# Keeping your vehicle cool for the dogs



## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

I found this unit, don't have a price on it yet, but lesser units seem to be up in the $800+ range so I'm sure this one costs a bunch....

http://www.iccubed.net/pages/chillydog.htm

Curious if anyone knows of any lower cost units that will either start the Engine/AC when the temp gets too hot, or pages the handler, or both? I am more willing to take my dogs places if I am sure they aren't gonna die of heat stroke while waiting! lol. I'm not crazy about the "roll the windows down" feature though, I'd rather set the unit to activate at a lower temp than risk my dogs jumping out lol.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> I found this unit, don't have a price on it yet, but lesser units seem to be up in the $800+ range so I'm sure this one costs a bunch....
> 
> http://www.iccubed.net/pages/chillydog.htm
> 
> Curious if anyone knows of any lower cost units that will either start the Engine/AC when the temp gets too hot, or pages the handler, or both? I am more willing to take my dogs places if I am sure they aren't gonna die of heat stroke while waiting! lol. I'm not crazy about the "roll the windows down" feature though, I'd rather set the unit to activate at a lower temp than risk my dogs jumping out lol.


I may not be reading this right, or there may be more stuff needed than the top "kit" listed, but it's way under $800 here (under $500):
http://www.iccubed.net/pages/pricing.htm


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Oh wow I didn't see the pricing page! That's awesome I'll be buying that for sure!

I didn't mean THAT kit being $800+, but I've seen kits that don't have the engine start feature just pager/window roll down from other brands that are over $800.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> Oh wow I didn't see the pricing page! That's awesome I'll be buying that for sure!......I've seen kits that don't have the engine start feature just pager/window roll down from other brands that are over $800.


Yeah, if this "kit" is really all you need, that IS an awesome price.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Yeah the kit is pretty much all inclusive... I just hate installing those things, I've done remote starters n alarms in so many cars it gives me a headache remembering being upside down on the drivers seat trying to splice wires under the steering columb that have no slack in em... but there's a place near me called Auto Techs who do installs like this pretty cheap, probably cost me another $100 or so for install, probably less than that, I don't care about the window roll down module since all that will do is give Cujo the opportunity to jump out the window LOL, so it's pretty much just power and remote start install.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> ..... there's a place near me called Auto Techs who do installs like this pretty cheap, ......



Just don't let Cujo watch.......I mean, he already knows how to lock the car........


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

The unit we have installed in our canine units does not start the car. It does however, monitor the temperature, roll down the windows if the engine stalls or the interior gets too hot. It has a pager option to notify the handler. Of course we have screen on all the units, the can't escape if the windows are down. This is certainly the time of year to start thinking of such things. Every year there are dogs that die from heat stroke/exhaustion, from being left inside a vehicle. Of course, there are also children that die from the same thing, nearly every year. Heat can be such a killer.

DFrost


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Yeah Florida is a nightmare for that stuff. I was reading on the county K9 website that they have the auto-start window-rolldown "lights and sirens and pager" options on all K9 vehicles which got me thinking about this. I have window guards I put on the windows that give about 4" of opening on the 2 back windows, but since the summer is rolling in, those aren't gonna be enough anymore. But I do like having my dogs with me rather than being stuck in a crate all the time, so I thought this would be a great way to give them some more exposure to the world when I've got stuff to do or places to go, without having to worry about running out to the truck every 5 minutes to make sure everything's OK!

What type of window guards do you use that let the windows open without the dogs getting out?? That sounds ideal!


