setter rode in it....

We had a Gordon Setter that didn't lick the windows but he ate the seat belts. There was no seat belt around him, he just ate the belt that was lying on the seat. Cost a bunch to replace it.

[jane032657]

Love Gordon Setters. Gorgeous. Our dogs already ate the seatbelts in their dog car. We stopped replacing them when we gave the dogs their own car. Now the five passenger Eddie Bauer is two people in front and all the dogs you can squeeze in!

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by jane032657

Love Gordon Setters. Gorgeous. Our dogs already ate the seatbelts in their dog car. We stopped replacing them when we gave the dogs their own car. Now the five passenger Eddie Bauer is two people in front and all the dogs you can squeeze in!