Doggy car travel

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Our pup is 5 months old and we have been using a harness with a strap that plugs into the seatbelt buckle. However, she is becoming quite large (breed unknown but starting to look pointer ish) and I don't think this will be a possibility long term, especially when the children are also in the car. W iththe recent weather, there is also mud everywhere in the car!

When we go out, we have noticed that most dogs seem to jump into the boot so are wondering if we should do this? I think having a crate in the car permaantly could be a pain. I am just intersted to see what other pepole do with medim to large dogs, and also how to reduce the mud (wishful thinking!)

Our collie cross jumps in the boot. She has an old duvet and towel in there which she rolls all the mud on before we get home we have a dog guard between the boot and back seat so she can't jump over.

We used to let her sit in the back but she got too big and too jumpy very quickly. Safer for everyone if she's secure in the boot.

Our lab is in a crate in the boot. Contains the mud very well.

If she might be a large breed dog - she shouldn't jump in an out of the boot until she's finished growing, it's really bad for their joints.

Oh, i hadn't even considered that, thanks

I use a crate in the boot with VetBed.

You could cart around a ramp to avoid joint injury, or lift the dog in and out, if you're very worried about it. Maybe let him jump in if he's filthy and you really really don't want to touch him.

And those extending generic dog-guards from Halfords DO NOT WORK. Spend a bit more and get decent stuff.

My dogs travel a great deal and so I invested in a Barjo dog guard and tailgate (and switched from a tiny elderly hatchback to a 4x4 estate). They have waterproof foam mats topped with vetbed so the wet wicks away from them. For very muddy rallies they have an Equafleece on before they go in the car, half an hour later you remove the fleece to find a clean dry dog. :)

I am very, very judgy about dogs travelling in cars unrestrained and those extendable universal tube guard things, they are next to useless and would be dangerous in a crash. I would always choose a crate over just a rear seat guard because of the ability to leave the dog secured in the car with the hatch and windows open for ventilation.

Try searching for Barjo, Guardsman, MMG, Hamster Baskets/Dog Pods for ideas - many of these come up for sale second hand on eBay and the Agilitynet Fleamarket page.

Hi, I used to keep our lab in the boot (with generic dog guard) until the boot catch malfunctioned mid-journey - not a good thing to see! Following that, I invested in a hamsterbasket "dog pod" - best thing ever. It was made to measure to fit my car exactly (VW Polo) so doubled as boot space when the dog wasn't in it. I noticed our dog got sooo much calmer and happier during journeys! Well worth it even new.

Sorry, I just wander round the Internet now warning people about things that are bad for joints, lol. My puppy has elbow dysplasia and it's really affecting his quality of life, so I feel compelled to be some sort of harbinger of doom...

If you could use a ramp or even something to make steps (which you're supposed to avoid as well really, but it's not exactly a flight of stairs to cover that distance) to minimise that big jolt from the big jump it would be better or even taking her weight for her by lifting or sort of half lifting I'm sure it'd be fine. It's just that that big jump forces loads of weight onto undeveloped joints.

I did everything right with mine and he has ED, so I'm starting to think that dogs either get it or they don't no matter what... But you can never be too careful really.

No, Tab I really appreciate it as I hadn't even thought of that. And just the last couple of days I have been trying to encourage her to jump in and out of the car (back seats) but sdhe has refused, so your timing was perfect.

I can stll carry her for now, she's not enormous (approx 10kg) but very gangly so there's legs everywhere in the car

I think long term she will end up in the boot, but I just want her to be safe and not rattling around in there. You've all given me lots to google!

Safedog crash tested car crate in the boot for ours. VERY expensive but good. Agree about jumping in the out (particularly the huge 4x4s).

I've recently upgraded from a fiesta to a 4x4 and my dog seems really unsettled in the much larger boot, so shall be investing in a travel cage come payday. She's an old lady with no major joint issues, but I've started lifting her in and out, just because it's such a big jump for her to do. She's 24kg, so I'm getting a bit of a work out, but that's no bad thing, right?!?