Leaving your dog in the car

[JessinAvalon]

Hi all
I have a gorgeous rescue collie cross. She is well looked after, lots of walks, and I pay for her to be looked after by a dog walker every day whilst I'm at work.

Yet I suffer massive guilt trips whenever I go out & leave her for any length of time. I was wondering if sometimes it's best to take her and leave her in the car (eg when I go to the supermarket or to the gym) because at least she's out of the house with me. Would this be preferable to leaving her at home?

Today I went to a 'dog days' event at an arboretum, gave her a good run there after watching the doggy events and then went to a town nearby for lunch and a browse in the shops. I left her in the car for an hour and a half. I was with my mum and she was saying that it would be fine to leave her for a couple of hours but I couldn't do it. It seemed too long to me (obviously I wouldn't leave her in warm weather but she had a bowl of water and the windows partly open in the car).

Am I worrying too much? If I leave her in the car for an hour or more I start to feel horrendously guilty.

Any advice from those more experienced with dogs would be gratefully received. Thanks!

I'd say no. There is a very real chance she could be stolen. Even at this time of the year, cars can also heat up pretty quickly if it is a sunny day. Also, if your car windows are left open, check this does not invalidate/affect your car insurance?

If going out for lunch after walk, find a dog friendly pub - lots of websites that list dog friendly places, or sit outside in pub garden with dog on lead, or take coolbox and have picnic in arboretum.

If she is at home, she is safe, cool and able to access water and her favourite bed/toys etc. As she's a collie, she's probably doing a part time PhD while you're out not like our nice but dim greyhounds...

i would be too worried about stealing to ever leave mine in car.

My dog LOVES the car and I wouldnt leave him alone in it for any longer than around 15 minutes or so even if he's asleep.

I reckon if he's going to be left that amount of time, he would be happier at home where he can move around freely.

As scuttle says, there is a chance of your dog being stolen, also how would he react to a bunch of teenagers knocking the windows to wind him up, and having learned from experience there is alot of things he could damage if he becomes bored

Oh for Pete's sake. Your dog has a lovely life. Leave at home or in the car if it's not going to overheat. eg in an underground car park. Put some water in a bowl in the boot if needed.

If you know your dog will not bark, over heat, set off the handbrake or wreck the car what's the problem?

And what's the problem with leaving at home? Much nicer if they can get about a bit.

You are fretting too much.

oh youdid the bowl ofwater.

yeah I wouldn't worry except for thieves

I wouldn't leave any of my dogs in the car because of the risk of theft alone, regardless of other factors.

westonbirt by any chance? my collie cross was there today, had a great time

i wouldnt leave a dog in a car as there are too many unknowns that could happen. there are lots of dog friendly places to go for lunch.

if shopping is just a small part of a day out then i stand/sit outside with my dog. i dont feel this is a sacrifice as not keen on shopping plus the worry of leaving the dog would outweigh any pleasure i got anyway

if shopping was main focus of the day then i would leave dog at home

i expect your dog loved her trip out though

I worry about leaving my dog at home, 6 month lab and needs constant reminders not to chew everything. He comes in the car with me most mornings, my job involves driving around visiting people, usually 15-30 minute appointments. He stays in a large padlocked crate, back seats flat to make room for it. I always cover the crate when I leave him so he can't be seen by passers by. He seems to enjoy it, goes very chilled out and relaxed as soon as he gets in the crate and never barks.

Thanks all. Yes Chick, it was Westonbirt. I joined up so I could take her there more often.

I only leave her in the car if I can't go home to drop her off. So we were about an your from home yesterday and the main focus of the day had been to take her out not to go shopping. I would take her everywhere with me if I could but sadly a lot of places aren't dog friendly.

As for picnicking outside etc, it was freezing yesterday! I have to balance the needs of my mum, who is disabled and can't be outside in the cold for too long, with the needs of my dog. We kept the shopping to a minimum but did have to have lunch inside because it was too cold for my mum.

My dog is very good despite being a rescue dog and having a few little quirks when I took her on. She's 10 now and years of agility classes, now stopped, have done her the world of good.

Thanks all for the advice.

I take my dog in the car often when I am out and about. Luckily my car has privacy glass at the back so people cant see in and the dog (s) love being in the car. I dont leave them in in hot weather but just now it is fine for a little while.

jess - sounds as if your dog had a fab day out. yes it was cold yesterday and i couldnt sit outside either.

just for future reference lots of pubs do allow dogs inside on a lead so it is possible to have lunch inside. we have even taken our dog in egypt mill restaurant in nailsworth! (posh!)we had to ask and find they usually look at dog and say ok.

in lots of country pubs it is very normal to see dogs, i usually just double check when i go up to the bar. i always find people are very welcoming once you check its ok.

I leave my dog in the car occasionally. If we are going out for the whole day and there is someplace we cannot take her into. Would not do it in summer but at the moment it is ok.

Tbh, I struggle when we are in Scotland as we are so used to taking her everywhere with us here in Switzerland.

We visited a castle yesterday and she was in the car just over an hour - there was a place to leave dogs but I would not want to leave her outside.

Thanks all, again! My dog does love the car but barks the whole time with excitement. I have read that one way to get over this is to take them to boring places (eg the supermarket) and leave them in the car. Not for long but to get them out of the association with it being fun, fun, fun!

Chick-it was Nailsworth we went to after Westonbirt! Lovely place. And we saw Egypt Mill but I thought it looked a bit posh to let dogs in and thought it looked a bit formal for a quick lunch anyway. I do always ask if I can bring her in with me and often phone ahead first. She even comes to my feminist meetings with me which are once a month in the evening!

I used to live near a canal in Cheshire and there were a few pubs there that allowed dogs. She often came with me for drinks or meals.

One good doggy place I went to last summer was Cheddar Gorge. They let dogs everywhere - on the tour bus, in the caves, in the museum. We had a lovely day there last summer. They told me when I buying my ticket that they know dogs are part of the family. So refreshing to find somewhere that allows dogs everywhere.