How best to travel with puppy in car

[Pufflemum]

Hello. I am looking for advice on the easiest and safest way to travel with a puppy. Currently 14 weeks. It's a cocker.

So far I have been putting her on the back seat secured with a harness but she is wrecking the car and making my kids dirty before school. Today I secured her in the boot ( mini hatchback), she was sitting nicely when we got going but I was worried about trapping part of her when shutting the boot as she wouldn't sit in her basket.

I have a crate which she sleeps in overnight that can fit in DH car for long journeys but it doesn't work for short trips to the park etc. What do people recommend? I have seen canvas type carriers that would fit in my boot or should I just train her to sit in the boot secured by the harness/ lead.

Many thanks in advance.

[Floralnomad]

Mine sits on the seat with a car harness ,he has a blanket that he sits on to protect the seat and if he is wet or muddy he sits in an adapted dog bag ( so the harness can still be attached) . I've had this arrangement for 4 yrs and I've never had a mess in the car .

[Pufflemum]

Thanks Flora, what's an adapted dog bag? Currently I have tried with a blanket on the seat but the dog 'digs' it up, throws it on the floor and after then getting muddy paws all over my lovely leather seats either sits in a child car seat or if there is inconveniently a child in it, sits on the child whilst trying to bite said child to make it go away.....

[needastrongone]

We have a Ferplast plastic travel crate, sold on most pet sites and Amazon. It fits into our medium sized car (Evoque) easily, but you can get smaller sizes.

It has a plastic grid floor, which you can remove, so you can wipe it all out. Being plastic, you can disinfect it all and it contains dog and mud easily.

The reason I say that you can get smaller sizes is mine now fits an adult springer and puppy cocker pretty easily for short journeys.

The roof is also thinner than the floor, to accomodate the hatchback.

[Floralnomad]

It's a dog bag that I have adapted so that the harness lead comes out of the back so he can be restrained ,you do need to get them used to being in a dog bag before using it in the car though .

[anotherverydullusername]

Oh I have almost the same car and almost the same dog breed coming my way! The harness is advisable presumably? Or can I just use a soft-sided carrier?

[Booboostoo]

Sounds like the best thing would be to teach her a stay command in the boot of the car. It should only take a couple of weeks of repetition and she's learn it. It's also very useful for getting her safely out of the car, e.g. you ask her to stay, you open the boot, you put the lead on and then you ask her to jump out - really helps prevents accidents from dogs jumping out of the boot straight into traffic.

Other than that plastic cover for the seat and use the car harness as normal or small crate in the back seat secured with the seat belt.

[anotherverydullusername]

Please can somebody link to a crate that can be secured with the seatbelt/ how to do this?

[Booboostoo]

You should be able to secure most crated with a three point seat belt. The ones I use are solid with two halves fixed in the middle so there is a clear point where the lap part of the belt goes under the middle ridge (if you see what I mean!). They are more like cat crates, but are fine for smaller dogs and puppies.

[Pufflemum]

Thanks I bought the Ferplast carrier and have used that all week. The puppy loves it (often refuses to get out) and I feel much calmer knowing she is safe in the boot.

[Countrywalks]

I used a cat carrier for those early weeks when she was still cockerdile biting. Now do the same as Flora, use a harness, dog seat belt and towel or blanket on seat. She is now good as gold and sits or lies quietly on front seat.

[needastrongone]

I've been really pleased with the Ferplast Pufflemum. I think it might have resale value too, being plastic, it's hard to see how you would damage it.

I also think it might be a useful travel crate for holidays too.