Hey guys,

Just picked up my 2011 XLT SuperCrew on Saturday. Loving the EcoBoost and it's such a comfortable truck on the road.

Since we'll be using this truck for family hauling from time to time I'd like to figure out a good way to harness our Lab to the floor in the back seat. He's just a pup right now (35lbs), but he'll be around 70lbs all said and done.

I've found the BuckleUpPup harness (http://www.buckleuppup.com), but I was wondering if anyone else had a recommendation or alternative. I was thinking of getting a walking harness and then attaching a short lead to one of the bolts under the back seat. My only goal is to keep him safely harnessed to the floor of the back seat without too much slack. I don't want him on the rear seats or jumping on the kids!

Anyone have any experience securing a dog to the floor in the back? I think the floor in the back is the safest, anyway. Thanks for any help or advice!

 

That dog needs to be up on the seat with his head out the window.

 

I just put the rear seats up on my truck but yeah this is a great idea. I don't want a dog distracting me causing me to wreck-you know how they love attention!

 

I just put the back seats up, my Great Dane and GSDs know to stay in the back.

But yeah I think a regular harness would work with a leather lead bolted to the floor like you said.

 

I bought a nice, heavy canvas setup specifically made for protecting the seats from your dog's claws.

I have a Golden Retriever and there's no way I can make him ride in the truck without letting him hold his head out the window while we're in town.

Anyhow, the deal I bought has a strap/buckle for each (4) headrest. The canvas goes up the back of the rear seat, across the butt part of the seat, and up the back of the front seats, making a complete "U" shape across the whole back seat. Works perfect - the dog can look out the window and my seats are completely protected from his claws and all the hair he leaves behind...

 

They make some decent ones that work in conjunction with the seatbelts. I understand you don't want him on the seat, but he's gotta be able to look out the windows at the very least! (It'll help with keeping him from getting sick) Put him on the seat in the middle of the kids (assuming you have 2).

 

The big reason I don't want him on the seat is because I'm not sure there will be enough room for 2 child car seats and a 70-80lb dog down the road. I think I'd like to teach him to ride on the floor when he's 35lbs vs. trying to teach him when he's 70lbs. So far he usually rides on the floor in the front seat of my 2010 Mustang and he rides on the floor of the backseat in the truck for short trips. I think he actually likes to be down there if he can't stick his head out of the window.

One of the kids is on the way (November), so I'm not sure I like the idea of a 70lb Lab puppy with somewhat easy access to a newborn in a rear facing seat.

I think we've figured out a decent setup. I got a body harness from PetCo and i'm hooking a light chain to one of the seat bolts with a 1.5ft leather lead for the part closest to him. Luckily we have a few smaller trips (< 4 hours) before our long ones so we can try it out. Thanks for all of the suggestions!

 

duct tape.

 

Not to be a smart a** and I mean this in good humor, why not get a Expy? In an Expy, you can have your 2 car seats in the 2nd row, then put the puppy in the rear using the power fold down seats. The children will have plenty of room, and puppy has the entire back area to himself. And you may pay less for a XLT Premium Expy then a supercrew truck.

 

I'm pretty sure the Expy's are more expensive than a similarly equipped F150 SuperCrew.

 

Well, primarily because we already bought the F150

I have many uses for a truck and I don't much care for Expys. I'm just trying to make the car we have more friendly for traveling. I think we've got a good solution, but a trip this coming weekend will show me if I'm right or delusional.

 

you could pull a bolt out of the foot of the back seat, and put an eye loop bolted to that bolt.

 

Just don't tie your dog to the back of your vehicle and then forget.

 

Poor little guy would probably keep up with us for a mile or so. Tough little mutt...