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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Four hour journey - how do I manage a loo stop?

52 replies

EmmaGrundyForPM · 07/12/2021 02:35

I am making a four hour journey to pick up my mum on just before Christmas. Dog was due to stay behind with dh but now dh might need to go to the office so am considering taking dog with me.

Dog loves the car and travelling so will easily cope with the journey as long as I stop to let him out to pee and stretch his legs at some point. But what do I do about peeing and stretching my legs????

Normally, journey is on motorways and I stop at a service station to use the loo and grab a coffee. But I can't take the dog into a service station. Do I just leave him.in the car and be as quick as I can?

What do other people do in this situation? He's never been left at home for more than a couple of hours so I don't want to leave him all day with a neighbour popping in to let him out a couple of times.

OP posts:

ErrolTheDragon · 07/12/2021 09:04

I also park by the information centre and ask the staff to keep an eye on my car when I pop to the loo.

That's a good idea. Or there are often AA/RAC touting for business, or police.

But the risk is low. Perhaps best to go to the loo first, before getting the dog out, so it's not obvious to anyone lurking that there's even a dog in the car.

FluffyCushion123 · 07/12/2021 09:05

We often go off the motorway down a country road to woodland or similar so dig can have a proper run about. You could pee in the bushes and take a flask ;)

FluffyCushion123 · 07/12/2021 09:06

Dog

Mindymomo · 07/12/2021 09:09

You can get one of those portable wee bottles for females, park in the farthest position in car park, I think I would rather do that than leave my dog in a car alone.

Original poster

EmmaGrundyForPM · 07/12/2021 15:59

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm definitely not using a She-wee, I tried one once and ended up with very wet trousers!

I am going from Cambridge to just outside Bristol. I usually do the motorways but can come off the M6 and cut across to the M5 via A roads. It will take a bit longer but hopefully I can find a garage with a decent loo.

OP posts:

icedcoffees · 07/12/2021 16:04

It's not about 'convenience'. I don't have a husband. Does that mean I shouldn't have a dog?

Well, I didn't say that, did I?

I appreciate having DH around makes things easier for me, but even if I was travelling alone with my dog, I would organise it so I didn't need to leave him in the car by himself.

So I'd take drinks and snacks with me, and I'd use public toilets so I could take him in with me, or use lay-bys and have wild wees.

There's just no way I'd leave him unattended and out of sight in the car - there are always other options.

Lellochip · 07/12/2021 16:10

@EmmaGrundyForPM

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm definitely not using a She-wee, I tried one once and ended up with very wet trousers!

I think you'd be better off in a motorway services - what time of day are you travelling? They're normally pretty busy so the chance of someone dodgy happening to spot your dog, want to steal them, and finding the opportunity to break into your car unseen must be fairly small in the few minutes it'd take for a quick wee?

gogohm · 07/12/2021 16:16

to be honest I sometimes drove through 3.5 hours as ddog used to go to sleep and refuse to get out at the service station because he knew it was boring. He also knew where he was going when he stopped at that one - grandparents. For longer journeys we would break it up at a country park or similar with a dog friendly cafe

Clymene · 07/12/2021 16:22

@icedcoffees

It's not about 'convenience'. I don't have a husband. Does that mean I shouldn't have a dog?

Well, I didn't say that, did I?

I appreciate having DH around makes things easier for me, but even if I was travelling alone with my dog, I would organise it so I didn't need to leave him in the car by himself.

So I'd take drinks and snacks with me, and I'd use public toilets so I could take him in with me, or use lay-bys and have wild wees.

There's just no way I'd leave him unattended and out of sight in the car - there are always other options.

In a busy service station car park, there is very little chance of anyone breaking into a car and stealing a dog. My dog can't be seen from the outside anyway.

Floralnomad · 07/12/2021 16:22

I wouldn’t leave my dog in a car , ever , I’d do without a wee or find a toilet he could come in , the same as @icedcoffees. Lots of dog thefts from cars near us , even one from John Lewis car park at Bluewater shopping centre , no way I’d risk it with my dog .

icedcoffees · 07/12/2021 16:24

In a busy service station car park, there is very little chance of anyone breaking into a car and stealing a dog. My dog can't be seen from the outside anyway.

