vantablack
2️⃣ Bronze
I'm considering getting a RTT but I know for sure there's no way my dogs are walking up a ladder. How do you guys get your dogs into your RTT? Is there another way? Thanks!
-
Welcome to Tacoma3G.com, a free resource for 2016-2023 Toyota Tacoma owners!
This website is the passion-project of a USMC veteran/mechanic, @Tyler. I created Tacoma3G.com to share my knowledge of this subject with others and to provide like-minded folks with a comfortable space to ask questions and create 'build threads' within our Tacoma Forums. Now, if the format of this website is confusing to navigate for you, or if you're interested in my full mission and T3G's history, check out the Help and About pages.
RTTs & Dogs
- Thread starter vantablack
- Start date
-
- Tags
- overland gear
I plan on lifting mine up.... then again he's 20lbs
I have a small dogs so it’s easy. But I’ve actually had a few 100lbs dogs up there too. They got carried up and with the big ones it obviously isn’t easy, so I’m also interested to see if anyone has a better method.
Also, welcome to the forum!
vantablack
2️⃣ Bronze
Yeah I watched some videos online and they all pretty much just pick them up. My dog only weighs 25lbs less than me and I honestly struggle sometimes just getting her in the bed of my truck??
I just thought of this as an option...Yeah I watched some videos online and they all pretty much just pick them up. My dog only weighs 25lbs less than me and I honestly struggle sometimes just getting her in the bed of my truck??
Mount your RTT on the actual roof of the cab. Have the door/ladder open into the bed instead of the ground. Then you’ll only need to get them into the bed and into the tent from there which would be the same as getting them into the bed, height-wise. Not perfect but I think it would make it much easier.
Another guy with a smaller dog here, so it's an easy lift for me.
We have friends with a 100 lbs German Shepherd and they just lift him up.
I will say that if you were to flip the tent, then angle the ladder at say a 45 degree angle (temporarily of course), then you could potentially walk your dog up the ladder if your dog is coordinated enough. Another option is to bring a board of some kind that you could lay onto the top of the angled ladder to help the dog walk up. Then once the dog is in the tent remove the board and place the ladder at the correct angle for sleeping. Just an idea I've thought about while watching my buddy squat his dog into his tent. Haha
We have friends with a 100 lbs German Shepherd and they just lift him up.
I will say that if you were to flip the tent, then angle the ladder at say a 45 degree angle (temporarily of course), then you could potentially walk your dog up the ladder if your dog is coordinated enough. Another option is to bring a board of some kind that you could lay onto the top of the angled ladder to help the dog walk up. Then once the dog is in the tent remove the board and place the ladder at the correct angle for sleeping. Just an idea I've thought about while watching my buddy squat his dog into his tent. Haha
vantablack
2️⃣ Bronze
Hm, I didn’t think about mounting it on top of the cab and getting her in there that way. I’ll have to look into that cause it seems like that might be the easiest way. Thank you!!
Hopefully it works.
Thinking about it, you wouldn’t even have to mount the tent so that the ladder opens into the bed. You could actually just lift them into the side window of the tent because they all have windows on each side. Up to you how you want to do it but either way it’ll be a much shorter lift.
vantablack
2️⃣ Bronze
I dont think my dog is coordinated enough to walk up a ladder haha she doesn’t do well when she’s off the ground. I tried taking her on the paddle board a few times and she gets very nervous. Maybe I could use a board to get her into the bed to familiarize her with it first and then try putting it above the angled ladder.? Good idea! Thank you!!
vantablack
2️⃣ Bronze
Oh I see, yeah I could put my cooler against the back window of the truck and use that as a step as well. The windows open all the way I imagine?
They do open all the way, yeah. There are some support beams that cross through the area but I think it’s still open enough to fit a large dog through. If you can’t fit the dog through the beams you can just go back to the first idea of having the ladder open into the bed, cause then you’d get the full door access.
vantablack
2️⃣ Bronze
Ohh I see. Hmm I’m not sure she would fit through those. She might, but then again idk. She’s not a huge dog, but she’s kinda wide. Maybe she just needs to go on a diet first haha Flipping the tent around should work for sure tho! ??
vantablack
2️⃣ Bronze
I saw another video similar to that. Unfortunately my dog has zero agility and she gets very nervous on surfaces that aren't solid.
Hmmm...maybe a crab pot winch with a sling then? That might be overkill but it would be very cool and confusing gear to have on your taco!
Maybe this then: https://www.k9sportsack.com/
Or let her sleep in the cab.
Maybe this then: https://www.k9sportsack.com/
Or let her sleep in the cab.
vantablack
2️⃣ Bronze
That is very innovative! Haha
She's even too big for the backpack ):
Yeah, the cab is the last resort. I try not to let them in there too much cause they make what I call 'slobber art' all over the windows haha
Mine leave their needle hair everywhere in the cab. You can’t get it up with a shop-vac, it’s brutal.
vantablack
2️⃣ Bronze
Oh that sounds brutal. I'm glad mine have long hair then, one less thing I have to clean up after them haha
Oh geez, I get that. Took my dog for a 2 hour drive over the mountains and the whole side of the truck had dried drool all over it. It was disgusting. He's gotta have his head out the window though.
vantablack
2️⃣ Bronze
That's my tailgate almost all the time, but I have just accepted it at this point. haha
Small dogs leave nose prints all over the inside windows. Easier to clean up
Dang who took that picture