Leaving dog in the car - lock or not?

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What does everyone do when you have to leave dog in the car, do you lock the doors or leave the doors unlocked? If I lock i can't leave a window open, if it's unlocked then there is a risk of the car or dog being taken. I'm still fairly new to dog ownership so apologies if this is a really obvious question.

I'd love to take dog out for day trips and be able to let her relax in the car if we we were to go for a bite to eat or even just for a few minutes popping into a shop or toilet. She doesn't walk much, she pulls to go back so I'd love to take her for a short walk then leave her in the car while I continue. These days I'm taking her out less because she will only walk a few mins and I need to do a longer walk and I don't know what to do. Some days she doesn't get out at all because of this.

I would never leave my dog in the car.
If I thought it was going to happen, I'd leave them at home.

You don't ever leave a dog in a car. Just don't please. You need to figure a way to take the dog out without needing to leave her In the car. How big is she ? Could you get a dog buggy for her ? You can take her with you to certain cafes and pubs in the garden no problem but park nearby.

How long are you leaving her in the car for?! Your post reads as though you leave her locked inside for hours. Surely not?!

My dog is very happy being in the car. Are you sure you can't leave windows open and lock it? With. I e I have to lock by using the key in the door.

I'd never leave her on a hot day. Sometimes if it's a nice area then I leave the boot open and her on a camping line which means she can jump in and out. But I have a very old car and a barky dog who I don't think people would approach.

The question should to leave a dog in the car or not and the answer is not.

Please don't leave a dog locked in car.

Too many "what ifs" for it to ever be a good idea.

Unless it is something like paying for petrol and the dog is in the car in your line of vision whilst you pay it is a big fat no from me

I leave it unlocked - because I don’t know how to turn the alarm off tbh and they set it of f if I lock it 😐😂

But I only really leave them in the car if I need to do something like put diesel in when I have them with me.

Why doesn't she walk much?

I would never leave my dog in the car. If you go on days out then find somewhere dog friendly to get a bite to eat, or take a picnic. Take turns going to the toilet or in a shop so that someone else can mind the dog. Never leave it tied up outside a shop either.

Dogs get overheated very quickly in a closed car, even when it isn't a boiling hot day. If you leave your dog in the car you risk someone smashing a window (if locked) to free it.

Dogs die in hot cars. The police here will come and break your car window if it's reported.

I waited 10 minutes for them last year at a soft play, German shepherd had been left in the car outside, windows part down. It was there when I went in, 30 mins later he was lying down and hadn't moved. Police smashed back window and got dog out.

Leave the dog at home not in the car.

I have a grille with lockable door across the back of our car's boot, so I can leave the dogs there securely without having to lock the car. I only do this when we're in a fairly secure location (eg dog training) or when I can keep the car more-or-less in view. Even then, I'm always very aware of the weather - I'll shut the boot but leave two windows open a crack for airflow if it's very cold, or have the boot wide open and the car in shade if it's hot. It's always something I'm cautious about (other than paying for fuel - that's a two minute job and it's a rare place where you can't see the car).

Bur how old is your dog if she's not keen on walking? I'd be concerned about a young dog with no urge to explore.

I do a lot of miles and sometimes my dog has to come with me, and at times has to stay in the car (obviously not when it’s hot or in direct sun). One of my “must haves” is an alarm that can be switched off so I can lock the car, leave the windows partially open and the dog can move. My dog (a patterdale) tends to just curl up and go to sleep, so long as I’ve chosen a suitable quiet, dull place to park. He’s tired as he’s spent most of the journey looking out of the window searching for suitable victims to murder.

My caveat is do not leave your dog in the car in the summer as heat can build up very quickly.

I think not leaving dogs in cars is quite basic knowledge!

If you need a long walk and your dog needs a short one, walk the dog first before you go for your long walk and leave the dog at home (with someone to call in if you'll be longer than 4 hours).

If you absolutely must leave the dog in the car then leave the window open. If a better dog owner comes by and takes your dog, that's probably a good thing. If someone takes your car and your dog, tough luck!

We leave our dog in the car, unattended, always in the shade, if it’s to go to the toilet, pay for petrol etc. There is a big difference between that and leaving your dog for hours, or in the sun in hot weather. We turn the alarm sensors off, leave the windows open and lock the car. Were generally back within 2 minutes and the dog is lying down quietly (as usual) and hardly noticed we’re gone.

