It's wise to transport coon dogs in travel boxes.
Coon dogs, regardless of breed, are instinctive hunters. It's important that they should stay in dog boxes during travel--for their safety as well as for the safety of you and others. Rambunctious and easily excited, coon dogs may prove to be difficult driving companions inside the cabin of a truck. In addition to their unpredictable behavior, some coon dogs drool excessively, making their presence in the front seat a little less than desirable. Dog boxes, when constructed properly, are humane and offer the greatest protection for a coon dog throughout a trip.
Instructions
Getting Your Measurements
1. Use the tape measure to determine the amount of space available in the truck's cargo bed for your dog box. Be sure to allow the dog enough room to turn around, and be sure you don't build a box that blocks your rear view. Determine a general guideline so you know the limitations of the box's size.
2. Measure the total height and length of the coon dog for the box's actual dimensions. You do not need to include the dog's tail in the length.
3. Mark a piece of half-inch plywood with the measurements for the width and length of the dog box. Use a straightedge or a level to ensure you draw straight lines. You will need two pieces in these dimensions, for the top and bottom of the dog box. Cut out the pieces with a circular saw.
4. Subtract half an inch from your height measurements and transfer these measurements onto a 2x2 length of pine. You will cut four pieces of pine to these measurements for the corner posts of the dog box.
Making the Frame
5. Place one cut piece of 2-by-2 in the corner of the floorboard. Push a metal bracket against the pine piece and use a pencil to trace around the location of the bracket on the plywood.
6. Remove the bracket and drill pilot holes for your half-inch screws, using a drill bit that is almost as thick as your screw. Replace the bracket and use a screwdriver to start the screws that will hold the bracket onto the plywood. Do not tighten the screws.
7. Put the pine corner post back into place against the bracket, and drill pilot holes through the bracket location on the pine. Start the screws here as well.
8. Repeat this process for each corner of the dog box. You should have the floorboard with four corner posts in place. Use a drill to tighten the screws on each corner post's metal bracket.
Attaching the Top and Sides
9. Place the top piece of plywood onto the dog box, keeping the edges flush with the corner posts. Using 1-inch screws, attach the top piece of plywood to each corner post.
10. Measure the entire height of the dog box, including the corner posts and the top and bottom boards. Mark the measurements as well as the length and width of the dog box onto the sheet of plywood. Cut out the remaining pieces. You should have two walls, a front and a back for the dog box when you are done.
11. Attach one wall by screwing through the plywood wall and into the corner posts. Position the nails every 6 inches. Attach the other wall and the back of the box in the same manner.
12. Using a medium-size drill bit, roughly a quarter-inch or so, drill air holes through the sides of the dog box. The holes should be at least an inch apart. You can adjust this depending on your drill size, but, ideally, you will want to have two or three even rows of holes along the top of the box to let airflow through the box.
Making the Door
13. Measure a 2-inch border inside the edge of the door piece. Cut out the inside piece of the border, creating a window for your dog.
14. Cover this opening with wire mesh. Use strong mesh that does not bend if the dog pushes on it. The holes should be big enough to allow good airflow without letting the dog through. Secure the wire to the door with staples or nails.
15. Mark the location for the hinges at the top and bottom of the door. Screw the hinges into the door, positioning them so that the door will open out to you once installed on the box. Place the door against the box and screw the back of the hinge into the pine corner post.
16. On the other side of the door, attach two metal slide bolt latches at the top and bottom of the door. Close the door and mark the latches' locations on the sidewall of the dog box. Attach the strike plate for the slider bolts in the corresponding locations. Close the latch hinge to ensure a proper connection.
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