I am not an expert, but I do have a lot of experience with traveling with dogs.... I have traveled tens of thousands of miles with my dogs over the last ten years. I have Ridgebacks (70-100lbs), and compete in conformation and performance events. I have traveled from Florida to New York, Tennessee to Michigan driving with dogs in the back of my truck.
Couple things... first off, I do have to agree with having them crated or harnessed. If you get into an accident, they will be gone or will prevent someone from helping you in a life threatening situation. I hear of stories on an almost daily basis where someone is involved in an accident and their dog is now running at large.
You can fit a
42" long crate snugly between the rear wheel wells while still having full use of the rear seat and the tie down points. A two door crate has a side exit door which makes it easy for you to get them out. It actually was the determining factor for the 4Runner for me.
You can also fit two
side by side "SUV" crates facing the rear of the vehicle... without use of the rear seat. Bear in mind though with this option, you will need some support under them as the rear seat hump gets in the way. Wire crates are safe for the dog to travel in and prevents them from distracting you, jumping out when you open the rear hatch, have plenty of ventilation and gives them their own space. If you use a crate... please tie them down well with ratchet straps. The downside.... if you are rear ended or broadsided in a serious accident, the welds on the crate will come loose and likely seriously injure your dog (or you). There's no getting around it, they're not made for accidents.
Many people use the enclosed plastic crates, but they are bulky and hard to tie down. They also do not afford very good ventilation, and your dog will get hot all the way in the back.
I have tried many versions of nets, and barriers. They all have the same flaw in that your dog is still loose when you open the rear hatch and can get out of his own accord. He will also slosh around during turns and quick stops. The metal tension barriers DO NOT stay in place, especially for spirited drivers. When the vehicle flexes during turns or vibrates during a trip it can come loose and will crash down on top of your dog (ask me how I know) in turn scaring the crap out of him. Again you have the issue of the dog being loose.
Harnesses... I condone the use of a properly fitted harness that is correctly tethered to the child seat loop (you know that metal loop behind the seat intended for baby seats to be fastened to). The key is that it is used correctly. There is a company that did a crash test of a dog in a harness. Watch it. It's an eye opener.
Crash Test Videos.
The only way to safely travel with your dog and almost guarantee that he will be unharmed, has ventilation, and cannot escape is a crash tested crate.
No I do not own one of these. They are not cheap, but they have been proven to work. I believe they are made in Switzerland, but are available here in the US from several different places. Clean Run, Amazon, 4X4 North America, etc.
MIM Variocage.
There's my two cents.... or twenty.
