Dog travel + folding bed

[Bobmarsh]

Firstly, what a great forum! Thanks for all the great info already!

Secondly, we’ve decided on a T6 kombi and a now working out a few customisations. The one we’re a bit stumped on is finding a good solution which combines 1. Safe travel for our large dog (golden retriever) and 2. A full width folding bed. There’s been some similar posts on this but I’m struggling to find a picture of a good example which shows how this might work. Ideally the dog would either be in a crate or in an area with a guard above the rear seats, but not sure that will quite work with the dimensions we have to play with. Anyway, if anyone has a solution for this kind of setup then would be very grateful!

 

[Westy78]

We have a large lab and use a vanking bed. When travelling with the dog I remove the single seat and put a rolled up rug in the side step to give him a level bed. The bed is still wide enough for two without using the single seat portion

 

[t6 soon]

hi mate have a look at thread dogs- how do you transport yours

 

[Bobmarsh]

Thanks! Yes, I’d reviewed that thread and a few others, but I haven’t yet found an example of a folding bed with a crate underneath (or on top). The dog will need to be able to stand up and turn around while on the road, and will need to be in a crate (or equivalent secured area). @Westy78 thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately we’ll need all three rear seats up whilst travelling. I like the look of the Van King bed - will do the sums on the dimensions for a crate underneath one of them (or the dog riding on top of it with a guard on the rear passenger seats).

 

[Sbh]

I’ve just had a Van King bed fitted in my LWB, no rear seats. If you need any dimensions please let me know

 

[Troj]

I have a triple bench seat and a Fortywinks fold out platform in my SWB. The dog (sprocker) loves being in the van and seeing whats going on - so I harness him to the bench for travelling. For sleeping, he'd be under the platform or in the attached tent/awning.

 

[DarrenTT]

I’ve got 2 Choc labs and considering getting a large soft crate to sit behind the captain seats.

 

[DanTK]

I’ve got 2 Choc labs and considering getting a large soft crate to sit behind the captain seats.
View attachment 82547

@DarrenTT Did you go for this option in the end or did you find something else? Like yourself I have two dogs and wondering what the best and safest way is to transport them in the new van.

 

[DarrenTT]

@DarrenTT Did you go for this option in the end or did you find something else? Like yourself I have two dogs and wondering what the best and safest way is to transport them in the new van.

Yes, went for this option. It does take up lots of room though. But crate fits nicely.

 

[interbear]

We have a D-Ring on the door pillar (front of the sliding door) and tether the dog to that with a lead and harness. He’s a medium sized sprockador (yes that’s a thing apparently) and tends to spend most journeys lying in the decent sized gap between the driver and passenger “captain seats”. Although he does like to jump up onto whoever is in the passenger seat sometimes too. Sleeping wise he usually takes up most of our RIB bed or sleeps on his bed on the floor or in the tunnel area if we have the driveaway awning attached.

 

[z1ts]

I'll caveat this by saying that I neither have a dog nor an Ovano bed/dog crate...

But blimey this stuff looks absolutely stunning:- Ovano Switch Dog Crate | Ovano T5 T6 Transporter Kombi and they get some fairly rave reviews on this 'ere forum...

Just gonna cost you quite a few buttons

 

[symoneous]

I have a similar issue to the OP.

My dog (Alaskan malamute) needs a 65 cm crate - which doesn’t fit under any bed that I could find so far. Wessex vans has close to this, but don’t accommodate the auxiliary heater panel.

I also need the first row of back seats - or at least 2 out of three - to transport my kids.

So ideally I would like a foldable bed system, much like the forty winks one or Wessex one, but with much higher clearance.

Normally the pooch sleeps outside the car, but when push come to shove, he might need to be in the van at the same time as we’re sleeping in there.