Securing dog in the car

[Livingabroad12]

We are getting a puppy in a few weeks time and I am thinking about how we will transport her.

We have an estate car so I think we could get a crate for her to go in the boot. She will grow to be around 20-25kg though - can a dog this size fit in a crate in the boot of an estate car and leave any other space? Any idea what dimensions we’d need?

We currently have 2 children and so we could get a harness and restraint to attach to the seatbelt in between the children, although I’m not sure how comfy this would be for the dog as she gets bigger. We’re also planning a 3rd child which would then not leave a seat free in the back.

Is there anyway to secure her in the front passenger footwell? I could use the seatbelt when my husband isn’t in the car but if he is there obviously he would need the seatbelt.

Help!!

Get a dog guard, the one for your car specifically will be better and put dog in the boot. The dog will need to be taught never to jump out and only to get out when told.

A puppy is likely to chew a seatbelt. I’d use a crate.
However, my puppy was the neediest creature ever and couldn’t bear to be apart from me, so insisted on sitting on my lap while I was driving.
In a puppy bag when he was very tiny, then loose from about 16 weeks. He was very good and still. This continued until he couldn’t fit under the steering wheel, so don’t come to me for advice!!!!
Yes, I know it’s illegal and unsafe, but he was too distressed otherwise………

A crash tested crate is by far the safest way for the dog and other passengers. Dogs usually feel more secure reasonably confined (breaks etc. allowing, obviously), so you may need a smaller crate than you think.

What breed of dog and which estate car?

Please don't have your dog loose in the back with children - it's not safe for either of them. Dog needs to be secured and crated in the back of the car.

And by loose I do mean on the seatbelt thing - I know you know he needs to be secured ☺️

My own dog travels on a seatbelt but we don't have children and he has the whole backseat to himself.

safest place is in a crash secure crate in the boot.
second safest in a crate in the footwell of the rear of the car.
test results for harnesses are not very good.

it's not only about a potential crash but also about what's afterwards. an injured lose dog, potentially agressive due to the situation, is not something first responders should deal with.

In your situation the only feasible solution is either a crate or a boot guard as someone suggested above. The boot guard is a metal panel that sits along the top of your back seat. I find it easier than a crate because that way when I don’t have the dog, my shopping can still go in the boot :)

You shouldn’t have the dog anywhere in the front of the car because of the airbags. Same reason you don’t have children in the front seat.

Would definitely go for a crate in the boot but get your tape measure out before ordering to check which ones will fit in! My Labrador is 30kg and very happy in his crate in the car. It has the added benefit that he can’t leap out as soon as you open the boot too.
some Puppies get very anxious so may need to slowly acclimatise him to the car in general with lots of treats, walking near it, near it with boot open, smelling in the boot, playing in the it etc. remember they will need lifting in and out to begin with as some breeds eg labradors you have to be very careful to protect their joints in the first several months at least.

If you use a boot guard it's best to attach lead securely to something, (and put harness on dog). My car has metal D rings on floor of the boot.

Although my dog is trained to wait there's always a risk he could jump if something spooks him or he sees a cat. There was a report a few years ago about someone who stopped the car on hard shoulder of the motorway because dog was desperate for a loo break and it jumped out as soon as boot was opened and ran down the motorway, fortunately dog was OK and no accidents caused.

That's too big to go in the back seat unless she's on her own. You need a boot guard or crate in the boot. But there won't be much room for anything else with a crate for a dog that size so I'd go for the guard. You will also need a D ring and harness to clip her to the chassis. Never use a collar in the car when securing your dog.

My dog goes on the back seat but he's smaller and he is attached to the isofix on the chassis.

Metal crate whilst is still a puppy and once outgrown dog guard, separator (so you can still fit in luggage and not too much room for dog, you don't want them flung around in an accident) and a tail gate guard (to prevent jumping out and extra protection in a collision). You wouldn't want the dog jumping out of the boot and running off just after an accident.

Any securing would be good - I've just driven behind a couple who let their little cockerpoo jump into the back seat and then when they drove off, it jumped up onto the back shelf and was running back and forth

We’ve got a guard along the back seat. Initially we put in a panel so dog had half a boot. Now he has whole boot. Currently 25kg.

https://www.travall.co.uk/dog-guard

i think this is the company we used.

We have a dog guard on both our cars and he goes in the boot. When he was a tiny puppy he was scared of the car so I put him in the cat carrier on the seat next to me! It only took a few weeks of small
journeys for him to be comfortable then he went in boot. He’s nearly 20kg

Thank you so much for all of the advice everyone this is super helpful!

TransK9 are good, you can search on your car make and model to get one to fit the boot. Once you know the one you need check local selling sites and eBay first. transk9.com/