How to transport a puppy in a car?

[BaconAndAvocado]

Newboy is coming up for his 12 week jabs so we will be able to venture out soon. Can't wait, climbing the walls!!

He's a Lab and obviously quite small at the moment.

Our crate wouldn't fit in my boot ( I don't think) and I don't want to be moving it in and out of the house.

My car is a qasquai (?) so has a big boot.

Should I get W dog harness/ seatbelt or will he just sit in the boot?

As you can see I'm new to this Dog Owning Lark!

I would recommend a car crate. It is safest all round.

Dog needs to be contained somehow- at the minimum with a harness & seat belt attachment.

Our lab pup wasn't happy in the boot when small so travelled on the backseat with a seat hammock so she couldn't fall into the footwell and clipped in to a seatbelt with a harness. Now she's older she travels in the boot or backseat depending.

I'd recommend you take some trips out and about even before 12 week jabs. Our pup loves people watching from the boot of a parked car

Legally he should be restrained, so either loose in the boot but with a grille between boot and car, or cage, or seat belt harness. Not judging you if you don't restrain though! Lots of people don't.
Harness is cheapest and easiest. While he's very small I'd put him in a cardboard box with a blanket so he isn't flung about too much. Also worth noting that if there's any way you can raise him up high enough to see out the window this should minimise vomiting!

I wouldn’t put a crate into the boot unrestrained anyway, it needs to be fixed in the car so if you’re hit it doesn’t move. I have a golden retriever. He is in the boot. We put down an old duvet as he’s not super keen on the car hoover much better these days. He usually has his harness on anyway and lead is clipped to clip in car. He has a grille to stop him climbing into back seats. He did try as a small dog but too big now. He just sleeps now though.

Some dogs really don’t like the car, I’d work on making sure your pup has a positive experience so not all car trips are to the vets. You need to go ‘nice’ places too. Even if you lift him out and sit on a bench with him and give him some tasty treats and go home. Work on giving the car value. Scatter feed round it, mine loved hide and seek - eating food of wheels, chairs etc def worked to make the car more positive for him and we didn’t even go anywhere for the first wee while.

Personally I only ever transport dogs in a vehicle in a crash tested crate.

To me it is not worth the risk.

👋🏻 tizwozliz
I like the sound of a seat hammock.
I need to make a trip to the pet shop!

If I can get the hammock/harness tonight I might take him out for a ride in the car then a carry around......with lot of treats!
Wish me luck 😬😬

The more fun trips you can do the better. FawkesPup wasn't keen on the car until he'd had a few trips to fun places once the jabs were all done. Now he jumps in there enthusiastically.

We use a harness and seatbelt at the moment but will get a sloping car crate once he is older

As PPs have said, legally your dog has to be restrained in a car. Holding a lead with him in the footwell doesn't count. He must be behind a dog guard in the boot or have a harness attached to the seatbelt fixing. If you have an accident with an unrestrained dog, you will have problems with your insurers. If he is loose on the back seat and you stop suddenly, you risk him getting seriously hurt and damaging you badly on his way past to hit the windscreen at 50 mph. Other PPs might not judge people carrying unrestrained dogs but I certainly would. Reputable rescue organisations won't rehome to people that won't carry their dogs in accordance with the law. You wouldn't carry an unrestrained child so give your puppy the same protection.