How I keep my dogs in my pickup box - Easy Project 4 U

Airedale56

Airedale56

Member
My dogs (both Purdy and Spud) at some time in their lives have bailed out of the pickup either while it was stopped or almost stopped. The cause was usually another dog approaching the truck. Because I don't want them injured from a fall and because when I go to town there is a city ordinance that prohibits unrestrained dogs in pickup boxes, I built restraints.

For my pickup I drilled a 1/4 inch hole in the center of the toolbox that is screwed to the box. I added an eyebolt with nuts and washers inside and outside the toolbox(rubber for weatherproofing and steel to spread out the strain around the hole). I built some cables with snaps on each end to attach to the eyebolt and the dogs collars. No more dogs jumping out and no tickets from the local PD.

AND on a hot, sunny day I can unsnap from the eyebolt and snap to the receiver hitch where the safety chains go so the dogs can lay under the truck in the shade when I'm at a ranch HQs or son's house in the country and I don't want them roaming.
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My brother-in-law and I were in Custer, SD a couple weekends ago and his black lab jumped out of the box twice and found us. Don't want him run over or stolen so I told the B-I-L I'd fix him up to keep Arlo in the truck.

Stopped at the hardware store today and bought some chain, couple snap links to connect between the factory tie-down hooks at the front of the box. He doesn't have a box-mounted toolbox like I do.
Then bought the necessaries to make the cable. For $35.00 he's fixed up. I probably could have done it cheaper but bought good rust resistant components.
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I can't remember if I bought the crimper at Lowe's or Home Depot. Works great and even a big dog isn't going to pull the cable ferrule crimp apart.

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If you decide to build something similar, just make sure the dog end of the snap where it attaches to the collar stops just short of the edge of the box before you crimp the ferrule. Don't want your dog to hang himself.

Just thought I'd share my solution. You guys got anything similar?
 
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i do the same, only with a chain running across the front of the bed, connecting to the front stake holes. it has 3 short chains spliced into it. one in the center, and one on each side. each short chain is about a foot long. keeps them apart from each other, and from being able to reach each side. and are long enough for them to sit or stand comfortably.
 
Shows what I know, I thought everone with dogs had drop chains from a headeche rack, or chains hooked into a tool box.(dog box is even better/safer)
Whatever works for you, some type of restraint in the truck bed is a good idea.
 
Thats a good idea, I dont use a dog box, the dogs I have fit in the cab. But I might use this for spring and summer time work.

Tim
 
I did something real similar to my Chevy for my lab. Instead of drilling into something, I made a rig that ran across the front of the bed using cable and the clips pictured above. Before putting on the second clip, I put a "runner" on the cable that would allow my dog to go from side to side but not give him room to bail out over the side of the bed. This allowed him room to move, kept him safe and also allowed me to remove it anytime it wasn't in use or if I wanted to haul something.

I had thought about the eye-bolt before but didn't want anything permanent mounted in the bed.

Then again, I don't have a toolbox and that would probably get in the way for the rig I made.
 
Airdale, be careful when leashing dogs to hitch area to let them get shade. Saw an old man drag two beagles 1/4 mile behide his pickup at a SPO hunt in Texas. Not a pretty sight.
 
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