Dog proofing the van

[Roc1]

Hi. We have a Cali Beach and will be collecting our new pup in a few weeks time, so wanted to ask about what you do to dog proof the van?!

I know they do the job but wanted to avoid the waterproof Inka covers, but at the same time my light coloured seats will get trashed quickly so I guess a big fleece blanket over the rear seats could work?

Is there a good mat to put down on the rear floor area too?

Someone recommended a 'mud daddy' for washing them down after a walk, are they worth getting?

Any other bits and bobs you find are must haves would be great. A lot of dog towels I guess!

 

[andyinluton]

We have brandrup seat covers, the rear bench is then covered by microfibre towels, far easier to wash , fit etc than a large fleece. Invariably its only the one towel on the seat base that need regular washing.

The floor has a one piece universal rubber mat cut to size over the top of the carpets & importantly covering the rails.

Thats protection for this time of year when we are not camping & the van is used for transport for dog walking etc.

 

[Bartleby]

Can't comment on the van itself as we haven't got ours yet, but as for the mud daddy while it does work quite well, it's a bit lacklustre and not very robust. Next time I'll either get one of the cheaper garden versions or one of those battery powered pump showers you can stick into a collapsible bucket, takes up less room that way.

 

[Velma's Dad]

If you don't mind me asking, have you had a puppy before? There's not much you can do to really 'puppy proof' anything, especially against the chewing.

You could try blankets etc on the seats but a young dog will be all over the place. Puppies' claws are very sharp so for seat covers I'd use something you don't mind getting scratched. We've always had the Inka covers, not especially pretty but they do the job and you can hose them down.

For mats etc I'd use anything cheap and cheerful that can be thrown in the washing machine and eventually chucked away if it gets chewed. Rubber mats as Andy suggests would be a very good option, I would just buy a roll of thin rubber matting off Amazon and cut to shape.

We haven't tried the 'mud daddy' type of portable shower, they may work well for some kinds of dogs but a simpler option is a shower hose and attachment for the (van) kitchen tap. A bucket of water and a stiff kitchen-type brush is often as easy as faffing around with gadgets. With our spaniel we do our best to end the walk near a river or the sea so she self-washes the worst of the muck off!

For drying, we're big fans of the 'squeegee' type animal towels (various brands, Aquasorb is one) that are kept in a tube, damp (take them out again and rinse properly when you get home or at the overnight stop). They work extremely well and then you don't have to find somewhere in the van for a disgusting wet towel en route to your next stop.

Various towelling 'bags' to put your dog in after their walk work for some people/dogs, although most puppies will just chew their way out.

 

[Velma's Dad]

...Forgot to mention also, consider getting one of those 'ground spike' long tethers that you can attach your pup to slightly away from the van for a bit of a rest from them. The steel cable type is best or they'll likely chew through it. Some come with a screw-type ground anchor which is fine until you're on hard-baked ground, I prefer one that attached to a big tent peg you can hammer in.

We also have a longish tether shackled to the floor behind driver's seat, that allows the dog to roam around a bit in and out of the van when parked up with the side door open.

And permanently stowed in the van we have one of the those ball-chucking sticks (known to Betty as a "throwey-throwey"). Anything that uses up canine energy is a good thing!

 

[Roc1]

We have brandrup seat covers, the rear bench is then covered by microfibre towels, far easier to wash , fit etc than a large fleece. Invariably its only the one towel on the seat base that need regular washing.

The floor has a one piece universal rubber mat cut to size over the top of the carpets & importantly covering the rails.

Thats protection for this time of year when we are not camping & the van is used for transport for dog walking etc.

Thanks good idea re the rubber mat!

 

[Roc1]

Can't comment on the van itself as we haven't got ours yet, but as for the mud daddy while it does work quite well, it's a bit lacklustre and not very robust. Next time I'll either get one of the cheaper garden versions or one of those battery powered pump showers you can stick into a collapsible bucket, takes up less room that way.

Good to know thanks!

 

[Roc1]

If you don't mind me asking, have you had a puppy before? There's not much you can do to really 'puppy proof' anything, especially against the chewing.

You could try blankets etc on the seats but a young dog will be all over the place. Puppies' claws are very sharp so for seat covers I'd use something you don't mind getting scratched. We've always had the Inka covers, not especially pretty but they do the job and you can hose them down.

For mats etc I'd use anything cheap and cheerful that can be thrown in the washing machine and eventually chucked away if it gets chewed. Rubber mats as Andy suggests would be a very good option, I would just buy a roll of thin rubber matting off Amazon and cut to shape.