I agree there's very little chance, but for me, the consequences if the worst SHOULD happen don't even bear thinking about. I would be wracked with guilt for the rest of my life if I left him alone in the car and something happened.

poshme · 07/12/2021 16:30

Why don't people lock their cars? Popping into go to the loo really doesn't take very long.

Medievalist · 07/12/2021 16:34

I suppose it also depends on the dog and how valuable they might be to a potential dog thief. I'd leave my 12 year old black lab cross with his white muzzle and white eyebrows for a few minutes knowing that he would raise merry hell if anyone so much as looked at his car. My mega friendly cute 2 year old black lab I'd be less inclined to leave. I love them both equally but I don't think anyone would think it worth their while trying to steal the older one!

Floralnomad · 07/12/2021 16:36

@poshme

Why don't people lock their cars? Popping into go to the loo really doesn't take very long.

Dogs get stolen out of locked cars . Leaving a dog in a car nowadays is the same as leaving a laptop or iPhone on display in your car , you are simply asking for someone to break in .

SomepeopleareTERFSgetoverit · 07/12/2021 16:38

Can you combine your own wee break with refuelling? Very unlikely that the car would be nicked from a forecourt while you’re paying, (I’d hope, anyway!)

Not all petrol stations have loos but the bigger chains usually do.

Clymene · 07/12/2021 17:48

@Floralnomad

I wouldn’t leave my dog in a car , ever , I’d do without a wee or find a toilet he could come in , the same as *@icedcoffees*. Lots of dog thefts from cars near us , even one from John Lewis car park at Bluewater shopping centre , no way I’d risk it with my dog .

Personally I think there's a huge difference between leaving a dog in a shopping centre car park with limited traffic (where I would never leave my dog) and a busy service station on the M4.

But obviously we're all different. As I said, you can't see my dog and I always pee first and then take him for a mooch.

I often drive 6-8 hours alone with him and I can't be adding even more journey time by meandering onto side roads, looking for somewhere I can pee in the bushes

Floralnomad · 07/12/2021 18:34

@Clymene believe me the car park outside JL at Bluewater is not that quiet , people just don’t pay attention to what other people are doing , you wouldn’t necessarily notice a professional breaking into a car .

Bayleaf25 · 07/12/2021 18:44

On a journey that long I’d always plan a dog walk stop nearby somewhere (which could mean I could wee behind a bush - or park really close to some public toilets ). Much nicer having a proper walk rather than at a grim motorway services.

GuyFawkesDay · 07/12/2021 18:46

Crated dog in boot shouldn't set alarm off. On backseat or loose it would.

ErrolTheDragon · 07/12/2021 19:05

@SomepeopleareTERFSgetoverit

Can you combine your own wee break with refuelling? Very unlikely that the car would be nicked from a forecourt while you’re paying, (I’d hope, anyway!)

Not all petrol stations have loos but the bigger chains usually do.

Don't quite a lot of them have cctv to stop people driving off without paying? If so, that might be a deterrent.

memememe · 07/12/2021 19:06

All the services on the motorways have loos in the petrol stations as well. I'd use that for a wee as the car will be more secure there. Just leave dog in the car for the 3 mins it takes for a wee!

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 07/12/2021 19:49

My dog is in a crate in the back of the car, i normally put a scarf or something over it and unless you were really looking you wouldn't know a dog was in the car.

Personally I would avoid walking the dog and then leaving him as think there's more chance he might be noticed by would be thieves.

KosherDill · 07/12/2021 20:25

My small dog lies in a tall bed in the rear seat. He can sit up to look out if he wishes but if I step out he curls under his blanket.

Doubt anyone would see him and form the intent to break into a locked car in the 5 minutes it takes me to dash in and out.

ZZTopGuitarSolo · 08/12/2021 07:43

Dogs get stolen out of locked cars . Leaving a dog in a car nowadays is the same as leaving a laptop or iPhone on display in your car , you are simply asking for someone to break in

Anyone who thinks my adopted-from-Georgia Heinz 57 mutt is anywhere near as valuable as a laptop or phone needs their head examining.

Also iPhones don't tend to try to kill strangers who open their car door. Ddog on the other hand...

Frazzled2207 · 08/12/2021 07:50

I know dogs are definitely stolen from cars but I struggle to see how it’s a realistic prospect from a locked car in a busy car park in broad daylight

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