Safest place for your dog in JLU

[Darthwrangler]

I'm wondering where is the safest space for your dog to sit in a JLU. When I had a 2-door (with no backseat) my wonder mutt (a 75lb boxer) rode shotgun. Not the best choice but no other option. I'm in a JLUR now and have more options. I'm currently using the cargo area but I wonder how my dog would fair being rear ended. I thought of using the back seat but am concerned she would fall to the floor under hard braking. Please share your thoughts and if you have a set-up that keeps your dog safe during travel. Thanks.

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[CMyers]

We fold the rear seats down and place her bed in between and behind the front seats. I put a small piece of Velcro tape on the underside of the bed so it will not slide around. Works great for us and the dog

 

[sardogtella]

The safest place for your dog is in a crate which is tied down in the vehicle. I have a working dog which travels many miles with me. The back seat has been removed and I put a RAM steel crate in my two door JK. I have been struggling to figure out which crate to get for my JLU. The MIM Vario Crate is one of the safest but run about a grand. These crates have been crash tested. Might go with a steel side entrance crate which fills the entire cargo area. Without a crate your dog can become a missile in event of an accident and injure itself or you and you passengers.

 

[Scout]

In the backseat wearing a harness that's designed to be attached to the seat belt. Any fast emergency stop or collision will send a loose dog thru the windshield.

 

[RagTopDeluxe]

I have Dakota in the backseat with a hammock and wearing a harness (do this doors on or off). She loved the hammock and sleeping on the part over the footwell.

 

[Carolina Jeeper]

I think the best place is in a dog kennel. Mine lay down and ride relaxed and even sleep. Kennel sides are more flexible than interior surfaces during an accident. For those who are unaware, lose dogs in a moving vehicle is a terrible idea.

 

[Zandcwhite]

The safest place for your dog is in a crate which is tied down in the vehicle. I have a working dog which travels many miles with me. The back seat has been removed and I put a RAM steel crate in my two door JK. I have been struggling to figure out which crate to get for my JLU. The MIM Vario Crate is one of the safest but run about a grand. These crates have been crash tested. Might go with a steel side entrance crate which fills the entire cargo area. Without a crate your dog can become a missile in event of an accident and injure itself or you and you passengers.

Instead it just missiles itself into a steel crate. With the height of our seats and the immovable headrests, it would be pretty much impossible for our dog to hit a front seat passenger. 0 design goes in to keeping the cargo area safe. We typically fold the 40% side of the seat down for our camp box and tuck the sleeping bags on the remainder of the floor. Our 65lb pitbull rides in the back seat, unless we are wheeling and then she usually has her chest on the center console so she can watch out the front window. An impact into the rear of the seats would not be great, but I'm 100% certain it is more forgiving than in a steel crate or the rear cargo area and at least it is engineered to keep occupants safe. The strapped down crate also becomes a death trap in a vehicle into water scenario or vehicle fire. Not to crap on someone else's plan, especially if it works for them, but I'm not a fan of crates in general.

 

[OldBlue]

We have a 75# Lab, and we use the same setup in both Jeeps - a hammock over the back seat with a lead from his harness to a seat belt buckle.

 

[baskiboat]

I have two GSP's who love the Jeep. They have luxury accommodations in the cargo area under my AAL shelf.. I place a bed back there that covers the floor. In effect I have created a crate and they can lay down and relax while we drive. I know they like it cause if I leave the tailgate open at home I'll find them in there waiting to go on the next adventure.

 

[XJfanatic]

Milo, the lab, rides in the back seat on a hammock in the JLU. We used to try to harness him with the seatbelt leads to the harness. But he chews through them in .5 seconds. So alas we just let him be happy as he is perfectly calm if not harnessed.

Than being said I just dropped 4K on a cap for the gladiator so we don’t have to pull car seats out for him.

 

[Idmt]

Riding shotgun - Think about the consequences of an airbag deployment - and if unsecured in the back seat, if in an accident and you are disabled or unable to get out and the dog does, a loose, scared dog could be tough to retrieve, especially on an interstate. I have to admit, I don't always heed my advice......

 

[INCRHULK]

A proper car harness in the back seat, attached to a seat belt.

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