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You probably like to have your dog along nearly everywhere you go, and you might worry about their safety during transport. Dogs love to be in the cabin with you, their heads dangling outside the truck window and ears flapping in the wind. As sweet as this is to watch, it is not safe for either you or your dog as even the most well trained pooch may be enticed to run around on the seats and end up in the lap of the driver.

If you have to transport your dog and particularly if you will be alone in the vehicle, the best option is to get a dog box put on the bed of your truck. They are available in wooden and aluminum models and come in a variety of sizes to fit all types of dogs that might be required to to hold in a truck. The drawback is that purchasing a dog box can cost anywhere between $300 – 650 for singles and in excess of $2000 for boxes that can accommodate 3 or more dogs. If this is not in your price range, you can construct your own dog box for just under $100 to safely and comfortably transport 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

With the tape measure, find the dimensions that will be needed for the dog box and make a note of them. Measure the height, width and length that the box will take up in your tuck, ensuring that the very top of the box will not block your rear view mirror and that your dog will be cozy while being in the box. Also determine how tall your dog is for the door you will make in the front of the box.

Step Two

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

Step Three

Using the drill, make little breathing holes in at least two sides of the dog box. Do not make any holes in the cover or floor of the box to prevent water from getting in. After drilling, ensure that you sand down the sides that will make up the inner part of the dog box. Cut out a square or rectangle from the side that will be the 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 moves freely, opens outward and closes tightly. Add the latches to the door; add one to at the top and bottom and two on the opposite side from the hinges.

Step Six

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

Step Seven

Attach 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

Make eight small 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, secure the box to the bed of the truck.

Step Ten

Test your dog box without your dog. Put in a few full water bottles to simulated the movement of your dog during a drive and ascertain that the box doesn’t shift on rough terrain or when driving 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