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Mike, my dog car is a 95 Pontiac Vibe. I cut and welded a wire crate that fits sideways, window to window, right behind the two front seats. This gives me access to the spare tire, and room in the back for whatever. Because of the tight fit, I can safely leave both rear side door windows completely down when I'm not in there. No way for anybody to get their hands in the car IF they'er dumb enough to try with Thunder showing them what a bad idea that would be.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

haha, I think Cujo would welcome a person that doesn't agitate him with open arms, I'd like to do some vehicle guarding exercises with him, have him in the back of the truck somewhere he's never been before n have someone come n agitate him n run away while I'm in a store.. perhaps hear him bark n come run outta the store n praise the hell outta him for chasing away the bad guy. He barks at everyone when I'm in the truck because I've been able to get him fired up a bunch n he has alotta pack protective instinct, but if I'm not around he won't bark. This is where a sharp dog would come in handy, perhaps Lÿka will be more like that when she's older n teach Cujo a thing or 2 LOL.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Careful what you wish for. A dog that is aggressive in the car can be a pain in the A$$. Specially when your sitting at a stop sign and daydreaming a bit. When Thunder went off, I had my head up.....in the clouds or somethin like that. When I jumped, I durn near ran over the guy that was walking in front of the car.  :lol:


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

hahaha! Yeah I used to think it'd be easier to have a people-aggressive dog in terms of getting people to not wanna pet your dog, but after seeing LOTS of extremely nice hard hitting totally bite-crazy dogs work, who will then be social and friendly with EVERYONE including the decoy that just threatened them defensively, well, it kinda makes me not care if people pet my dog anymore LOL I don't like everyone petting Cujo but I don't care if someone does anymore, he's become very aloof to strangers anyway, he'll wag his tail n say hi then immediately walk away n go do something more interesting. Cujo's my super social "loves everyone" dog, but he'll be aggressive when he's told to or needs to be... Lÿka, well, it could go either way, she's a little people shy right now towards strangers, but she's alot less shy than she was 3 weeks ago, so maybe with lots more socializing she'll learn to like strangers, or at least be neutral to them... her father is a social dog, her uncle (same parents different litter) is very dominant and doesn't like being petted, his grandma on fathers side isn't social either, her mother is friendly as far as I know, and so is her mothers male littermate... so who knows, I think if I keep socializing her that she will at least be able to be neutral around people even if she doesn't like to be petted... maybe she'll be social like her dad, maybe not, either way doesn't make all that much difference to me... but I can see how a very people aggressive dog that has little self control could be a pain in the ass, that might get old real fast... but growling at someone who reaches to pet her I can deal with.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

We buy them from a police dog supplier. It covers the whole window. They are screwed into the door frame, hinged so they can be dropped for cleaning the window. Some cars though are outfitted with a complete cage. It takes up the back seat though, so it may not be all that conducive to the family sedan. 

DFrost


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

I have a quad cab Dodge Ram 1500, I love it for ease of use for the dogs... the back seat flips up n there's a metal tray that folds out to make the back area flat, n Home Depot sells for $12 these burgundy bathroom mats that are the EXACT size to cover the entire metal tray in a Ram, so Cujo doesn't slide around lol. Lÿkas puppy crate fits back there nicely, even the bigger one I bought to keep in the truck so I'm not constantly lugging crates around... someone told me that when she's an adult a Pet Limo 400 will fit back there perfectly which should be enough height for her. I also bought these plastic window guards that Ray Allen sells for $15.99 each at PetSmart.com for $5.99 each lol they clamp between the window and the inside of the window frame very tightly and give about 4" of air room, depending on the width of the window, but in the Ram about 4" with no risk of the dog getting out without breaking the glass, which Cujo will never do anyway.

I'm a little confused about the auto-start system I was looking at though, it has a pager option and option to beep the car horn repeatedly when the vehicle gets too hot -- but if the engine auto-starts when it gets too hot, isn't it a little pointless to alert the handler to something that is innevitably gonna happen, when there's already an automatic cooling system (engine start/AC) in place? You'd be sounding off the horn all the time in Florida for no reason. Perhaps it's useful to just be able to go outside n check if the car actually started with the pager alert... but the horn alert seems a little pointless/excessive?

Apparently it's $455 for the base unit, then another $165 for the pager, $47 for the window roll down and like $25 for the horn module. I want the autostart and pager, so should be under $650ish with shipping is my guess. But I think a worthwhile investment if it makes life with dogs easier, beats keeping em stuck in the house when you're running errands around town for 5 hours, especially for a puppy who's bladder can't handle much more than 3 hours.


