Keep your best friend safe by keeping him restrained while riding in a UTV.
While the bed of a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) isn't as high off the ground as the bed of a pickup truck, a dog can still be injured if he jumps or is thrown from a UTV while it's moving. In addition, a loose dog can be a distraction for the driver, potentially causing an accident.
In order to avoid mishaps, secure your dog with either a dog carrier in the bed of the UTV, or an approved pet-restraint system with a harness.
Instructions
Secure Dog Carrier or Crate
1. Place an appropriately sized, dog carrier or crate in the bed of the UTV. The door should be pointing toward the back of the vehicle.
2. Attach the dog crate to the UTV bed by running bungee cords or adjustable nylon straps through the air holes on either side of the crate. Clip the straps to secure points on the UTV bed, or to eye bolts installed in the bed for this specific purpose.
3. Train the dog to enter the crate while it's mounted in the UTV by feeding it treats inside the crate. Don't close and latch the door until the dog is completely comfortable with being in the crate.
Dog Harness and Restraints
4. Familiarize your dog with wearing a dog harness. The harness distributes pressure over wide areas of the dog's body in the event of a sudden jerk.
5. Mount a cross-tie in the bed of the UTV. This is an adjustable nylon strap which stretches from one side of the UTV's bed to the other, clipping to existing anchors or installed eye bolts on either side. The center of the cross-tie has a short strap with a metal clip attached.
6. Put the dog in the bed of the UTV and clip the short strap coming from the center of the cross-tie to the dog's harness. This will prevent the dog from jumping or being thrown from the UTV bed.
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