Trailers

[Willowlane]

So some questions

What do people travel in them with their dogs? Nothing, Dog Beds? How do you stop them slipping around?

I just think travelling them on the hard surface for hours would be harsh but I dont know if thats the norm?

One company told me to carpet the floor but I thought this might get rather smelly with urine etc and difficult to clean

How do you clean them inside?

How waterproof are trailers in general from rain etc

[Salukifan]

I'd say padded bedding is the norm.

Provided you spell your dogs from the trailer periodically they will not pee in there. Pups may be a be different and accidents happen but urine in bays would be unusual and, to me, a sign you need to stop and toilet dogs more.

It's not like horses who will toilet in floats (although few will pee after some experience). Dogs have significant inhibitions about peeing where they are lying.

Some folk have special canvas covered beds made to measure. Most I know use vet bed and normal dog bedding, remove it and wash it after a trip way. Some put marine carpet as the bottom layer and then bedding on top. Dogs move around a fair bit in there - they need some padding IMO.

Waterproofing is about build quality. A will built trailer should not leak into the inside.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Haredown Whippets

[Podengo]

I've never seen a leaky dog trailer. A well made one is waterproof and they stay really warm overnight. I travelled away with a group of friends for a week long agility seminar and show trip, and we had 8 dogs with us so took a trailer. It was pretty cold weather, and each morning when I opened the trailer up there was a big gush of warm air out of the trailer and all of the dogs looked really snuggly and warm. Elsie had her regular bedding in the trailer (a thick foam bed, a mink blanket and some polarfleece blankets). The other dogs had dry bed and a few other blankets.

[WreckitWhippet]

You train them and take regular toilet breaks and give them the best bedding you can

[Willowlane]

Thankyou guys but please more information to anyone willing to give it!

Plus some more questions :)

I will only be taking 1-2 dogs to the shows so not sure enough heat will be generated to keep them warm at night but have just asked the lady we are buying the trailer from if its carpeted or not. We have 2 big dog beds here we can use plus some blankets.

Good to hear about the peeing, im coming from horses so use to poop and pee is normal. How often should you stop and give them a toilet break?

A very important question....how hard are they to reverse lol!

[dragonwoman]

So some questions

What do people travel in them with their dogs? Nothing, Dog Beds? How do you stop them slipping around?

I just think travelling them on the hard surface for hours would be harsh but I dont know if thats the norm?

One company told me to carpet the floor but I thought this might get rather smelly with urine etc and difficult to clean

How do you clean them inside?

How waterproof are trailers in general from rain etc

When travelling in wet conditions close your roof spinners (should be able to from inside trailer) so water is not sucked up through doors by updraught

In really cold weather we have put a silver tarp over trailer at night, warm as toast in the morning

[WreckitWhippet]

Mine had a mix of futon beds topped with blankets and some of them had cube beds. Whippets like their creature comforts.

It's a bit bare in there in that pic as I think I'd come back from a show with a friends dogs in a couple of the berths

[WreckitWhippet]

http://www.ozdogbeds.com.au/snooza-pet-futon.html?gclid=CjwKEAjw65GqBRCj3fLFwK2SpWoSJABa3E3cc45jjO4LVNJ7PHpfcaKl8Fq7_qKqNzG9mz41ef9AMRoC7kTw_wcB

These fit perfectly in Toledo trailers

[Dogsfevr]

If your dogs are clean at home & in there crate they should be spotless in the trailer .

I travel mine in comfort .i like comfy supportive beds & bedding seasonal appropriate.

Leaking shouldn't be an issue but some trailers do get water in often sucked up via the vents .

My tricky 6 berth is great in rain & i have coated breeds although 99% of the time the dogs are in the car ,gear in the trailer & they sleep in it over night if required

[Salukifan]

If your dogs are clean at home & in there crate they should be spotless in the trailer .

I travel mine in comfort .i like comfy supportive beds & bedding seasonal appropriate.

Leaking shouldn't be an issue but some trailers do get water in often sucked up via the vents .

