I wrote a while back about prototyping the dog bed. We tested it out – it seemed pretty solid, and Loki was happy to climb up there – so I went ahead and built it out of better materials.

It consists of 3 main parts:

• A 60 cm x 80 cm Eurocrate plastic box, that we plan to use for washing – as a kind of mini bathtub
• A 30 cm extension, to make the total width more like 110 cm – enough for the dog to be able to lie down comfortably in a few positions
• A sliding wall that is sandwiched between the dog bed and the Eurocrate, which can be pushed back to allow him easy access, and pulled across to give him some protection while we’re driving. The wall has a gap at one end to allow him to hang his head off the side, which is one of his favourite ways to lie.

The two boxes both have removable lids made from plywood, and on top of these are two foam cushions with removable fleece covers.

We wanted to make something modular and flexible, but also safe and comfortable for Loki. So all the boxes are bolted to the wooden bulkhead so that they are secure when Loki gets in or out and as the van is in motion. But if we want to, we can unbolt them, and take the little extension off and use it as a seat, or take the Eurocrate outside to use for washing, as a seat or table.

So far, I think we’ve got a big thumbs up from Loki.