I don't like to put my dogs on the metal floor of my dog boxes while hunting from my Gator. They sleep in there on overnight hunting trips. I start with quarter inch plywood in all three boxes. I've never really found a long lasting topping for the plywood. What do you use while hunting? Do you remove it, or add to it during the nights?

Mine are spoiled, they have fluffy pads in theirs.

I just put hay in mine

Coastal.

I have a rubber mat and then coastal on top. I switch out the coastal for straw when I'm hunting colder weather in KS.

hay

I have a Drake kennel pad in my box.

Are you guys telling me that you load your wet dogs in hay, and let them sleep wet for several nights?

A little hijack. Academy has some great Mlkbone dog pillows for $9.99. I picked up one today for Cracker to use as her place in the house,and in front of the fireplace.

Don't think anyone said that bill.... what do you recommend?.......besides plywood.

Bill Sham-wows work great on drying single coated dogs.
Mine do have pads in their crates. Don't know the brand but I get them from Walmart. They are the only ones I been able to find that I can throw in the washer and dryer and have the come out looking new.

I'm still looking. They sometimes use it for judging at NSTRA and I take everything out. Maybe they don't need anything while hunting.

Lots of blankets in my dog boxes.

I can put a wet dog in a box filled with hay when we finish hunting for the day, head to the motel & hang out for few, maybe go eat something, whatever, when I let that dog out of the box at the motel to let them eat & poop, they are bone dry. there may be a little bit of moisture under the hay at the bottom of the box but it is not wet.

I'm down to one dog. I think I'll just hunt my dog with the plywood to keep her off the aluminum floor, she's on the ground most of the time anyway. I'll get the $2.50 WM pillow for her for overnights. It's easy to throw in the bed of my pickup while hunting.

I have another question for you on the subject of dog boxes on your UTVs while hunting. I have a 3 hole box. I can double up dogs for short spells, thus hunting 6 dogs, with 2 or three on the ground at most times. I went hunting with a guy who could not even double up two of his own dogs, because one of them was so contentious. I didn't like that and he won't be invited back. I've always been able to throw any of my dogs in a box with other dogs. Do you ever hunt with other dogs which are contentious? Are any of your dogs that way?

Nope, they all love each other. Except the males when one of the girls are in heat. My buddies older Brittany will growl at Bleu if he comes near his food while he is eating.

best thing i have found, many of the pro dog trainers use them

Nats Mats

they have lots of standard sizes, just tell them the brand of box you have or they can make a custom size if you measure it.

Bill,

I use th dog pads from Mud River, http://www.mudriverdogproducts.com/products/Frisco.html
I actually cut these in half to make two seperate pads and then sew the open sides closed. I do not use them during the hunt if it is going to be wet. And, as you know, my pups are spoiled. I get a hotel room with double beds, one for me and one for them.

Speaking of doubling dogs in one hole; I had Crow River build my unit with just two holes and 6" deeper than their standard. I don't have any problems with putting my two pups in one side and leaving the other side for guests (or their dogs).

Chris

I use 2" thick rubber mats I picked up from the Stock Show. I have them in my dog trailer and my dog boxes on my mule. Cut them to fit. Unless it is but cold I do not even use hay. I never use it in my Jones dog trailer, but do sometimes in my dog box on the mule. I think multiple dogs in tight area give off enough heat to kepp them warm through the night. My dog trailer has been great. The storage and 4 compartments are really convenient. You guys know how much stuff you have to have on a serious 4-5 day trip and the back seat and truck bed only holds so much.

Lots of hay is the best it will dry them up.

The hay even cleans them up. Looks like they just had a bath.

hay