Transport home for new puppy

[Chasingsquirrels]

Picking up a new puppy on my own next week, relatively short distance so will only be in the car for just over 30 mins.

Previous dog travelled restrained in the boot via harness and attached to ISOFIX point, and plan to do this again - but obviously not suitable for a small puppy.

I was thinking a pet/cat carrier secured to the ISOFIX points in the boot would be an interim measure for the initial journey home and outings over the first few weeks.

Does this sound reasonable?

I would put on front seat so you can talk/calm him if nobody is travelling with you.

I cuddled mine asleep on my lap 😬 in the passenger seat (I wasn’t driving).

Thats a possibility, although I don't think it would be as easy to secure in the front seat, and would probably be a distraction to me driving!

Could put on the back seat secured to ISOFIX points rather than the boot.

Yeah, I did that with my first and my boys did the same in the back with our last. But not an option this time.

Please don't put a puppy in the front seat. It'll be incredibly distracting and thus dangerous.

Best thing is either in a crate in the boot, or restrained/in a create that's bucked in, on the back seat. Thirty minutes isn't too much and if you put it diagonally across from the drivers seat, puppy should be able to see you 😊

We had a dog carrier which goes in the back seat.

I'm not sure I understand your need for isofix? The main thing is to make sure the dog is well-secured so they can't get loose and distract the driver. There is no safe driving position from the dog's perspective - you don't need the isofix. Just harness a carrier around the front seat. Much nicer for them to see you than stuffed in back.

DH drove and I sat in the back. She sat in a fluffy, doughnut bed which we'd left with the breeder the week before. Harness on dog then attached with a seatbelt fastening into the human seatbelt. She slept the whole way.

The crate, or carrier, needs to be secured.
The pup will be secure in the crate, but the crate needs anchoring to something to that in the event of a crash it stays put and doesn't fly around the car.
I thought it would be easier to anchor with strapping & ISOFIX points than using the seat belt.

I don't intend to use the front seat, due to distraction as I & others have mentioned.

Sounds like my pet carrier idea, in the boot or rear seat, should be okay.

I have a small breed dog. They travel in a cat bag in the footwell. Seat positioned to secure it in.

there’s no real way to make it any more secure. Any seat/clip/isofix arrangement to try and secure the bag on a seat is less stable and likely to flip the bag even with normal driving.

Is there nobody who can go with you to reassure the puppy and be on hand in case of poo accidents?
Our DD puppy travelled from the breeder in a secured pet carrier. DH was driving and DD sat in the back to reassure her.
Our 2 were similar when we got them.

We got a little carrier that clipped onto the isofix and put him in there - it was like a duffel bag type thing that was a hard shell

I really wouldn't put the puppy in the back seat alone - if it's sick or panics you won't be able to do anything to help. Please try and find someone to sit with him.

When I collected a puppy on my own, she went in a cage in the boot. It was a 2.5 hour journey. She cried for the first few minutes, then slept the rest of the way home.
Not ideal, but needs must.

Please do not use the front seat, if the airbag deployed it could kill a puppy.

The vast majority of the time a boot in the crate is the safest option.

The first priority shpuld be you not distracted while driving, then puppy's comfort.

Even then these strappy seat things with an adult dog are not the safest for the dog. Mine would reposition herself and have a leg or whatever caught funny in a strappy thing while she was soundo. And puppies are wriggly fidgety little buggers!

one day I just looked at her and thought "If i had to suddenly brake for any reason, her leg/neck/whatever would be broken instantly"

I ordered a crash tested crate business class cabin for the boot that afternoon.

It is perfect. I'm not distracted trying to untangle her while driving, and she wont end up with a broken limb from an emergency brake. She can reposition herself, lie down, sit up, change sides, have a drink....