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2006)

Ok, no time to read the whole thread, but I skimmed, and I wonder why you guys don't just leave the car running w/the ac on? :? :? I do that all the time in the summer. I have to lock the windows, b/c Widge is very adept with all buttons except the window lock.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Jenni Williams said:


> Ok, no time to read the whole thread, but I skimmed, and I wonder why you guys don't just leave the car running w/the ac on? :? :? I do that all the time in the summer. I have to lock the windows, b/c Widge is very adept with all buttons except the window lock.


I know there's this theory about a car not getting stolen with a german shepherd in it... but when your german shepherd would probably hand over the keys if he knew how to, I'd rather not risk losing the truck and 2 dogs all in one shot LOL. Altho... the puppy might make the guy bleed a lil if he was stupid enough to open her crate


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

The sensors, in the cars today, can get messed up by prolonged idling. 
No problem with a diesel engine though. That's part of what the can do.


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2006)

Well, what's "prolonged"? I don't go shopping for 4 hours; I'm talking about having lunch :wink: . Mike, I don't leave it unlocked; it's running locked. Ah, the miracles of remote starters.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

I had a remote starter in my old Camaro, it also had a 2-way remote that displayed the interior temp of the vehicle on the keychain remote, I never understood why anyone would want that at the time LOL. I've been to dinner after training several times, usually about an hour or so... when the temp is cool in the winterish months.... as summer heats up I'd get more paranoid a bout the temperature in the truck if I go to dinner after training, n not like I can take the dog in with me  It'd put my mind at ease if the AC turned on whenever it started getting hot. I can't walk barefoot on the sidewalk after 10am without burning my feet, n in mid-summer if the car sits in the sun for 20 minutes you can barely breathe when you get back in.... n manual transmissions suck because you burn your hand shifting for the first 15 minutes lol. So with all the heat problems we face down here it's a "better safe than sorry" type thing.

I agree a remote starter could work nicely for letting the car run without keys in there.... but if I'm gonna spend money on being able to let the car run for the dogs, I might as well spend money on a product that's intended specifically for what I am wanting to achieve lol. If I got a remote starter type alarm system (I wouldn't just buy the remote starter because I gotta overcomplicate everything when it comes to gadgets n toys), i'd probably end up getting the system that costs almost as much as the thing intended for keeping dogs alive... so I'll get the thing intended to keep dogs alive instead LOL.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

They also make an anti-theft gizmo that, when attached, will not allow the car to be stolen, when left running. Essentially, when you get out of the car, you activate the mechanism, turn off the ignition, the engine remains running. If someone should try to steal the car, the minute they press on the break to take the vehicle out of park, the engine stalls, the siren goes off and the window go down. It's a pretty handy item.

DFrost


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## Patrick Murray (Mar 27, 2006)

Many times I have left my dogs in my locked vehicle with the AC running. However, I'm only away from my vehicle for 15 minutes or less. In the event of a malfunction I will not be gone long enough for the vehicle to heat to an unsafe temperature. 

Overall I don't like leaving my dogs alone in a car but sometimes it's necessary.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

I'm not all that fond of leaving dogs in a vehicle either. However, sometimes it just has to be done. During booking or court etc, the dog may be left alone for an hour or two. It does provide some sense of security knowing that should a problem develop, help is not too far away.

DFrost


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## Scott Zettelmeyer (Apr 10, 2006)

As David has pointed out, the vast majority of Police K-9 vehicles have a Heat/CO2 sensor system installed as a precaution against heat/CO2 related illness. This is due to the large amount of time the dogs spend in the car unattended (at training, during a non-dog call, etc). In the summer, K-9 vehicles are left running nearly the entire shift with the A/C on full blast to keep the dog cool. If your engine dies, leaving the car with no A/C and the windows up, a major problem can arise -- quickly!!

