Backseat or in the boot? (Golden retriever)

[snapdragongirl]

Our Golden retriever currently sits in the backseat of the car. She has a Ferplast car bed/carrier which has been amazing whilst she’s small but she is outgrowing it fast! We use a Kong seatbelt restraint attached to her harness. She’s in the middle seat so can see me if it’s only me in the car, and if DC are with us one will usually sit in the back with her. She is typically a pretty happy car traveller.

I’m just starting to wonder whether we move her to the boot…or get a seat cover for the backseat as we have leather seats and they are already getting a bit scratched/mucky.

What do others do with similar size dogs/what do you recommend? Do we need a crate in the boot or just a boot liner? Do we need a dog guard? I’m assuming I can and should still restrain her in the boot? Would love to hear what you do and what you’d advise!

I agree from a safety pov back seat is better. My dogs are in harnesses and clipped in with a dog safety belt. I have a cheap hammock which totally protects the back seat and stops them falling in the footwell. Then a more cushioned back seat cover on top of that.

I would never put a dog in the boot unless you have a crash tested crate in there.

Of course it does, boots are known as crumple zones for a reason (same as bonnets, so they take the majority of the impact and protect the passengers as much as possible).

Our Ddog goes on the back seat with a seat belt harness and a hammock cover that has a zip down the middle so you can still have someone sitting in the other seat and the dod on the other side

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They literally are designed to crumple on impact. Obviously not if it's just a minor prang, but yeah, I wouldn't be risking my dog in the boot.

In the boot in a crash tested crate is safest - yes the boot is a crumple zone, but realistically if your whole boot is so damaged that your dog in a crate wasn’t ok, that isn’t a crash anyone in the car is walking away from. The crate should protect the dog in most accidents.

There are only a few crash tested harnesses, most aren’t and if your dog can sit up and lie down in it then it’s fastened too loose to be working properly in an accident. They need to be short enough so there’s no slack at all….which isn’t that comfortable for the dog travelling.

There are no crash tested hammocks or car seats - they’re all just for comfort while travelling.

My two dogs are in the back seat with safety seatbelt things on attached to their harnesses. But I do think I need to upgrade the quality of the seatbelts as they were only cheap. When I bought them I only took them in the car once a year for about 5 miles, now they are in it often. Thanks to this thread I'm off to look at Amazon

Off topic but do you have Rotties? I recognise your name from Pet Forums from a long time ago but maybe just a similar username!

Most dogs travelling in crates have room to sit up, lie down and move around. So why is that safer than a dog secured on the back seat?

Because they work differently…

it’s not that them moving about a bit is an issue - it’s that it means the harness can’t work properly if there’s slack to do that.

They're going to be jolted a bit in anything, but if the tether is loose enough that they can move a bit, then in a crash their bottom half can then swing forward with more force because they’re jolted and then their top half is stopped and they either hit the seat in front or sort of flip over on themselves - both of which can cause serious injuries.

Obviously in a crate they’ll still get jolted, but only by the room in the crate.

@hugasaurus yes, that’d be me, I don’t have rotties just now, I currently have a collie and a…dingo? Fox? 😂 supposedly a dog of unknown heritage but I’m not convinced it’s not something else in disguise.

@tabulahrasa It's a dilemma for me. My first dogs travelled in a cage in the boot of my CRV. When I switched car, it had a small boot so the dogs went on the back seat. And that's where they have stayed despite me having an SUV now.

I wonder if size of dog makes a difference. I know of a small breed dog who died from injuries sustained by being thrown around in the cage when the car was involved in a head on collision. A larger dog would probably have faired better.

I guess we need to do the best with the space we have. If we are carrying our 3 kids in the car as well, the dog needs to be in the boot. He has a bed, and a strong tether harness thing, plus a dog guard. If they're not, he can go in the middle.

We are rarely on a motorway or high speed road, in fact there aren't any where we live.

Size of crate will make a difference as well, that’s why crates for cars are more restrictive than crates for houses.

It’s always going to be a bit of a judgement call, unless you’re lucky enough to be able to buy a big enough car and get fitted crash tested crates…in which case, I’d do that

Mine are in crash tested harnesses on the back seat btw, because sadly I can’t afford to buy cars just to suit the dogs 😂 it’s still way safer than nothing or non crash tested ones.

@tabulahrasa Can I ask what harnesses you use? I currently use a head rest, seat belt clip thingy and attach it to their normal walking harnesses. I'm thinking I should look into something better. They are in a hammock, so hopefully that would stop them being flung too far forward.

Re boot cages. I always used a big one and put two dogs in it. Now I'm thinking they should have had a small one each. They don't really need lots of space to move around on 15 minute journeys.

(No. I wasn't awake at 3 a.m. thinking about this. 🙈)

Do you have any idea of where your dog would end up if the crash was that severe? If her restraint is enough to keep her in place, then she will be injured, and if the restraint is not strong enough, then she will fly forward, possibly breaking the neck of the people in the front seats or going directly through the screen.

They have ruffwear ones - load up? I think they’re called.

They use the car seat belt rather than a tether - but it does mean they’re no use as walking harnesses, like you can leave them on for toilet breaks and stuff but there’s nothing to attach a lead to.

The only safe way is with a crash tested crate. (Which obviously is anchored down in the boot).

I have seen photos of crashes where the back of the car is fucked but the dog in the crate is fine.

Obviously after an impact incident you change crate (or have it retested?) - bit like not reusing a crash helmet that has done its job.

This. Dog Car Harnesses dont work like seatbelts.

My lab always goes in the boot.

@tabulahrasa Thank you.

I'm wary of using the car seat belt, as my previous dog kept standing on the release button and setting himself free. Fortunately my car would alert me to it, so I could pull over and do it back up. But it's the reason I switched to the round the head rest ones.

Perhaps I need to use both as a belt and braces approach.

@SpanielsGalore my male lab used to escape the seat belt by stepping on the release button. I assume he did it by accident first time, but thereafter he would release it before I started the car.

Too smart for his own good, that one .

Mine could also open doors. (House, not car.) That was useful, as I didn't have to get up to let him out. 😂 Never learnt to close them though.

https://transk9.com/

My dog has this business class cabin crate complete with travel water bowl, vet bed and blanket, fan for hot days, and a selection of snacks for the journey.

Do you think she needs a reading light?? 😂

We have 2 retrievers & they travel in the boot with harness on. Protective boot cover in there. We put an old towel over top of back seats as one likes to rest chin on & look out front (& drool!)