TGIF and Truck dogs

Dogs, dogs, dogs; they are everywhere and yesterday I was driving behind one that was crated in the back of a truck. At least this person had the right idea with putting the dog in a crate; which would give a little bit more safety if needed. The dog was still obviously not happy about the predicament he was in as I watched him shift and turn and turn and turn. He looked like he was trying to get comfortable in this situation but it just was not happening. I was trying to get close enough to see what breed of dog it was that was in the back of this truck.

As I got closer I could see that the ears were cropped, hmmmm it was a bully breed, ah ha an Argentine Dogo. Big, tough dogs, very beautiful. Completely white and resembling a pit; not on steroids. Rare for around here for sure. So I got to thinking about truck dogs again. I have written several articles on the subject which makes me crazy. Just how many stories does one need to hear about dogs flying out of trucks, being dragged while hanging out the back of a truck or just leaping out and causing general havoc?

There are a few people in the area that I see on a regular basis; who drive around with their dog in the back of the truck. One is a small truck owner with a very large Great Pyrenese in the back. I almost always have my windows open so I am privy to the booming sound of the barking coming from the truck far before I see it. The dog sounds aggressive as it barks at anything moving past its vision. The image is of a giant dog in a tiny truck bed; one wrong turn and that dog is going flying.

Dogs should not ride in the back of trucks and I am here to tell everyone this fact. It is dangerous and people who do it are thoughtless. Now I don't mean a quick trip down the dirt road to the old swimming hole; I mean real life roads. My own dogs inside my xterra have a hard enough time as I jam on the breaks, take a sharp turn or dive out of the path of danger as they shift and attempt to keep their footing.

And the worst to see are the big gorgeous trucks; the ones with the owners (and I'll say Owners for this statement) sitting up in their luxurious truck with the windows roled up enjoying the AC while their dog slides around the back of the hot box they call "his ride." I wish I could yell something that would make a difference to these people. But with their windows up and the oncoming traffic, best not to create more problems as it probably wouldn't change things. If they can't see this for themselves; then there lies the base problem.

I wish the phrase Truck Dogs meant to me; dogs that love to ride "in" their truck with their guardians. Unfortunately, it doesn't.

http://www.spca.bc.ca/animalissues/dogtrucksfactsheet.asp