# Travelling in the back of a van?



## foxyrockmeister (May 30, 2011)

The Pickles have previously always travelled in the boot of my hatchback/estate car or in the back of my hubby's Astra van. Lily lies down and Branston sits up watching out the back window.

Yesterday my hubby replaced his van with a Vivaro (panel van similar shape and size to Ford transit) It has no rear window or bulkhead window so when the doors are shut it is pitch black in the back. 

I'm thinking it would be cruel to travel the Pickles in the back of it, as it would be so dark. Hubby says I'm being soft and they'll be fine. I also worry about ventilation, obviously it's not air tight and it's huge inside but I'm thinking it might get hot with no windows to open? If they do travel in it it would only be for very short journeys and we could fix it so the internal light stayed on?

What thinks you?


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## PennyGC (Sep 24, 2011)

I have a van, but I have put ventilation whirleys in the roof and had the bulk head taken out and crates put in for the dogs... it can get steamingly hot in the back of a van and I wouldn't put my dogs somewhere I couldn't see them nor that I didn't know how hot it was... even on a cold day it gets very hot. If only for very short journeys I don't suppose it'll be too much of a problem, but I personally wouldn't do it.


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## Grace_Lily (Nov 28, 2010)

Think Hubby is in the wrong on this one 

I wouldn't be comfortable not being able to see my dogs when I was out with them. We were recently looking at replacing the dog wagon and ruled out the pick up truck type cars that have the boot area totally separate from the main part of the car. At least if you could see them you could monitor the ventilation issue.


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## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

It is not something I would be comfortable with, I wouldn't like the idea of not being able to see the dogs during the journey.


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## foxyrockmeister (May 30, 2011)

Thanks guys, I knew I was right, don't even know why I asked the question really 

The Pickles will not be travelling in the back of the new van unless hubby removes the bulkhead so we can at least see them, and even then it will only be for short journeys on non-hot days 

Or.......... I will drive and hubby can travel in the back of the van with the Pickles :lol:

Or.......... as above but Pickles will travel in cab with me :thumbup:


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## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

Hmmm I'd have to disagree here. My dogs sometimes travel long distances in my friend's van despite being used to my car. They're fine and just go to sleep in the dog box.

The only problem I'd have with your set up is the lack of ventilation in the dog area.


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## foxyrockmeister (May 30, 2011)

shamykebab said:


> Hmmm I'd have to disagree here. My dogs sometimes travel long distances in my friend's van despite being used to my car. They're fine and just go to sleep in the dog box.
> 
> The only problem I'd have with your set up is the lack of ventilation in the dog area.


What type of van does your friend have?


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## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

A VW Caddy with added twirly airvent things so there's separate airflow to the back of the vehicle. The dogs are kept in a TransK9 dog box with lots of bedding so they're very cosy.


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## sharloid (Apr 15, 2012)

Lots of mushers/sled dog racers have vans and obviously the dogs go in the back. Lots are fitted out with safe, secure cages though. As long as there is ventilation, I don't really see the difference between a dog in the back of a van and a dog in the house when you're out.


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## foxyrockmeister (May 30, 2011)

shamykebab said:


> A VW Caddy with added twirly airvent things so there's separate airflow to the back of the vehicle. The dogs are kept in a TransK9 dog box with lots of bedding so they're very cosy.


I might be wrong but I think the VW Caddy is more similar to hubby's old Astravan isn't it? I had no problem with the dogs travelling in the back of that, we had a bulkhead window, which allowed us to be able to see in the back, plus airflow. They were also able to see out and get daylight from the rear window. The Vivaro is basically a dark box when the doors are closed!


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## foxyrockmeister (May 30, 2011)

sharloid said:


> Lots of mushers/sled dog racers have vans and obviously the dogs go in the back. Lots are fitted out with safe, secure cages though. As long as there is ventilation,* I don't really see the difference between a dog in the back of a van and a dog in the house when you're out*.


I like to think that the inside of my house is a bit more pleasurable to be in than the back of a dark, completely enclosed van :lol:


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## sharloid (Apr 15, 2012)

foxyrockmeister said:


> I like to think that the inside of my house is a bit more pleasurable to be in than the back of a dark, completely enclosed van :lol:


Travelling is only for getting them from A to B, just make sure they're going somewhere pleasurable! 

I meant in terms of not being able to see them.


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## foxyrockmeister (May 30, 2011)

sharloid said:


> Travelling is only for getting them from A to B, just make sure they're going somewhere pleasurable!
> 
> I meant in terms of not being able to see them.


