Plan for Progress  

You probably like to have your dog with you almost everywhere you go, and you may worry about their safety during the trip. They love to sit in the cabin with you, their heads dangling outside the truck window and ears flapping in the wind. As sweet as this is to see, it is not safe for either you or your dog as even the most well mannered pooch may be enticed to move around the cabin and end up in the your lap.

If you have to transport your dog and especially if you will be by yourself in the vehicle, the best thing for you to do is to get a dog box put on the bed of your truck. Dog boxes are available in wooden and aluminum models and come in a variety of sizes to accommodate all breeds of dogs that might need to hold in a truck. The setback is that buying a dog box can cost anywhere between $300 – 650 for singles and in excess of $2000 for boxes that can fit 3 or more dogs. If this is not in your budget, you can make your own dog box for just below $100 to safely and comfortably move your extra family member in your tuck.

How To Build A Dog Box For A Truck

Required Tools and Materials

Tape measure

Drill

Box material (wood, aluminum, or hard plastic coated with polyurethane or vinyl this guide describes building a wooden box as this is the most affordable material).

Saw

Screwdriver

Sand paper/ Electric Sander

Hammer and Nails or A Nail gun or carriage bolts

4 Latches

Mesh grating

2 sets of small hinges

1 Handle

1 yard of thick carpeting

Staple gun

Instructions

Step One

Using the tape measure, determine the size that will be needed for the dog box and write them down. Measure the height, width and length that the box will take up in your tuck, making sure that the very top of the box will not block your rear view mirror and that your dog will be cozy while standing in the box. Also determine how tall your dog is for the door you will make in the front of the dog box.

Step Two

Mark the dimensions you have measured onto the wood using pencil and with the saw or a woodcutter, cut out the pieces necessary to make the box. You will end up with six pieces when you’re finished: A floor, four sides (one side incorporating a door for entry and exit) and a top.

Step Three

Using the drill, make little ventilation holes in at least two faces of the dog box. Do not put any in the top or floor of the box to stop water from entering. After drilling, ensure that you sand down the sides that will be used as the inner part of the dog box. Cut out a square or rectangle from the side that will be used as front of the box. This will be the door.

Step Four

Assemble the box using the hammer and nails, nail gun or carriage bolts. (Persons using aluminum will need to weld each of the sides together). Secure the top, 3 sides and bottom to each other, excluding the front with the cut out for the door.

Step Five

Using screws and hinges, fix the door that has been cut out to the piece being used for the front of the box. Check to make sure that it swings freely, opens outward and closes tightly. Add the latches to the door; add one to at the top and bottom and two on the side opposite to the hinges.

Step Six

Cut out carpeting and secure to the floor and sides of the box using the staple gun.

Step Seven

Affix the front panel with the door to the box using the hammer and nails, nail gun or carriage bolts and attach handle to exterior.

Step Eight

Paint the outside of the box with a sealer or water resistant paint and decorate

Step Nine

Drill eight little holes into the bed of your truck and eight corresponding holes (four on each side) through the wood of the box that line up. Using the large screws and bolts, attach the box to the bed of the truck.

Step Ten

Test your dog box without your dog. Use a few full water bottles to mimic the movement of your dog during a drive and ensure that the box doesn’t shift on rough terrain or when going uphill.

Tips and Warnings

1) Use safety gear (gloves and goggles) when using nail gun, sanding or sawing.

2) Double check all measurements before cutting wood.

Here you can find more information on how to build a dog box for a truck