The system has a sensor that can detect two temperature readings. If the inside temp of the car reaches the first setting, the system automatically rolls down the rear windows (which are fully covered by a cage panel) and turns a fan on inside the car, attempting to lower the inside temp. If the system senses the second, higher temp reading, it activates the vehicles lights/sirens and sends an emergency page to the handler to alert him that his partner is in trouble.

The system does NOT turn the car on or off, as needed, to maintain a cool temp (because we don't pay for the gas -- the city does  ). The CO2 sensor is useful as well, since the vehicle is typically left parked idoling somewhere, which can cause CO2 problems, depending on ventilation.

For people like Schutzhund or SAR folks, a system like tis also makes sense because of the long hours the dog may spend crated in the vehicle while the handler is out doing something else (not talking about just running in to eat lunch, Jenni). 

I like the Chilly Dog concept that turns the cars engine on/off as needed to maintain a constant inside temp, while conserving fuel. Tinted windows also help a TON, as they will usually keep the inside temp significantly lower, depending on the percentage of tint used.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I would just love to find secure window screens/grates for a 96 Ford Explorer

I can find 97 on up. 

I have to leave my dogs crated in the car for long periods of time during summer training days. 

I can lock the crates and I have fans to run, but I also have lots of eqipment that stays in my car that I would love to NOT have stolen. We have all gotten pretty good about knowing where the shade is and figuring out where it will be and whenever anyone goes to a vehicle they check on crated dogs.


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## Guest (May 1, 2006)

Scott, you've obviously never seen me eat :lol: . I admit that I didn't have as hard a time leaving my Jetta running most of the day so Caleb could come with me on appointments (real estate) as I do my Grand Cherokee. The Jetta was slightly better on gas :wink: , but the Jeep is all tinted, so with the remote start, I can keep the keys with me and have it running and locked w/the ac set to a specific temp and my boy is quite content. It will shut down if the engine gets too hot, but that has yet to happen. It's supposed to send a signal to the remote when this occurs, and the remote is supposed to beep. The poor person's solution could include opening the hood to help a little; I've done this on really sweltering days and it's seemed to help some. While I leave Jeep running for hours, I do get to check on him frequently. I guess I have an ok setup for now, and the extra money I spend on gas seems like a toss-up between it and the cost of some fancy-schmancy system to start it, shut it off, etc. 

Nancy, have you tried the screens? Maybe you could rig one for a 97 so it would work? I don't think they're all that different; could you try it and return them if they don't work? They have to make something for a 96. :?


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## Joe Jones (May 1, 2006)

I have the Chilly Dog system installed on my Nissan Armada and can't say enough good things about it. It works great and is relatively fool proof. Well worth the $$. If anyone wants to know the specifics, let me know.


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## Joe Jones (May 1, 2006)

Thought I'd post this since I've gotten some PM's asking for the info:

As far as cost goes, I think that I have about 800 in it, fully installed. I got all of the options, which include remote pager, lights/horn and window drop. The system is pretty basic. It uses a temperature sensor and a control box like you have on the wall at your house. You set two temps into the box, start up temp and warning temp. For instance, my temps are 78 and 96. When the interior of my vehicle hits 78, the truck automatically starts up and runs for 15 minutes and then shuts off. Whent he temp goes back up to 78, it cycles again and repeats. If, for some reason the temp does not drop or the truck does not start and it hits 96, all windows will drop and the lights and horn will go off and the remote pager will signal me. This continues until you shut it off. 

A few things to be aware of:

1) The system is dummy proof. This means that every single time you insert the key into the ignition, the system is activated and stays activated until you depress a kill switch upon removing the key. This is good and bad. Good because you will never forget to turn the system on and your dog will always be protected. Bad because you will absolutely forget to turn it off sometimes and you car will start and run on its own all day while you are at the office. It happens, but a small price to pay for dog safety.

