Advice Wanted From Fellow Dog Lovers

My wife wants to trade the truck in for something with a third row so that our baby coming in January can have the middle row and our dogs can have the whole back. I’m trying to convince her to just get a topper for our Tundra and have them use the whole bed. They are spoiled goldendoodles and me or my wife don’t agree with them being in the bed without a topper since we go on long cross country trips twice a year and we don’t find days in the sun and wind and rain fair to them. My wife’s main concern is that they’ll get hot in a shell or topper or whatever. I said we could open a window for them but she said that we definitely would get annoyed with a window being open for 10 hour days in the truck. I said we could put a fan back there since there’s an outlet in the bed. She told me to look for advice on how well toppers work for other people with dogs (like I said. Spoiled goldendoodles. Not farm dogs that can take the heat and cold). Also, I love my wife so don’t comment negatively about her concerns lol. I’m concerned too. Here’s a pic of our boys

 

I've got a topper on my 1st gen with windows on both sides of it. We haven't had the dog back there for long trips but with both windows open back there she seems fine on the drives we've been on. I've got the small sliding back window I leave open so we can better keep an eye on her.

If you're going on long drives and are really worried about climate control back there one option could be finding a way to pipe one of the vents to the bed. Not sure of a great way to go about that on a nice 3rd gen but I'm sure it's possible. I'm assuming you have a 120 volt outlet in the bed so you could even affix a box fan back there and give them great airflow if the window isn't good enough or it's raining or similar. Or go crazy and put a portable air conditioner back there.

Are there many topper options out there for the 3rd gen yet?

 

Not sure what the seat config is in a 2022, but I'd assume you have a 60/40 split in the rear. So I'd suggest a partial (temporary) rear seat delete… So, car seat goes in the '40' seat, and remove the '60' side seat for now and store it in your garage during the "car seat" years. On the '60' build a platform that's elevated to a point just below your AC / heat vents, so it's not blocking them; storage underneath for shopping bags, suitcases, etc. and dogs will have access to and ventilation from 'their' side window and the rear window. The top of the platform can be covered w/carpet or a stall mat, dog beds, etc… and if you'd like to keep dogs, slobber, hair and stuff away from the baby just go to a glass shop and have them cut your a 'partition' from some 1/4" plexiglass to use as a barrier from the dogs and baby.

In reference to putting the dogs in the bed w/the topper. They would definitely need to have windows open for ventilation in comfortable climates. During hot or cold weather, the topper will keep them out of the direct elements, but it gets hot in a topper during the summer and cold in the winter, so I don't think it would be ideal for what you are describing for an ideal "comfort range" for your pups.

However, there looks to be a decent thread already started for '22 toppers and such, which should give you a fair amount of research and reading...

2022 Topper/Canopy/Shell

 

I have a topper on my truck, ordered it with a removable front window and took it out and have never used it. I made a gasket by glueing together two fat tire bike tubes to put between the cab and the topper. I took the screens out of the slider windows on the side of the topper so the dogs can hang there heads out. Also put a remote thermometer so I can monitor the temp in the back from the front. I attached headrest fans to the rear headrest so I can roll the back window down and get some air back there if necessary. For the most part though I just open the side windows for them and its all good. The topper is carpet lined and I also have a bed rug. The dogs love it back there and my cab stays clean since my dogs are up the woods daily swimming and running through mud or snow.

 

I have a very similar situation and my solution is that we are getting a rubber mat and a soft topper. It can't get too hot if you just roll up the sides. They are just as water proof as a jeep soft top. They are cheaper than a hard shell. In the cold, you can put bedding inside a kennel or small dog house so that your fur babies can retain heat.

Also, consider a wireless thermometer to ease your wife's concerns.

 

Maybe a couple of gunner kennels in the back? I have the dogs in the backseat of my truck and I think having too much space makes it hard for them to calm themselves down. I have a portable fan for them that can clip to the grab handle in the back, or to the kennel itself if it’s too hot.

 

The drives will be much more peaceful if you let the dogs in the truck and keep the baby in the back.

 

A topper with the dogs in these if you want the safest solution for your dogs.

https://gunner.com
You can put a fan kit on them or put a max fan on the topper.