We haven't tried the 'mud daddy' type of portable shower, they may work well for some kinds of dogs but a simpler option is a shower hose and attachment for the (van) kitchen tap. A bucket of water and a stiff kitchen-type brush is often as easy as faffing around with gadgets. With our spaniel we do our best to end the walk near a river or the sea so she self-washes the worst of the muck off!

For drying, we're big fans of the 'squeegee' type animal towels (various brands, Aquasorb is one) that are kept in a tube, damp (take them out again and rinse properly when you get home or at the overnight stop). They work extremely well and then you don't have to find somewhere in the van for a disgusting wet towel en route to your next stop.

Various towelling 'bags' to put your dog in after their walk work for some people/dogs, although most puppies will just chew their way out.

Thanks. Yes first puppy and also only got the Beach last year, so still learning! Those towels look great, will order a couple of those. I'll reconsider the inka covers. For £70 for the rear seat it's not a huge gamble

 

[andyinluton]

What puppy is it? we kept out cockapoo in a large cage on the floor until she was fully housetrained etc.

We had a memorable, for the wrong reasons, two weeks camping on Jersey with her just after she had had her jabs. After 4 hours on her own in a cage on the ferry we were thinking of jet washing the inside of the van!

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Waterproof inka’s & full rubber floor mats worked for us. Brandrup carpets look great but found them a waste of time with muddy paws. You also need a crash tested harness that the seatbelt strap fits through.

 

[Roc1]

What puppy is it? we kept out cockapoo in a large cage on the floor until she was fully housetrained etc.

We had a memorable, for the wrong reasons, two weeks camping on Jersey with her just after she had had her jabs. After 4 hours on her own in a cage on the ferry we were thinking of jet washing the inside of the van!

oh! its a Cavapoo. we'll be crate training her from the off. But yes we are looking forward to camping with her, just need to work out best solutions for in 'travel' mode and 'camping' mode, where she will sleep mainly.

 

[Roc1]

Waterproof inka’s & full rubber floor mats worked for us. Brandrup carpets look great but found then a waste of time with muddy paws. You also need a crash tested harness that the seatbelt strap fits through.

Thanks. My missus has bought one of these car seat things is that what you mean? https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Q81NQLX/?tag=eliteelect-21

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Thanks. My missus has bought one of these car seat things is that what you mean? https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Q81NQLX/?tag=eliteelect-21

No, more something like this for when you are on the move. Watch the video.

Drive Dog Car Harness

A dog car harness designed to keep your dog safe and secure during road trips to give you total peace of mind. The harness is made from strong seatbelt webbing so your dog has the same level of protection as you do and is held together using light and durable aluminium alloy D rings. Using this...

www.ezydog.co.uk

 

[The Merle]

Hi. We have a Cali Beach and will be collecting our new pup in a few weeks time, so wanted to ask about what you do to dog proof the van?!

I know they do the job but wanted to avoid the waterproof Inka covers, but at the same time my light coloured seats will get trashed quickly so I guess a big fleece blanket over the rear seats could work?

Is there a good mat to put down on the rear floor area too?

Someone recommended a 'mud daddy' for washing them down after a walk, are they worth getting?

Any other bits and bobs you find are must haves would be great. A lot of dog towels I guess!

Halfords do a kurgo rear seat cover, clips round head rests easy to remove or roll up. Plus I carry karcher portable jet wash very handy for washing dog after walk.

 

[AlisonF]

I’d recommend a dog crate for a puppy. Also, buy cheap floor covering. If a puppy has an accident, that area will remain retain a smell (to them) even after washing, and can become a regular accident spot.

 

[Velma's Dad]

No, more something like this for when you are on the move. Watch the video.

Drive Dog Car Harness

A dog car harness designed to keep your dog safe and secure during road trips to give you total peace of mind. The harness is made from strong seatbelt webbing so your dog has the same level of protection as you do and is held together using light and durable aluminium alloy D rings. Using this...

www.ezydog.co.uk

+1. There's been loads on the forum in the past about this (I've banged on about it myself) but if you're new to dogs and vans/cars then be aware that if you have your dog on the back seat in anything other than a properly crash tested harness, in a significant accident the harness will almost certainly fail instantly and the dog WILL become a projectile.

We use the Ezy Harness, there are also a couple of other makes that have been adequately tested.

 

[willwander]

Vet Bed Gold makes a good carpet, nice for humans too.
Get a soft crate for the rear parcel shelf.
Inka seat covers are a pain,...but for us, essential.
Towels...lots of towels.

 

[Roc1]

Thanks for all the replies very useful to read

 

[haydnw2]

I looked into the transport options when we got our Cali last year; it was a bit of a minefield so I wrote up my findings: https://www.haydnwilliams.com/blog/safe-car-transport-options-for-dogs/

We went for the Ruffwear Load-Up in the end, and it seems to work well.

