I have a Volvo estate, fitted with a double large safe dog crate. I have a divider for it, but I don't use it right now. Charlie lays flat out, on his back and snores as his humans chauffeur him around. The crate is 760-1030mm long (I have it extended nearly all the way) and 990mm wide. I'm getting another dog. Dividing the crate into two seems to make two spaces that are a bit small, really. Or I could just put both dogs in the same crate without a divider. Or I could get rid of the crate (I have a dog guard fitted already, I just don't use it because I have the crate) which would definitely leave more room for the dogs, because there is easily about 20cm of wasted space each side of the crate. Hmm.....I do like the crate, it's nice and safe (it's a good, properly crash tested travel crate). I don't think I can fit a bigger one in my car.
I have a Volvo estate too but no dog crate as I have a large family and need the large boot space but I have a dog guard fitted. We are travelling to Scotland (9/10 hour drive ) in a month and the dogs will be more comfortable than us laying stretched out on a double duvet What would the results be in a crash with two dogs in a single undivided crate be, any worse than in the boot? I don't know.
Yes, two dogs in a (proper crash tested) crate would be better off than just in the boot - although they would be better off again with the crate divided, that is true. Not least because the crate stops them flying upwards, towards the top of the car, it's quite low. Also, the crate is secured - it can't travel to damage the integrity of the back seats, which an unsecured dog can, unfortunately (that's part of the crash testing). All of the bars are designed to give to absorb impact, but not break - much better than hitting the back of a seat that a human might be sitting on or the inside of the car. Ugg. Horrid to think about this....I think I'll be keeping the crate after all!
My gut feeling is that less space is safer - without any studies etc to hand to back it up - so I'd be erring towards using the divider. My thought process being, in the event of a crash, they have less time to reach any speed before hitting the edges of the crate, so they're less likely to be bent into horrible positions where real damage could occur. Keeping them separate also would mean they're not going to act as missiles hitting each other in the event of an accident. I think you'd have to see how you get on with the practicalities - whether it's still comfortable enough for them on long journeys. My two are in harnesses, which aren't as safe as your crate by a long way - I'm currently looking at buying a new car specifically for the dogs because we can't put a crate in the Jeep. If I had your crate, I wouldn't be thinking about getting rid of it unless I knew that Charlie couldn't get to grips with being in half of it.
I think I have a little time to decide, anyway. I see I can buy a divider that is adjustable, so New Pup can have a small amount of room while she is small, and Charlie more room.
As always it's about your own needs, mine are very, very different to yours as I have a family to think about not just dogs, which means space. Every time you get in to your car you and all occupants furry or not are in danger one way or another no matter how hard you try that's why I have had Volvo's for over 21 years.
The place we stayed at in France to do our agility holiday had four or five (I forget) Volvos between them. There are two of them I think Volvos are ideally designed for dogs - you have all that length in the boot and still loads of space for real life stuff. Shame they're so ugly, though
I could get a Double XX large in my car...but that's only 16mm wider. It doesn't quite seem worth it... They are truly horrible, horrible cars, this is true. Extremely practical though.
My boys are in a divided crate so they each have a a door which is lockable each. It is small (smaller than the one that was in my Volvo) but they've both spent the night in their half of the crate and seemed absolutely fine. When I spoke with the crate people on the phone they were very pro a snug fit so the dogs couldn't rattle around in case of an accident. Both of mine just settle down and sleep once they realise it's not a five minute journey. I want them secure so that in the case of an accident they don't end up running around scared. Someone can get them out carefully rather than open the boot and have them make a run for it. I have a dog guard too which stops dummies flying through the cabin in case of accident. If either dog was much bigger I would probably take the divider out and have them share a single bigger space. There is very little spare space round my crate (and there wasn't in the Volvo) which drives my husband mad.
Yes, Charlie has been in Obi's crate - he is a bigger dog than Obi though, and Riley. I suppose I can see how big New Pup turns out to be..... I have a roof box. It's the only way I can fit all of Charlie's luggage in, as his crate takes up the whole boot!
For a second, I was wondering where your post was headed. No, Julie, you can not put your OH in the roof box so one of the dogs can use his space
Two dogs in one crate - we have three when Zaba is staying. Maybe a car harness for one dog on the back seat for long journeys? ...
All my dogs ride in a single crate together and are quite 'cosy' shall we say There are too many of them for individual boxes. But with puppies, I use a portable crate on the back seat, secured with a safety belt, because I worry about the big dogs crushing a puppy against the side of a crate in a crash. Some years ago, my father had a crash with his springer /collie cross (max weight 35lbs) behind what was a solid back to the rear seat. She hit the middle of the back of the rear seat at sufficient force to bend it into an arrow shape, the point of which nearly reached the front of the car. That rather put me off leaving my dogs loose in the back of a vehicle. (She was OK by the way, but disinclined to get in a car for some considerable time after that )
If I'm ever allowed a third dog (sometime this side of hell freezing over) I will remove the internal divider. Although if I stick with my current breeds I'm not sure "cosy" will quite cover it. Now where's that van?.......
Yikes! I've got the original divider somewhere...I'll fit it and see how it seems - it might even already be an adjustable one, so I might be able to create a small puppy space. If not, I think I might trade up a crate size with a divider, I don't think it will cost all that much, as I think I'll get a reasonable price for my existing crate sold second hand. Did I not say? Oh, let me tell you aaaallllll about it......
