Best Dog Crate for Truck Bed?

[Mountain Man]

Hey everyone,

My family is getting a new dog and I wanted to see if there are certain brands of dog crates I should take a close look at or avoid. The crate will be in the back of the truck bed with a topper. Main pursuits will be waterfowl and upland. Any insights would be much appreciated.

 

[pabearhunter]

FRONT SEAT.

 

[Nutrioso]

Gunners are the Rolls Royce of dog kennels. The doors triple lock, they are double walled and they have very stout tie down points. Only downsides are weight (if you are moving it in and out of the bed often) and cost. It you don’t have a Rolls budget, Ruff Land makes a really nice kennel.

 

[Chase0109]

I don’t know that there is a best. But I’ve been using a pair of Dakota 283 kennels for the last 3 years. They will last my lifetime and beyond. Extremely well built. My dogs have logged over 40,000 miles cross country in them. Reasonable cost, worth the investment.
Chase

 

[howl]

First concern is ventilation under the topper. Dogs are more likely to overheat than suffer from cold.

I like boxes made from dura-bond aluminum sheet. They're sturdy but light.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I'm pretty frugal so I've always gone with the $60 kennel at the local hardware store.
No complaints and I've been using these types of kennels for 40+ years.
I usually have 2 for each dog...1 stays in the bed of the pickup, the other stays in the house.
I can fit 2 kennels side by side inside a Ford Escape because one is 24" wide the other 22" wide,
for 2 labrador retrievers.

If you fly your dog, remember to put those kennel dishes somewhere you will remember.
Some airlines require them in the kennel when flying the dog.

 

[Cattleman]

Shop Dog Kennels | The Safest Dog Kennels | GUNNER

Shop the best American Made dog boxes. Our G1 dog kennels are the only 5 Star Crash Tested pet travel crates and come with a lifetime warranty. Find out more.

gunner.com

Safe Dog Crates | Lucky Duck Premium Kennels

Pound for pound, the safest kennel on the market. The Lucky Kennel is 5 Star Crash Test Certified and is proudly made in the USA. We believe Loyalty Goes Both Ways.

www.luckyduck.com

Unparalleled Pet Protection

Dakota 283 offers unparalleled pet protection in the design of dog kennels, dog crates, food and water storage, and the tailgate lifestyle.

dakota283.com

Hunting Dog Crates

Keep your hunting dog comfortable during your hunting trip with a Rock Creek Crates hunting dog crate and insulated crate cover. Buy your hunting crate today.

rockcreekcrates.com

Ruff Land Kennels – Performance Kennels

Performance Kennels

rufflandkennels.com

 

[coleslaw]

Ruffland for me. No complaints. Whatever you get, just make sure you strap it down so it doesn't slide around or roll in the back of the truck.

 

[YukonGold]

Ruffland. Pretty good value, safe, customizable (1 door or 2), good ventilation, have grommets for strapdown anchors, and compatible with Mud River insulated covers for cold weather. I also like that the door easily comes off for situations where you want to use the crate as a doghouse. My pup is 65 pounds and fits in the large size. Much bigger than that and you'll probably want an XL.

I bought mine at Cabela's, which was another plus--not having to wait months for it to be shipped. I think many sporting goods retailers have them in stock.

 

[mtmiller]

Another Ruffland fan. I like that the door opens either direction and can just as easily be removed.

Good ventilation, but if you need more, just use a burner stove right next to it to block the wind. Works great makes a good handle as well.

 

[golfer]

We went with a lucky duck. Stout tie down points. Lockable latch. Good ventilation as well as good ventilation option with their cover as well. If you watch the sales at Cabelas you can get them at a reasonable price.

 

[JEL]

I'm pretty frugal so I've always gone with the $60 kennel at the local hardware store.
No complaints and I've been using these types of kennels for 40+ years.
I usually have 2 for each dog...1 stays in the bed of the pickup, the other stays in the house.
I can fit 2 kennels side by side inside a Ford Escape because one is 24" wide the other 22" wide,
for 2 labrador retrievers.

If you fly your dog, remember to put those kennel dishes somewhere you will remember.
Some airlines require them in the kennel when flying the dog.

Same here. I still have the one I bought for our first dog 35 years ago and it works fine although we now use it for rearing chicks. I have had a couple others and never had an issue.

 

[TheGreek]

Hey everyone,

My family is getting a new dog and I wanted to see if there are certain brands of dog crates I should take a close look at or avoid. The crate will be in the back of the truck bed with a topper. Main pursuits will be waterfowl and upland. Any insights would be much appreciated.

What kinda dog you getting man???

 

[2ski]

Gunner followed closely by Dakota 283. They have metal doors and I feel like are going to offer the best protection in the case of an accident. I like lucky duck but I don't like the plastic gate. After that I would go ruffland.

 

[Mountain Man]

What kinda dog you getting man???

Black lab. Hope to get him halfway decent for ducks and pheasants. You are welcome to join us starting in the fall of 2024!

 

[Mountain Man]

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. This is exactly the type of feedback I was hoping for!

 

[Elmacho]

interesting topic.....

 

[JLS]

I use Dakota 283.

 

[Bugle 'Em In]

I use Dakota 283.

What size are your Drahts using? L or XL?

 

[JLS]

What size are your Drahts using? L or XL?

Actually they might be medium. I’ll check.