Do you allow your dog to jump out of truck bed?

[ghosthunter]

I see folks all the time letting their retrievers jump in and out of truck beds. I thought it would be interesting to see what the forum thinks.

My fist lab I allowed to jump in and out of truck. Her joints started acting up at 10 years so I moved to a ramp. She passed at 12 years old.

While waiting for my 2 nd pup I researched and confirmed that jumping in and out of truck beds especially lifted trucks was bad for large breeds joints. So when my new pump arrived I taught her to use a ramp. And never allowed her to jump from the truck. I believe that decision paid off, as she is now 13 and will retrieve non stop until she runs out of air.

She’s a little slower but appears to have no joint problems.

Given The money and time that is put into a hunting dog these days, I find it interesting that a lot of guys and some trainers still allow their dogs to jump out of pickups. Why take the chance? I can’t see an upside to the practice.

[meathunter 4x4]

Great subject in my opinion that I have also wondered about. I had two labs from when I was 14 till I was 29 both great dogs one loved to get birds and one loved to find antlers both have sadly passed on now but I always had such a hard time letting them jump out of the pickup. If I could park the pickup and get out fast enough I would pack them both out which was hard to do with labs cause of the excitement. I consider myself lucky that they learned themselves quick that jumping out was not easy on them and they would eventually start waiting for me. No dogs at this point but I will always give them a hand getting out because I know hopping out of a pickup in the cold ain’t fun for my bones.

[EnglishSetter]

YA.  It's not good for 'em.

[metlhead]

Prolly not great for em but different breeds handle impact differently. My pointers are like cheetah mountain goats. Who knows what they scale when they range. A simple jump from a tailgate prolly nothing compared to the scabland scrambles.

[addicted1]

Stock modern trucks seem to sit higher than older models. I’d ask the vet for their thoughts on it, but from my experience with certain breeds it’s definitely not a great idea. Especially when they are young and still growing. We won’t put our dog in the bed anymore, too many people we know have lost a dog that way.

[BD1]

Absolutely not...

[Sandberm]

I quit allowing mine to do so because I read here on Huntwa last year or the year before that it was a bad thing.

Thank you for the knowledge fellas.

[vandeman17]

My dogs jump in my pickup and are lifted out. Granted, this is just into the back seat which isn't as high as a tailgate but I still want to try and protect the joints. I also use it a quick time to look at them more eye to eye, give them a little pet and them lift them down to the ground.

[bornhunter]

Definitely hard on my back at my age but I always lift them off the tailgate and lower them to the ground. My old yellow lab girl will actually turn sideways to me so I can cradle her in my arms then lower her down. She is to old to jump in the bed of the truck so she raises up and puts her front feet on the tailgate then looks at me like "ok,you get me the rest of the way in." I just got a 3 month old black lab and I will never let him launch out of the back of my truck.  Over time really messes up their legs and shoulders.

[Gentrys]

We allow or Labs to jump in, but use a ramp going out.  I walk them almost daily, so gotta protect those joints.

[ASHQUACK]

Quite simply no. My labs are trained to sit and wait for my help. But then again they don't ride in the back of the truck either.

[BD1]