Too hot for the back of truck?

[LovenLifeGuy]

Were leaving for Kabatogama in a few hours and I was woundering where I should put the dog. Is it too hot for him to be in his crate in the back with the topper on? Or would it be better to put him in the boat in his crate? Any ideas?

Thanks, LovenLifeGuy

[Johnny_Namakan]

I's say shade should be your deciding factor along with air movement. The topper would provide the most shade as long as you can allow air to flow through. Otherwise shade or not, it'll get hot back there. If you can open the windows on the topper then I'd go that route. But, if you can provide descent shade in the boat for the pup, I'm sure air flow would not be a problem. This goes without saying, but just check on your little buddy a couple times if you can.

Good luck fishing. It's hot up here though. I'm in Cook right now and we are already 82 degrees.

[LovenLifeGuy]

Thanks johnny.. With a 8 month pregnant wife we will be stopping plenty . thanks

[Big D 1]

Put 'em inside with you in the AC

[Walleye Guy]

What we do with our two labs on trips above 80 degrees is soak them down with the hose or take them swimming before we put them in their kennels in the back of a pick-up truck that has a topper. This seems to help alot. We also stop for a water break along way. We also open the wing windows all the way as well.

[killerloop]

Block of ice in crate

[fishnhooks]

Big D1,

That's what I would do. Block of Ice in the kennel doesn't sound like a bad idea. I personally wouldn't get my pup all wet and them put him in a kennel in the back of a truck when it's this hot though that would be like a steam bath to them.

"hooks"

[Bryce]

Wet dog in a hot kennel is a recipe for disaster. Most trainers will wipe the dog's stomach and back with alcohol to promote cooling after a water workout in high temps. Somebody in western MN makes plastic kennels with a slide out tray underneath that ice would work great in.

[duckbuster]

Bad idea to water a dog down before putting him in a kennel. It will act as though he is in a sauna. Pro's will stake there dogs out until they are dry before putting them back up into the truck.

I would think the topper with the windows open would be fine.

[BLACKJACK]

We were traveling with two dogs several weeks ago when it was in the 90's, my topper has the bigger side open windows, I traveled with one open, it gives them the airflow that they need. Its when you stop that I'd be concerned - no airflow. You need to stop in the shade or what my wife and I do is that one of us stays by the truck and opens both side window and the back while the other one shops. I've also used the bag of ice in the kennel trick, you can check later and they'll be laying on the ice.

I disagree with the folks that say you shouldn't wet them down. The key is too get moving right away, get that airflow going. Try it on your own skin, stand in front of a fan, then wet down your skin or pants and go back in front of the fan, you're cooler after you wet down -provided that you have airflow.

[LovenLifeGuy]

I put him in back with one of the side windows open on the topper, it worked fine on the way up north. Yesterday when we left kabatogama it was 65 degrees at noon and by the time we hit 35w my truck read 96. With that window open it still was hot in the back.

LovenLifeGuy

[Walleye Guy]

If the back of your truck is hot enough to become a sauna because your dog is wet you should not be putting your dog back there to begin with.

I have talked to two "pros" at the Game Fair who said wetting a dog is a good thing to do and they actually have their dogs jump in a lake or creek before putting them in a truck when hunting on warm fall days. The water helps keep their core body temperature lower.

[Bryce]

Warm fall days vs. weather now is equivalent to comparing apples to oranges. DO NOT put your dogs under a topper for any amount of time right now. If fido isn't deserving of a seat with A/C, leave him/her at home. Makes me as mad as dogs roaming free in an open truck bed.

[311Hemi]

Quote:

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If the back of your truck is hot enough to become a sauna because your dog is wet you should not be putting your dog back there to begin with.

I have talked to two "pros" at the Game Fair who said wetting a dog is a good thing to do and they actually have their dogs jump in a lake or creek before putting them in a truck when hunting on warm fall days. The water helps keep their core body temperature lower.

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It's all about airflow. You DO NOT want to put a dog in the crate wet if there is no airflow/wind and/or the truck is not moving (topper or not).

If you have a fan plugged into a converter blowing into the crate then I think it would be ok if the dog was wet, since it will allow evaporation.

Another good article below this explaining some of this.

[tealitup]

This is going to sound stupid, but... There is a contraption for humans that you put around your neck on hot days and it keeps you cool. Sharper image I think makes it. A co-worker had one and I tried it. It actually worked great.

Could a guy put this around his dogs deck securing it somehow? Would this help?

[Blaze]

I saw a guy a couple weeks ago who bought a cheap indoor/outdoor thermometer and installed the sensor in his topper attached to his built in kennel and the control unit (where you read the temp) was installed on his dash. I thought that was a GREAT idea for keeping a close eye on the conditions in back.