2) The system does not "turn the air conditioning on", it merely starts the vehicle the way you left it. Therefore, you kind of have to remember to leave your AC settings on, or the car will run, will probably hit your emergency threshold and then will drop the windows and the horn will go off. After a while it becomes pretty automatic, like putting your seat belt on. The only time I have issues is coming out of the cooler months when you don't have to worry about temperatures and you get a little complacent about shutting it off every time. 

3) The system will not allow your car to be stolen, contrary to what some folks believe. It operates without a key in the ignition and there is an automatic kill switch attached to the brake pedal. If someone breaks in and tries to put the car in gear, they must depress the brake, which will shut the car off and you can't restart without a key. 


Overall, it is a fantastic system and WELLLLLLLL worth the money. I have a very, very close friend who is a canine handler with a police dept that jsut two weeks ago fried his dog dead because although he left his truck running, the AC compressor blew out and the vehicle got boiling hot and killed the dog. Had he had a chilly dog system, the windows would have dropped and that dog would have been alive today. 

Hope this helps.


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## Scott Zettelmeyer (Apr 10, 2006)

Is the timer adjustable, from 15 min to say 30 min? On a hot day, 15 minutes doesn't seem like enough time to cool the car down, even with the A/C on full. Will the system continue to cycle on/off indefinitely? Or is there a certain time period (say 2 hours) it will function for?


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## Joe Jones (May 1, 2006)

I don't know if you can adjust the run timer. Probably someone with some technical savvy knows how, or maybe the guy who owns the company can set it at the factory. And yes, it will cycle indefinitely.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Scott, I had discussed this with Vincent Mitchell over at the Chilly Dog company...



> The system has 2 programmable temperature settings that are shipped with the Start Temp @ 77 and Alert Temp @ 97. You can change this to suit you.
> 
> This system will start and run for a set amount of time 12 minutes and this run time can be changed to 24min or 60 mins.
> 
> ...


The price incl shipping he quoted is as follows... I didn't opt for the window drop, but that sounds like something I should add too, which is less than $50 more.



> Your total would be $735.50
> 
> Chilly Dog $455
> Pager $165
> ...


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## Scott Zettelmeyer (Apr 10, 2006)

That's what I figured, Mike. It's just like a remote starter, except it uses a temperature activation device. Thanks!


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## Joe Jones (May 1, 2006)

Mike, get the window drop. That's a no brainer. It may be the only thing that saves your dog. Without it, in my opinion, the system is worthless should it fail. Granted, it may be hot outside, but at the very least the dog will get some fresh air should the AC fail.


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## Joe Jones (May 1, 2006)

Scott Zettelmeyer said:


> That's what I figured, Mike. It's just like a remote starter, except it uses a temperature activation device. Thanks!


Very similar, except that it has a two stage brain. Stage one, starts the vehicle, stage two, drops windows and honks.

The real truth of the matter is that the pager, to me, is pretty worthless. I have it and it looks cool, but I've used it maybe two times in the past couple of years. Its just not that practical because when at training, I am not that far from my vehicle, and, I don't leave my dog in the vehicle unattended for very long elsewhere. Maybe 10-15 minutes max when I have to stop at the store. And, if you have the window drop, it really becomes irrelevant. 

Totally different story if you are a canine handler, then I could see it.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

I just got quoted $300 install on that unit by the "cheap" guys in town... yikes! I'm not really sure I wanna spend $1100 on this project right now lol. I could install it myself I guess, but it'd sit in the box for a month before I'd even feel like looking at it.


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

I have two of these that I put on my rear windows (I have a 2000 Subaru Forester) if I have to leave the dog(s) in the car. It allows the window to be rolled down further than you could without the grate, but is pretty durn secure as long as you have it on right. The dog, or someone, would have to literally smash the window to get out/in.

I'm also trying (in vain) to find those rear hatch thingies that let you have the rear hatch open enough to let air flow, but not so far that someone could easily get into the car. I'd like to get one, but I can't seem to find the website that sells them.


