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Installing Dog Crates

Hi, new to the forum.  Love all the great information and engagement in this forum.  My wife and I have decided to take the leap to retire, purchase a MH and start hitting the road for 6+ months each year while we are still healthy enough to enjoy it.  After a lot of research research and looking around we have decided that a 2000 - 2009 Foretravel MH is what we think we want.  We plan on performing some upgrades and renovations once we select and purchase our MH.  One of the renovations will be to add two "built in" dog crates for our medium sized dogs (standard poodle and an English Bulldog) since they will be our full time travel companions.  Interested if anyone has seen or knows of good ideas how to incorporate 2 crates into the various layouts Foretravel used in the years we are considering.  Note:  being able to incorporate the crates nicely into the layout will be a deciding factor on the MH we choose.  I am hoping to do the renovation work myself with some professional assistance where necessary, but am open to all ideas.  Thanks in advance for any ideas or places to look for ideas.
John "Kelly" McDowell and Naida McDowell

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #1 –
We have 2 dogs and they travel with us on all trips. Many others do the same without crates. The dogs get used to traveling very quick and just lay on the couch. I bought a cover on Amazon to keep the couch from getting stained over time. Our dogs sleep in the bedroom at night same as at home. Bubbles is in each picture but hides well.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #2 –
I'm not familiar with coaches built in those years but there isn't a lot of "empty space" in most coaches.
It could be done in my coach if I was to take out the dining room table or relocate the 2 chairs. Maybe incorporate the kennels into bench seats?
I've had a dog for most of the years I full timed and the thought of a kennel never entered my mind.
The first 3 photos are of my dog Nugget were taken when I was in my 1981 Foretravel which I full timed in for 10 years. The last photo is him in my current Foretravel.
1993 U225 Build #: 4285
500 Watts Solar
Honda CRV AWD
Former 1981 Foretravel Travco
Retired, Full Time Off Grid Snowbird

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #3 –
I wholehearedly applaud your choice to keep your pets safe with built-in crates.  Some friends of ours with a Prevost gave up part of a closet for some built-in ones.  I can get more info on the brand if you'd like.  I believe they had the work done in eastern TN by the guy who does Prevost remodels (I think his name is Jeff).

Here's a pic from their FB page

We travel using seat belt harnesses (SleepyPod are one of the only brands that crash-test their products).  We loop the couch seatbelts through the harnesses to keep our pups and us safe.

ETA - looks like the crate brand is Impact.  Another photo - I suspect you could install them side-by-side instead of stacked.  They traveled with show dogs.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #4 –
We traveled with a 98 and an 03. We had a lab and we put her metal crate in each coach in an out of the way place. She only spent nights in the crate as that is what she was used to doing in the house b
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #5 –
I used a collapsible travel crate for years with Mali my Malamute...she panicked at any motion, and the crate was her comfort cave.
2001 4010 U320 build #5865 "Bluto-d-Bus" since 09/18
2006 Honda Element ESP Toad
Full timing since 2016 in Western MT
Copilot: Sitka
1975 GMC 260 Avion: sold

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #6 –
Thanks for the responses and info. 

We realize that the crates would take valuable space, but we worry about the dogs interfering with the driver while on the road and would not want them to be injured due to a rapid stop or an accident.  We would be looking at removing a sofa or table to make room for them.

We had not considered the "SleepyPod" option.  We plan to only keep the dogs in the crates while moving and dogs already wear harnesses rather than collars, so shifting to a SleepyPod harness would only entail getting them used to having the seat belt keep them in place.  We will play with this option a little in our car and truck to see how it goes and leave the built in crates only as an option if they don't get used to the seatbelt.

The Impact crates look impressive and we will take a further look if we need to go that route.  The install had them one on top of the other.  Good use of space, but not sure I want to try to a 60# dogs in and out of the top crate.  Also, they don't appear to have a lot of visibility out of the crates.  We would have to play with that to see how well they adjust to not seeing each other or my wife and I.
John "Kelly" McDowell and Naida McDowell

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #7 –
Quote from: john.k.mcdowell –
Thanks for the responses and info. 

We realize that the crates would take valuable space, but we worry about the dogs interfering with the driver while on the road and would not want them to be injured due to a rapid stop or an accident.  We would be looking at removing a sofa or table to make room for them.
If that is your only goal then these work great. We just clicked them in to the seatbelts below the jack knife sofa. They had enough room to move and get comfortable (often on the actual sofa) but not enough to get close to the driver or get flung during a hard stop.

Amazon.com : VavoPaw Dog Vehicle Safety Vest Harness, Adjustable Soft Padded...

Also, on an unrelated note: 2000-2005 coaches are very very different from 2006-2009 coaches

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
1987 Grand Villa ORED
2001 U320 4010

Not all that wander are lost... but I often am.

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Elliott –
Also, on an unrelated note: 2000-2005 coaches are very very different from 2006-2009 coaches
thanks Elliot. I see some of the difference between the 2000-2005 vs 2006-2009 coaches via their spec sheets.  However, I would be interested in your thoughts on preferences with regard to the differences.  (Newer/Updated is not always "better")
John "Kelly" McDowell and Naida McDowell

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #9 –
Quote from: john.k.mcdowell –
thanks Elliot. I see some of the difference between the 2000-2005 vs 2006-2009 coaches via their spec sheets.  However, I would be interested in your thoughts on preferences with regard to the differences.  (Newer/Updated is not always "better")
This is worthy of it's own thread but the company changed hands in 2006 so a lot changed at that time. Different chassis, different creature features, different gotchas to be aware of, etc..

Both generations have expensive problems that are unique to a particular generation that you need to be aware of when shopping. 05 and prior are largely considered some of the highest quality/most reliable coaches ever made. 06 and up came with far more bells and whistles and were a step forward in technology
1987 Grand Villa ORED
2001 U320 4010

Not all that wander are lost... but I often am.

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #10 –
Quote from: john.k.mcdowell –
Thanks for the responses and info. 

We had not considered the "SleepyPod" option.  We plan to only keep the dogs in the crates while moving and dogs already wear harnesses rather than collars, so shifting to a SleepyPod harness would only entail getting them used to having the seat belt keep them in place.  We will play with this option a little in our car and truck to see how it goes and leave the built in crates only as an option if they don't get used to the seatbelt.

We've used the seatbelt harnesses for nearly 20 years now and for every ride in a vehicle.  Once ours got used to them (a few times), they were a non-issue (except for how excited they get when the harnesses come out - O M G we're going for a R I D E !!!
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Installing Dog Crates

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Michelle –
We've used the seatbelt harnesses for nearly 20 years now and for every ride in a vehicle.  Once ours got used to them (a few times), they were a non-issue (except for how excited they get when the harnesses come out - O M G we're going for a R I D E !!!
Our more anxious pup seems to ride better with the harness. It seems to have a similar effect as a thunder blanket on him. He's generally more relaxed with it on
1987 Grand Villa ORED
2001 U320 4010

Not all that wander are lost... but I often am.