It’s not ideal, or a regular occurrence, but dogs are safer like this than tied up outside a shop or similar where they could be stolen, hurt, or could be provoked into biting someone.

How long have you had the dog? Is she lacking confidence and finding going out to all these different places too much? Or is it an elderly rescue or a puppy that can't go far?
I think if this is a new dog then you need to forget about what you want (a long walk) for a bit and concentrate on the dog and what is going on for her. So for now take her out lots of times a day but just go for a little walk in your immediate area. Just up and down the street or whatever to build up her confidence. But it's difficult to say because it's not clear how old she is, where she's from or how long you've had her.

Just don’t do it. It’s not fair on the dog, and potentially putting them in a dangerous situation. I never leave my dog in the car.

I'm mean for short periods. Like i take her with me to collect a child and need to get milk in the shop on the way. Or I'd like to be able to leave her for a half an hour or so sometimes.

Take this morning for example. I had to bring DS to training and it takes an hour so I'd like to go for a walk. Dog walks 5 mins and whines and pulls to go back into the car. I now am stuck sitting in a car afraid to go for a little walk on my own cos I don't know what to do re locks.

She is a 2 yr old cavapoo, very quiet and clingy. She sleeps in a crate downstairs and is fine at night but once someone is up she can't cope with being on her own. Our system is usually to let her upstairs to whoever sleeps and after a bit of excitement she curls up again on the bed. My Dh is sick so I don't want her jumping on him, if I leave her downstairs alone she will bark and wake him so it's easier to take her with me. She loves the car but if I can't even leave her to get a coffee or petrol then I will have to leave her locked up at home, which isn't best for her.

I think there is a huge difference between getting a takeaway coffee or petrol than going for a bite to eat. My dog stays in the car whilst I get petrol but I would not be leaving her whilst I went for lunch somewhere.

I think you need to investigate why she does not want to walk, that is quite unusual in a 2 year old dog. Have you just got her?

What breed of dog and how old. We left our 2 in a car for a few minutes one year. It was an estate car,back seats were flattened,both back windows open a few inches,they had a bowl of water.It was in shade under a tree at the top of a hill, very breezy. We walked to a cafe, and pub to see if you were allowed dogs. You were,so I secured a table. When DH got back to the car,there was a woman screaming abuse,he told her to come and check the temperature in the car, the amount of space they had etc. she refused. He brought the dogs up to the cafe,where they had no shade,so we had a quick drink and left. He was so upset by the incident. I did occasionally leave them a few minutes at a petrol station to go and pay,car locked and visible.

Is the car alarm the reason you can't lock the doors? Are you sure there isn't a way to lock without switching on the alarm? There is with my car.

To people who say never leave your dog in the car, of course it is fine to do that when you are properly confident that the weather is cool enough. For a lot of dogs poddling off to Tesco etc just for the car ride is an important bit of extra fun in their day.

If it is theft you are worried about, surely you would feel more afraid of letting them out in the garden or off-lead in the park, since they aren't locked away from thieves there.

Or perhaps your car is a nannying sort that won't let you lock with a window open. Cars are so bloody pushy these days. They should know their place.

Surely, you understand the difference in time between getting takeaway coffee or paying for petrol and going for a walk for an hour/eating in somewhere?

I would never leave my dog in the car for any longer than it took to pay for petrol or to nip and put rubbish in a bin.

If your dog can't be left and doesn't want to walk then you need to think of another solution - a carrier for example.

The only times I ever leave my dogs in the car is to go and pay for petrol. All windows open a few inches and car unlocked (I've never figured out how to turn alarms off in any of my cars over the years). Realistically, if anyone tries to get in the car, they wouldn't have the best experience because the dogs would be most unpleasant to a stranger.
You absolutely cannot leave any dog in a car to nip into a shop or for half an hour while you have a little stroll or you go to have something to eat.
Your dog's safety comes first.
Take a book with you and sit in the car with her with AC on or windows open if you must. If she really doesn't want to walk, get a picnic blanket or go sit on a bench in a park with her which would be much better for her.
A cavapoo is tiny, if you're going for a half an hour walk, just carry her part if the way.
There are million safe options compared to leaving this dog in the car for your or your family's convenience.

My working dogs get left in a vehicle.

In a locked crate with air conditioning on and always in a secure locked parking area.

I would never leave dogs in cars if not in those situations