Otherwise they are just bouncing around are at risk of injury during an accident or any sudden stops. Kennels are always the safest choice for transporting dogs

Or just open the windows on a topper and roll. With some ventilation they would be more at risk of injury from being loose in the back than from any environmental issue. As long as they have ventilation of some sort they will be fine in a wide range of temperatures. High heat you need to move the air so a vent fan of some sort would probably help with that.

 

Wife had a Kia Stinger but as we don’t need two vehicles right this moment we moved on from it. Eventually will be getting her something else but for now just down to the truck

 

We had a 1st gen with a topper for our three large dogs, and am waiting for a topper for my 3rd gen. We have the DC, so I will make a shroud around the small window on the back side with double-sided tape and some foam to isolate it from the outside so that I can open the small window and the topper will have the front slider window too. Plus, they love the riding with the windows open.

I'll put the dogs in a car occasionally, but not after a hike or when I take them swimming. They are too dirty - one shake and the headliner is dirty forever. Ask how I know.

 

Minivan all the way.

minivans can be badass. Rowdy j32 in an odessey? Supercharged oldsmobile silouhette? Srt4 caravan? Ls7 chevy express? Candy vans can be fun, too.

 

Yup it’s our first and we couldn’t be more excited. We have considered the new sequoia but at this point the wait is so long. Probably looking at getting something small for me to commute with when I need to. Lots of great suggestions on here!

I’ve been looking at the RSI toppers that havent come out yet but those look like it could be a good option too. Maybe not have to go fiberglass with Leer

 

Not sure this solution is out there yet, but I have a giant and miniature schnauzer and each has a Ruffland kennel which has a tie down accessory kit. Rotomolded and plenty of stories about how they survive rollovers. Might save money relative to other options. They also have a fan kit if you are worried about temperatures. I've seen many cases where people use a kennel like this or the brands previously mentioned fully exposed with a truck rack in warm climates, or in a topper. Finding a forum that talks about transporting hunting dogs might be a good second check. That's how I stumbled on this solution.

My giant is a large dog and I was able to find a kennel that fit the back seat of my Ranger (to be traded on an ordered Tundra) so I'm sure Ruffland has a kennel to suit your needs. I'm planning a 60% rear seat delete to stack the kennels, but will move back into the canopy when needed.

 

I'm probably not the best person to answer this question.








And yes, I had a topper on that truck.



It's entirely possible that our dogs may be a tiny bit spoiled.

 

My dog rides in the cab most of the time driving (I have one of those hammock seat covers for the rear) but she hangs out in the back when I’m skiing or going on long mountain bike rides and she’ll ride back there if I have a full cab and she doesn’t seem to mind.


I have a full bed set up with a mattress and I made window shades with some reflective insulation on the outside that helps keep heat out during the summer. I also keep one of the side windows open

 

If you spoil your dogs like I spoil mine you probably don't want them in the bed. Unless you've got the roll down back window and a cap you can open the front window on, then you could use the cab climate control in the back.

If you do put them in the bed you're going to want them in travel crates and you're going to want those crates properly strapped down. Otherwise there's a chance they get hurt sliding around back there.

I've seen too much hillbilly bullshit with people just tossing their dogs in the bed of the truck regardless of the weather, or what else is in the bed, I don't even consider putting my dogs back there.

 

Softtopper has an option to replace the rear plastic window with a screen window.
I'd definitely put them in transport crates though.

 

I get the whole working dogs part. At least you get the part where they need to be secured when driving.

In the cab I make my dogs wear seatbelts. Keeps them out of trouble and they don't get flung around in an accident.

 

I have a 150+lb Mastiff. When riding two or three miles to get to a local trail for a walk he goes in the back seat. For longer trips he is strapped with a seat belt. In the Tundra when I had the rear seats removed I bolted a plywood platform down and velcro a kennel pad to it, used a dog restrained that was attached to the bolts used to secure the platform. Ideal only when it was me the dog and one of my kids. I think post#9 has the best solution, topper with dog crates inside. If heat is a problem there are air conditioners you can install to keep them cool during the trip. I do not think I would have the dogs in the same space as the baby (in the vehicle) until baby is a bit older.