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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Kids and dogs in car

50 replies

popmimiboo · 15/06/2015 17:20

My parents are taking my 3 DC camping this summer. They have an estate car with a roof box and will be towing their caravan.
They also have 2 medium sized dogs who are used to travelling on the back seat. Apparently, the plan is for the dogs to sit on the DCs' knees for the 7 hour drive
They said the boot will be too full and there is no other option.
AIBU to think this sounds a bit dodgy?
(The children don't seem to mind and DH said he used to squash into the back seat with his 3 siblings and dog when he went on holiday as a child, so I'm prepared to be told IABU and precious about this.)

OP posts:

WindMeUpAndLetMeGo · 15/06/2015 20:26

Should say 2 unrestrained dogs and equal 2 unbelted children. And that seat belts are Not just to protect the child - sorry, tired and didn't read before posting

EllaBella1 · 15/06/2015 20:33

They probably can't but the luggage in the caravan as that will exceed the maximum legal allowed towing weight for the car. My family love a caravan and will buy the biggest caravan the car can pull and then everything must go in the car!

Original poster

popmimiboo · 15/06/2015 20:44

So what do I say to parents and DC who are all excited about this trip?
I had assumed the dogs would be in the boot or I probably wouldn't have agreed. Now, the DC are really looking forward to this holiday and my mum is really looking forward to taking them. We live miles away so she doesn't get to see them nearly as much as she'd like to :-(
But I can't see a way around this.

OP posts:

HarrietSchulenberg · 15/06/2015 20:44

WTF is this about dog seatbelts? I've never heard of them and don't know anyone who uses them, although I will now ask around to see if I've missed something.
Makes sense though, I suppose.
And, OP, I think it's too far for dogs on kids' knees as they weigh a ton after about 10 mins.

Jengnr · 15/06/2015 20:59

Can the kids go on the train and meet them there? You said they were teenagers didn't you?

WindMeUpAndLetMeGo · 15/06/2015 20:59

Dog seat belts either clip onto the collar or harness, the have the same adaptor as a seat belt and clip in the same way.

Original poster

popmimiboo · 15/06/2015 21:03

Jengnr -I thought of that but they're off to the middle of nowhere -no station for miles and no direct trains!

Windmeup -yes, they've got that kind so won't be able to use them as no spare belts.

Am going to have to bite the bullet and tell them, aren't I...

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 16/06/2015 00:00

You can get dog seat belts that attach to the harness ( never attach to a collar) and then have a loop ( like a short lead) that you slip the seat belt through so in theory you could attach the dog to the same seatbelt as the child IYSWIM .

CrabbyTheCrabster · 16/06/2015 00:43

We have a dog harness with a loop for the seatbelt to go through. It's an RAC one. Dog can sit on lap safely, attached to person's seatbelt.

SmartAlecMetalGit · 16/06/2015 01:23

A lot of car harnesses for dogs are only designed to prevent the dog from distracting the driver, they're not necessarily going to prevent injury to either the dog or humans in the car in the event of an accident.

Very few car harnesses have been subjected to any kind of proper testing. I believe the only harness available in the UK at the moment which has had independent testing is the Bergan one.

SurlyCue · 16/06/2015 01:33

I have seen quite a few different dog car harnesses and none of them filled me with much faith at all. Little dogs would be ok but anything spaniel sized? Hmm nope. Not convinced they would keep dog safe and secure in an accident. Ive actually given it a bit of thought on and off about what is really needed to keep dogs safe in car seats. Feiw i dont think it involves them sitting on anyone's knee.

Mermaidhair · 16/06/2015 01:46

There is no way I would allow this. Sounds illegal and dangerous. I know it will be hard discussing it, but think about the consequences. Not worth it.

longjane · 16/06/2015 10:28

I see as you 3 choices
1 you drive your kids
2 you look after the dogs for 2 week
3 you say no.and pay all costs your parents have paid.