My tricky 6 berth is great in rain & i have coated breeds although 99% of the time the dogs are in the car ,gear in the trailer & they sleep in it over night if required

Ditto when I use mine, which is rarely.

[Willowlane]

WreckitWhippet which size fit perfectly?

Are they nice and thick/cushiony? Do they keep their size or flatten really easily

[Starkehre]

In our berths, first goes down thick rubber vented matting from Bunnings. One sheet fits into 2 of our berths, they are big berths, no wheel arches. The matting was fairly expensive but lasts forever. This absorbs a lot of the shock. Remember, no matter how well built a dog float is, it will never ride like a car, they are simply not designed to. it is really rough going inside on the dogs. I've travelled inside many floats and they are all much the same with main differences being loudness and drafts, they are all very rough.

Next we put down absorbent mats. These will absorb any saliva, water dribbles etc (our float does not leak). These mats also dig into the rubber mat a little so do not slip and the rubber mats do not slip on the floor.

Then we put down double slipped futons for the girls and one of our DuraTuff Crate mats for the boy cause he's a warmer dog and finds the futon too hot.

On top, provided it is not hot weather, we place a large piece of vet bet. Nothing moves and it is about as well padded as it can be without being excessively deep and restrictive.

I find dense and good shock absorbing bedding far superior for comfort to thick bedding for floating.

If you have vents in the doors you may find the dogs travelling on the left hand side may get a little dustier than the dogs on the right.

Travel the worse travellers in the front berths as their is less movement up front.

In my experience enough warmth is never an issue. Keeping the dogs cool can be, but as long as sensibility prevails, no problems. As long as you have adjustable whirlies you can regulate inside temperatures to a degree.

I wouldn't go for a carpeted float. Too difficult to keep clean. An easy to wash out float makes a huge difference.

I'm self taught trailer reverser, I find it really easy, but I also used to have a horse float. But I am a real driving enthusiast, many people aren't and I get that :D I'm sure someone can teach you how to back the float.

We find expecting the dogs to empty more often than every 4 hours is overkill. They usually sleep and rarely drink whilst we are driving, even though we have non-spill bowls in there for them. We prefer to let them sleep and know they'll empty for us approx. once every 4-5 hrs. Of course it can depend on the length of the trip, the weather conditions etc. We do endeavour to split up into fairly even breaks. If I am going to the loo myself in between a planned dog empty, I will check on the dogs, but won't disturb them if they are resting well.

When I first floated my dogs I tried emptying them every 2 hrs. It was ridiculous because they just wouldn't go to the toilet and seemed to be annoyed being hassled so often.

I've clocked up over 45000kms with our float over the last 4 years LOL, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask :)

Edited May 2, 2015 by Starkehre

[Casima]

Hi, I bought a new dog trailer this year, first time I have owned one and first time any of my dogs had been floated, I did lots of research before buying, I wanted something of high quality to ride my precious dogs in. All but 1 coped very well with it (that 1 is my stresshead, and she settled down ok after awhile) they have arrived seemingly well rested and and ready to go and have all been very happy to get back into the trailer again after a ride, the dogs are all crate trained so I am sure that helps them settle. My trailer walls and floor are all lined with aluminium and can be washed out if needed, so far only needed that once when my old boy had an accident, usually they will all hold on until they burst when crated or in a trailer. I made beds that fit the berth size out of a stiff enough foam that the dogs wouldn't slide around and thick enough to help make the ride more comfortable, I wash the covers after each use and air the rest of the bed out, so far so good. I have left a few dogs inside the trailer overnight while away, if you keep the windows and vents closed it seems to keep the heat pretty well, it is insulated, but I did put coats on the dogs that I know feel the cold just incase. My trailer doesn't seem to leak at all, very happy with it, certainly makes travelling away to country trials with the dogs much easier. Still learning to reverse... mine has a pretty long drawbar which I am told makes it easier, I get better each time I try but still need a lot of practise :)