I know what you meant  I was just being facetious 

How very dare you suggest that my home is like the inside of a manky van :hand:


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## metaldog (Nov 11, 2009)

I've had my old dog travel miles in the back of a merc 308 with no windows, he was spoiled though because there was an old bed settee to snuggle on behind the bulk head


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## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

foxyrockmeister said:


> I might be wrong but I think the VW Caddy is more similar to hubby's old Astravan isn't it? I had no problem with the dogs travelling in the back of that, we had a bulkhead window, which allowed us to be able to see in the back, plus airflow. They were also able to see out and get daylight from the rear window. The Vivaro is basically a dark box when the doors are closed!


Sorry, I should have been more specific! He's kitted out the van so it's a two-seater; the main body of the van is for dog kit, then the back of the van is for the dog box (and dogs!). The windows are blacked out for security so yes, it's essentially a dark box when they're in there! They don't seem to mind though - it's rather like a moving den .


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## lotlot (Mar 28, 2011)

I know quite a few people who use their vans to transport their dogs. They all have ventilation and secure cages which is ideal


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## Leanne77 (Oct 18, 2011)

I know from driving a panel van 55 hours a week for 3 years that they do get hot in the back during summer. With a solid bulkhead there is no possibility of creating any air flow by opening windows.

There's no way i'd travel my dogs in such a way without cages and a ventilation system, just not worth it.


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## 1290423 (Aug 11, 2011)

shamykebab said:


> Hmmm I'd have to disagree here. My dogs sometimes travel long distances in my friend's van despite being used to my car. They're fine and just go to sleep in the dog box.
> 
> The only problem I'd have with your set up is the lack of ventilation in the dog area.


We used to have a caddy, they have window whereby you can see into the back, unless they have changed them.

Understand the OP to be saying that tyou cannot see into the back of their new van.


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## PennyGC (Sep 24, 2011)

don't think anyone said it was the van which was a bad idea :-( vans are great to travel dogs in - as long as they're ventilated, which the OP said it wasn't... no whirleys and with a bulk head, I wouldn't travel my dogs like that.... I do however travel them in my ventilated VW crafter and I sleep in the back with them... I have seen dogs very hot in the back of an unventilated van even on cold wet days and even over a short time....


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Cut out the bulkhead and it will be much better, or travel the dogs in the front. Could they not fit in the passenger footwell, in harnesses?


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## MollySmith (May 7, 2012)

shamykebab said:


> A VW Caddy with added twirly airvent things so there's separate airflow to the back of the vehicle. The dogs are kept in a TransK9 dog box with lots of bedding so they're very cosy.


Our trainer has a van like this. Dog guard between her and the back and her dogs in crate - she has three - and it works well I think. It would be impossible to have a car with that many dogs.

TBH if we get to a point where we need a second car, we'd have a van set up like this.


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## foxyrockmeister (May 30, 2011)

Burrowzig said:


> Cut out the bulkhead and it will be much better, or travel the dogs in the front. Could they not fit in the passenger footwell, in harnesses?


TBH I haven't even been in it yet!! My husband I think is a bit put out that I don't share his enthusiasm! :lol:

I do 95% of the dog walking anyway so the vast majority of their journeys will still be done in my car, but i'm sure the odd occasion will arise when they have to go in the van, I'm off to the mainland on a course next month so will be leaving hubby in charge of the Pickles for a couple of days, so that's going to be one of those occasions

I'm going to have a good look at it at the weekend, I'm thinking probably trying to squeeze them in the cab is going to be the best option as hubby won't want to remove the bulkhead for security reasons and is probably going to rack out the back for tools anyway. Like he said "I have bought this van for my work, not as a dog transporter!!"

The Pickles are bigger than they look though, not sure they'd fit in the footwell :lol:


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## Leanne77 (Oct 18, 2011)

PennyGC said:


> don't think anyone said it was the van which was a bad idea :-( vans are great to travel dogs in - as long as they're ventilated, which the OP said it wasn't... no whirleys and with a bulk head, I wouldn't travel my dogs like that.... I do however travel them in my ventilated *VW crafter *and I sleep in the back with them... I have seen dogs very hot in the back of an unventilated van even on cold wet days and even over a short time....


 :001_wub:My absolute dream van, I think they are as mean as anything! I've driven LWB LT35's and LWB Sprinters but never a Crafter. I'm very jealous!


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## Sal1972 (Mar 22, 2013)

We have a TransK9 box too, in the back of our Navara pick-up and the boys love it! The pick-up has a window behind the back seat, so we can see through into the top of the dog box when they are sitting up; although most of the time they are curled up on their comfy bed. Air flow isn't a problem as the pick-up has sliding windows which can be opened as and when needed. 
Incidently, the back of the pick-up stays a lot cooler than the back of my OH's transit van


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