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## Sarah Hall (Apr 12, 2006)

The only thing bad about most of those window grates is that if you have a steeply angulated window (like my Neon's) they'll leave a gap that a dog could pop his nose through and just basically break out that way. Plus, most of them are plastic, so if a dog wants out, he'll get out. Also, you can't roll the window all the way down to allow for maximum airflow with most of them. They're good for small dogs, but not generally for large dogs like GSDs, Mals, etc.


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

You are right in that they work best with windows that are straight instead of curved. I had that problem with my Impreza; but with my Forester, the rear windows are narrow enough to let it roll down a good bit with the grate in it, and they are squared off at the top instead of being curved, so it works well for us. Yes, if a dog wanted out, he could bust through it, but if a dog wants out bad enough, he could just break through a rolled-up window, too. 

With Gypsy, I don't have to worry about her getting out, but if I have to leave Jak in the car for more than a few minutes, I crate him and use the window grates (unless I can see my car from where I am, and then I'll crate him and leave all the windows down). I don't trust him fully just yet.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Once suggested somewhere else was to toss a bag of ice in the bottom of the dog's crate. That's my plan when the weather get really hot here. On training days, my dog may spend 4-5 hours in the car. Luckly, we are always in site of the cars, so we can leave windows open..


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Kristen Cabe said:


> I have two of these that I put on my rear windows (I have a 2000 Subaru Forester) if I have to leave the dog(s) in the car. It allows the window to be rolled down further than you could without the grate, but is pretty durn secure as long as you have it on right. The dog, or someone, would have to literally smash the window to get out/in.
> 
> I'm also trying (in vain) to find those rear hatch thingies that let you have the rear hatch open enough to let air flow, but not so far that someone could easily get into the car. I'd like to get one, but I can't seem to find the website that sells them.


I have those same ones I got for $5.99 at petsmart.com.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I did it! I broke down today and bought a 55AH deep cycle AGM battery for the car and will buy the charger tomorrow. 

Not going to charge it off the alternater - AGM batteries are safe inside an enclosed space, are vibration resistant, and can take a higher charge rate than gel cells. I will use that sucker to power my killer fans (and field charge radios, etc. if I need to). I decided that the drain on the alternator may be too much for the unit to deliver and I can pretty much charge it at night on a trickle charge -- may even buy one of those solar gizmos since most of my use is during weekends.

I may resort to ice on the floor as well. At least I do alway keep a cooler with water and ice and rags in it -- I use it even if the dogs don't.


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## Scott Zettelmeyer (Apr 10, 2006)

As Bob mentioned, a layer of ice spread out on the floor of a crate will keep the dog cool for a couple of hours. Just remember, put the ice UNDER something like the cedar floor panels that are available, so the dog doesn't come into direct contact with the ice. And don't forget, at some point you'll have a BIG puddle in the crate.

As far as car batteries go, there are car batteries available that have a secondary, backup system in case your battery is drained. You simply pop the hood, flip the switch on the battery to the secondary backup battery, and start your car. You then switch back to the primary battery which will be charged by the running engine.

Many police departments use these types of batteries because if a cruiser is parked and the engine turned off, but all the electronic gizmos are left on (radios, radar, dashcams, computers, etc), the car battery will be completely dead in about 15 minutes.

That's why you see police cars left running unattended for no apparent reason (there is a safety device which prvents the car from being stolen).


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Bout time Nancy!   
Scott, excellent point about not being in direct contact with the ice. I suppose I could leave it in the bags or wrap them in beach towels.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

The backup battery option is one I explored. This did seem the less expensive and easiest option without getting into a lot of wiring and thinking about things. Actually they even make primary car batteries that have cold cranking amps AND will deep cycle but my vehicle battery is standard.

Many people don't realize that regularly putting a deep load on a car battery will shorten its service life significantly - they were not designed to deep cycle. As it is, even deep cycles do best if not fully discharged between uses.

I have thought of running some PVC tubes as long as the crate with removable caps through the crates - could fill with ice then, like a big cooling ice pack. I need to play with a scent tube that I have not drilled holes in yet to see how it transfers heat (Maybe not so well)


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