Design help request: Dog enclosure UNDER truck for camping

[SixLug]

I have a Dodge Megacab that I am starting to outfit for camping and light off road trips. I have a wife and a toddler, and two dogs. One dog is 90 lbs, and the other is 35 lbs. That is too much meat to store in the camper shell where we plan to sleep in the beginning (have to test the waters so to speak with the family). So I want to outfit the camper shell to hold us while we sleep, but the dogs can't stay in there. And they are not going to sleep in the cab either. I had a thought to make some sort of enclosure with "cage" style sides that would attach to the step rails (and potentially rock sliders in the future). So those would be the sides parallel to the lenght of the truck. Then something similar that would slide in front of the back wheels and behind the front wheels. Then they could sleep under there and be contained. And ideally there would be some sort of ground cover so if it is wet they aren't.

Problems I forsee:
- Lack of sleep from them barking at every noise in the woods.
- Keeping out creepy crawlies like snakes or scorpions or something since they can't get out.
- Exposure if it is cold but I think maybe a fluffy bed and dog "sweaters" or cover ups might help.
- What else?

Dumb idea? The truck has a lot of unused but usable area underneath, so I would like to take advantage of that.

 

[krick3tt]

Put them on top?

 

[ih8philly]

I'd be worried about them getting covered in grease, oil, and whatever other fluids are on the bottom side of the vehicle.

 

[SixLug]

Put them on top?

Haha. Getting the 90 lb dog on the top of a 7’ high truck could be a challenge.

 

[SixLug]

I'd be worried about them getting covered in grease, oil, and whatever other fluids are on the bottom side of the vehicle.

Good thought. They lay under there in the summer anyway sometimes and it hasn’t been much of an issue though. Now if it was really muddy or something I think that would be more likely.

 

[Paddler Ed]

Are they inside or outside dogs at home?

Our Collie x Kelpie is an outside dog at home - she sleeps in a kennel and run - and associates being on a long lead as sleep time from when she was a pup and didn't have the run so she was on a chain next to the kennel. As a result of that, she's pretty good at ignoring everything around her if she's on her lead.

When we go camping, she'll sleep under the car tied to somewhere she can do the least damage... having had to sort out the trailer wiring conduit one trip, I'm wary of that now! On the ute, she gets tied to the tray step and is quite happy there - she needs to be able to dig a hole to sleep in, so as long as she can manage that, it's not a problem.

The last trip, we didn't use the camper, instead we took swags that we set up on the other side of the ute to her on the floor. Luckily, she only realised in the morning that we were there!

 

[SixLug]

They sleep inside but are in and out all day. So I guess they “live” inside.

 

[tatanka48]

or don't take 'em

my heeler is happy in the cab of the Super-Crew w/ water(placed on the floor) when not w/ us(in stores restaurants or visiting friends)

in camp she sleeps in the tepee w/ me or in the trailer w/ us

T

 

[SixLug]

These dogs ARE family, so I don't want to hear the "...or don't get them" crap. They get to do pretty much whatever they want, they are almost NEVER kept in a kennel, they sleep inside by our room, they get good expensive dog food, etc etc. The 90 lb. one sheds like a dried out Christmas tree and we don't want that all over us while we are sleeping, not to mention the lack of space with 3 people, two dogs, and still having to have some stuff inside the shell with us. They don't sleep in our beds at home, and they won't on the road either.

We WANT to take them because they are family, we are just looking for a way to have them sleep outside of the vehicle until we decide we want to do this for real. At which point I will convert our contractor shell to a pop up and we can sleep on the upper level and they can sleep on the lower level.

 

[Trikebubble]

What about an awning with the walls and floors off the side of your truck/canopy? They could stay inside that, safe and out of the elements, and still have a nice dry space to sleep in. That could/would also give you extra living room during the day.

 

[dwh]

Contained...I doubt it.

Every dog I've ever had thought the great outdoors was for digging. Even dogs that wouldn't dig at home would do it in the woods, beach or desert.

Blocking in around the base of the truck will only work until they decide to dig.

Personally I'd probably just chain them to the truck and rig a makeshift windbreak/shelter if they really need it.

They can "ruff it" just like everyone else.

 

[luthj]

There are some collapsible crates that fold flat. You could carry one and rig a way to hang it or attach it to the vehicle somehow.

 

[SixLug]

There are some collapsible crates that fold flat. You could carry one and rig a way to hang it or attach it to the vehicle somehow.

I was kind of thinking along this route as well. We have those crates but the big one is HEAVY. Add 125 lbs inside it and that’s gotta be a good support of the truck. But I do like this idea.

 

[JPR4LFE]

When its just me and the boys in my 06 Power Wagon, the dogs travel in the topper. once its time to convert the topper to sleeping mode, the dog is no longer allowed in there due to shedding and dragging mud in to our bedding. I end up moving one car seat out of the way in the back seat, and folding up the 60 side of the 60/40 bench, and draping a blanket of over as much as I can. The dog sleeps on the floor in the back seat and stays on the blanket. I don't find that he roams the cab but all dogs are different in that regard. It is certainly a bit inconvenient and would not be a great option for multi day trips. It also gets tricky if you have to keep a cooler, food or garbage in the cab overnight. Another alternative if you kept them in the cab during the night would be one of those hammock style doc covers that strap to the headrests in the back seat. Pull it out when you go back to daytime mode. But I can certainly understand the appeal of keeping them outside of the cab, especially a large breed.

 

[SixLug]

When its just me and the boys in my 06 Power Wagon, the dogs travel in the topper. once its time to convert the topper to sleeping mode, the dog is no longer allowed in there due to shedding and dragging mud in to our bedding. I end up moving one car seat out of the way in the back seat, and folding up the 60 side of the 60/40 bench, and draping a blanket of over as much as I can. The dog sleeps on the floor in the back seat and stays on the blanket. I don't find that he roams the cab but all dogs are different in that regard. It is certainly a bit inconvenient and would not be a great option for multi day trips. It also gets tricky if you have to keep a cooler, food or garbage in the cab overnight. Another alternative if you kept them in the cab during the night would be one of those hammock style doc covers that strap to the headrests in the back seat. Pull it out when you go back to daytime mode. But I can certainly understand the appeal of keeping them outside of the cab, especially a large breed.

Exactly the situation. Travel in the cap, sleep somewhere else. I was pondering folding down the 60 side as well. And maybe the cooler can just be moved back and forth between the cap and the truck as required.