 

[Hunchyfish]

I looked into the transport options when we got our Cali last year; it was a bit of a minefield so I wrote up my findings: https://www.haydnwilliams.com/blog/safe-car-transport-options-for-dogs/

We went for the Ruffwear Load-Up in the end, and it seems to work well.

Thanks this is really helpful, appreciate the detailed write up link

 

[ArunAlec]

My Cali came with a chewed handbrake handle, from previous owners dog. Suggest sliding a length of waste pipe over the end to give some protection!

 

[BeeBee]

So glad I found this thread, we just lost our black Labrador Dougal in early Dec, only 5 and very sudden illness. A puppy is on the cards, they leave such a terrible void , and we had forgotten all the chaos that entails. We have all of the gear that has been mentioned... Inka seat covers, fitted rubber floor cover, floor anchor for fixing lead etc, Mud Daddy ( which we think is great). But our boy was an ‘angel’ in the van and a puppy that’s a whole different story.
Our main concern is ‘travel’, we in the past just tethered Dougal behind the front seats where he lay on his bed, harness attached to the floor anchor. We now need to consider ‘containment’ options such as soft crates.
Anyone used these or possible alternatives ?

 

[AlisonF]

So glad I found this thread, we just lost our black Labrador Dougal in early Dec, only 5 and very sudden illness. A puppy is on the cards, they leave such a terrible void , and we had forgotten all the chaos that entails. We have all of the gear that has been mentioned... Inka seat covers, fitted rubber floor cover, floor anchor for fixing lead etc, Mud Daddy ( which we think is great). But our boy was an ‘angel’ in the van and a puppy that’s a whole different story.
Our main concern is ‘travel’, we in the past just tethered Dougal behind the front seats where he lay on his bed, harness attached to the floor anchor. We now need to consider ‘containment’ options such as soft crates.
Anyone used these or possible alternatives ?

@BeeBee lots of info on the law and options for securing dogs whilst travelling in the threads in the search below...

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/search/206841/?q=Travelling+with+dog&o=relevance

 

[66tim99]

So glad I found this thread, we just lost our black Labrador Dougal in early Dec, only 5 and very sudden illness. A puppy is on the cards, they leave such a terrible void , and we had forgotten all the chaos that entails. We have all of the gear that has been mentioned... Inka seat covers, fitted rubber floor cover, floor anchor for fixing lead etc, Mud Daddy ( which we think is great). But our boy was an ‘angel’ in the van and a puppy that’s a whole different story.
Our main concern is ‘travel’, we in the past just tethered Dougal behind the front seats where he lay on his bed, harness attached to the floor anchor. We now need to consider ‘containment’ options such as soft crates.
Anyone used these or possible alternatives ?

Which fitted rubber floor cover do you have?
I’m sorry about your loss.

 

[Velma's Dad]

So glad I found this thread, we just lost our black Labrador Dougal in early Dec, only 5 and very sudden illness. A puppy is on the cards, they leave such a terrible void , and we had forgotten all the chaos that entails. We have all of the gear that has been mentioned... Inka seat covers, fitted rubber floor cover, floor anchor for fixing lead etc, Mud Daddy ( which we think is great). But our boy was an ‘angel’ in the van and a puppy that’s a whole different story.
Our main concern is ‘travel’, we in the past just tethered Dougal behind the front seats where he lay on his bed, harness attached to the floor anchor. We now need to consider ‘containment’ options such as soft crates.
Anyone used these or possible alternatives ?

So sorry about your lab., awful to lose a dog at just five. Last time we lost a dog, we ended up with a new pup within a week or so!

We used a soft crate behind the bench seat when ours was a puppy. She was absolutely fine with that although she wasn't a big chewer and I've heard of some dogs gnawing their way out of a soft crate. That type of crate is very easy to stow away folded which can be useful. Also gives you something to contain pup in outdoors when you want to calm the dog down but not have it shut away inside the van. So for us a soft crate was a good versatile option.

Now she's grown up we use (crash-tested) harness on the bench seat for cross-country and town journeys but sometimes just tether her on the floor behind the front seats for motorway travel (ie lower accident risk), especially long trips, as she can then stretch her legs more easily.

We also have the Inka covers and they are a bit slippy for a dog, even in a harness, when the van is moving around. So we use a blanket and/or piece of vetbed on the bench when travelling, held in place by a longish bungee I made up to run along the rear of the bench.

But you'll know that every pup/dog is different and I think you just have to try things out to see what works. Some dogs get car sick of course and that's going to be a factor in where they travel in the van. (And we had a rescue dog a while back that howled if he was put anywhere aft of the back seat).