Dogs in cars - How does yours travel?

[Spagblog]

We are thinking about adopting a rescue dog and I was wondering what the best way of transporting them in cars would be.
Can they sit on the seat, or do they have to be in a cage, the boot of a hatchback?

[SparklyGothKat]

You can buy cages for the boot of the car. Our dog just sits in the passager footwell

[sweetmonkey]

mine used to sit on the backseat with a harness that connected to the seatbelt to stop him being thrown forward and stuff in case of accident

[nothercules]

I wouldnt recommend putting them on the seat although I see loads of people do this.

We have a volvo and got a volvo dog guard andhe goes in the boot. He's too big to go in a cage in the car but I see lots of people using them in cars.

[SparklyGothKat]

You can also buy special harnesses that clip into the seatbelt holder

[nothercules]

Obviously going on a seat with a strap is different.

[tallulah]

Our big dog likes to travel in the hatch. Has also been in a harness on the back seat. The little dog travels in his cage on the back seat (and barks non-stop!)

[Spagblog]

Thanks!

[MrsLee]

We have a collie that goes everwhere with us, we tried one of them seat belt thingys for her but she didnt like it much.. we open the car door and she gets in, usualy on the back seat or if the kids are in the car then by my feet in the front, i think the more places you take them the better they get used to it..

Ps she was a rescue dog too!

[Feistybird]

ditto northecules

[2labs]

We have a fitted cage in the back of the car from \link{http://www.hamsterbaskets.co.uk/dogcages.html\these people} and are very happy with it. I think cages are good if you are going to put the dog in the boot, as if you ever have a crash or someone goes into the back of you there's a danger that the boot can pop open.

[rightknockered]

My dog sits on the seat with a seat belt thing.

[mix56]

They should learn to go in the back. this way they don't get mud, rain, gunk all over the car, & all over the seats, hair everywhere.
I got a cheap 'gate' that stops dogs from coming over onto the seats, (it adapts to any car) I did a quick research on google, it came from a local car/tyre shop. I bought the correct size rubber mat for my car model from Amazon. so easy to clean/dry.
They are fine in the boot.

[2legit2knit]

In a crate in the boot, we got one for about £20 and secured it with bungees. She's a big dog and the crate is a snug fit, but it seems safer to have it on the smaller side and she seems to feel more secure.

[SheepAreSuper]

I have a rear seat cover that protects the back seat and the back of the front seat and she goes on the seat with a harness attached to the seat belt.
She doesn't like being picked up and can't jump into the boot so it's the best solution for us.

[lavenderhoney]

In the footwell at the DC feet usually. If it's cold they argue about who gets to cuddle her because she's a ball of warm soft fur and very cuddly.

She has a little bed in the footwell and is tiny herself so never in the way of anyone. She goes in the boot with a dog guard, bed and water, few toys and a chew if left at all. If she's wet and muddy I have a towel in the back to wrap her in, and she snuggles down quite happily.

[kelper]

My whippet goes in the footwell, anywhere else and she get gets terribly car sick :(
She props her little whippety face in-between the seat and the centre console, so she can lick my hand every so often..... Such a princess :-D

[2legit2knit]

We started off with a harness and doggy seatbelt, but she got quite stressed on the back seat and chewed through it!
I'd also say the rescue may insist you have the dgo secured in the car somehow before they let you take him/her home. The Blue Cross did with our girlie.

[SugarPlumTree]

In the boot on her noodle dry mat so she doesn't get mud everywhere. When she was little she was in a crate in the boot then that got ditched.

[WeAllHaveWings]

We originally had a saloon car so Labrador was on the back seat and it wasn't really practical. We tried seat covers and hammock type things but everything just got muddy and hairy and to be honest it didn't feel comfortable for him as he kept trying to move around, or safe even when he was harnessed in.

So we bought a small Focus estate, Ford dog guard and a Boot Buddy boot liner with a non slip mat which we cover with vet bed. Its ideal for us as the vet bed absorbs any mud/moisture after walks, can be machine washed and ddog can sit up, lie down and move around in the boot freely.

[SoupDragon]

My spaniel sits in a cage in the boot (SMax so part of the main car!)

If he is in the car, as he is sometimes in other people's, he will not sit still and tries to climb in the front. Basically, he is a nightmare. When he is in the cage you would not know he is there

[SoupDragon]

Oh FFS ZOMBIE THREAD

[lamusic]

In the boot spewing his guts up