Research-based shortlist, not a verified-fit list. Confirm your model year, body style, trim and seat layout before buying.
This guide builds on our general guide to choosing the best kennel for your vehicle. Start there for the overall approach, or change vehicles with the selector below.
Start with your Rivian R1S’s layout
The R1S has an upper liftgate and a lower tailgate, so the dog and handler cross an extra loading surface before reaching the kennel. Put the shell fully inside its intended cargo position, then test the reach to its latch with the lower tailgate open. A setup balanced on the open panel is not the installed driving arrangement.
Rivian’s Kneel mode can reduce loading height, subject to its operating conditions. Use the manual for your vehicle and test the boarding routine you can actually repeat. Lowering the body changes the approach from the ground; it does not create additional headroom between the cargo floor and the closed liftgate.
Record the exact seat configuration and model year. Rivian announced an additional six-seat option for 2027 alongside seven-seat layouts, so an aisle photograph may describe a different arrangement from your vehicle. Also keep R1T storage advice separate: the pickup is not a substitute reference for this SUV’s kennel position.
Compare RuffLand and G1 with the retained rows in place, including a ramp if the dog needs one. Keep charging and roadside supplies reachable without releasing the kennel, and reserve luggage space independently. Our preference would be the full arrangement that permits an ordinary stop with the lower tailgate down and the dog’s exit clear.
The checks that matter here
- Lower tailgate reach with shell fully inside
- Actual Kneel-mode boarding routine
- Model-year-specific six/seven-seat arrangement
Kennels we would compare for the Rivian R1S
Test the split-tailgate boarding route after fixing the seat configuration.
RuffLand single-door kennel
A rear-entry RuffLand is worth investigating if its doorway remains easy to reach across the lower tailgate.
When we would pass: The open tailgate is not extra supported driving space for the shell.
Check this option and its instructions →
Gunner G1
Compare G1 with the ramp and separately packed charging supplies included.
When we would pass: Kneel mode cannot solve a kennel that is too tall under the closed liftgate.
Check this option and its instructions →
These are candidates to investigate, not confirmed fits. Match the exact size and installation instructions to your dog and vehicle before ordering.
Before you order
Use the main guide’s dog-sizing and loading-route checklist to test your chosen layout. Review how to check crash-test evidence for the exact product and installation; a successful physical fit does not establish crash protection.
Bring your dog’s measurements, your model year and trim, and photos of the intended installation area to the kennel seller. Ask for the exterior envelope and usable interior measurements of the exact size and door configuration. Confirm the return terms before a trial fit.
Sources and related guides
- Rivian R1S manufacturer information
- Rivian R1S manufacturer reference 2
- Rivian R1S manufacturer reference 3
- Compare our kennel product reviews
- All 106 vehicle guides
Reviewed October 26, 2026. Recommendations are editorial judgments from published information; no vehicle-specific fit or crash result is implied.