WaywardOn3 · 16/06/2015 10:35

Are your parents dogs used to sharing the back seat? Or being squashed up next to children?

If not then I'd be inclined to say they need to find another way to fit everyone in.

Having had to share the back seat with my grandparents large dog as a child, it was the first time I've been bitten by a dog. She wasn't used to sharing and became stressed with her lack of usual back seat freedom. After the bite there suddenly became a way to fit the dog in the boot.

We never travel the dogs in anything but the boot and ideally a crate in the boot.

SnowyPiglet · 16/06/2015 10:55

I wouldn't allow this either, sounds way too dodgy, and it's for 7 hours!! No way!
There must be some way round the problem. Either pack the caravan, car and roof box more sensibly so that the dogs go in the back, or investigate public transport. I know you say it's very remote, but if the teenagers went as far as they could by train and/or bus, then one of the adults could drive back from wherever the campsite is to collect them, leaving the other adult and child sorting out the caravan and stuff meanwhile. I know it's not ideal, but the teenagers would probably enjoy the adventure and independence, and and least it would mean you wouldn't feel guilty for evermore if there was an accident due to overloading/distraction by dogs etc.

(And for those who haven't heard of dog seat belts, we had one ages ago for our Labrador. It was like a full harness and belt combined, but she had to have full seat space for herself. She loved it).

greencottage · 16/06/2015 11:55

Absolutely no way. My cousin was killed in a minor car accident when her small dog in the back seat flew forward and hit her. Please please make sure the dogs are restrained

SkippyTheBushKangeroo · 16/06/2015 12:04

A 7 hour drive sounds painful. . As your kids are teens or near teens I don't see it as a huge problem as long as they are going voluntarily. If it were little kids I wouldn't be so keen.

If you were really worried then you could send two of them by train to be met at the destination.

WanderWomble · 16/06/2015 13:32

It doesn't make any difference where the weight is- all of the luggage/passengers/whatever contribute to the weight. If the car's rated to two 2500kg, that includes everything, not just the caravan. (So you couldn't have a 2500kg caravan and then load up the car with another 500kg of stuff.)

SonceyD0g · 16/06/2015 23:52

Exactly what wander said! We tow a horse trailer so are pretty vell versed.

Adarajames · 17/06/2015 00:05

Dog taxi / transport service to take the dogs there?

WanderWomble · 17/06/2015 00:49

SonceyD0g, I also tow a horse trailer!

This is a good breakdown if anyone is interested in learning more: www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/helpandadvice/technicalhelp/towing/matching-car-and-caravan/

sykadelic · 17/06/2015 02:42

YABU and precious. You've said the kids are teens and pre-teens, they're okay with the dogs sitting on their laps.

If the dog seat belts aren't appropriate your parents should buy different ones where it slips through, if they haven't already. Raise your concern on this point.

Outside of this valid point I don't understand what the problem is.

If you put the dogs in an enclosed boot I would report you for animal cruelty!

NerrSnerr · 17/06/2015 04:03

Sykadekic- the OP has said it is an estate car so it's an open boot.

Legalities aside, I wouldn't fancy a 7 hour car journey with a dog on my lap.

maninawomansworld · 17/06/2015 11:46

Again, as Wander said.
I have been towing everything from horse boxes to trailers full of spuds since I was a kid (obviously on private land before I was 17)!

Tell them to put dogs in boot, luggage in the van and leave the back seats for the kids.
The weight of passengers / dogs / luggage does need to be distributed correctly but the total weight the car can pull is unaffected. If the towing capacity is (say) 2 tonnes then the total weight of car, van, luggage and passengers cannot exceed 2 tonnes plus the unladen weight of the car!

tabulahrasa · 17/06/2015 12:00

Unsecured dogs in a car are dangerous to passengers if anything happens as they're effectively just a loose weight being thrown around and btw most dog harnesses are not crash tested, there are only a couple on the market that will keep a dog secure.

The safest place for dogs and for the humans they're travelling with is to have them secured in the boot.

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