Do you crate, restrain or leave your dog loose in the car?

Dog restraint in cars

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Much of the time when i'm travelling the dogs it's to go to shows, so I crate the so they have their space and all my show kit takes up most of the rest of the car. But if I didn't crate them, they'd probably end up on my lap.
 
I voted crated but in truth the Heeler goes in the crate in the boot, both Dobes wear travel harnesses and sit on the back seat.

I rarely take them all out together in the car so if its just the Heeler she is in a crate on the back seat secured by the seat belt.
 
Crated day to day, but loose in the living of the lorry, although I have now got a pull down metallic see-through blind to cover the cut through from cab to living due to new 6 month old reprobate. Door closed obviously through to horse area. What do other people do in their lorries? Years ago they would have been on the bench front seat or in the footwell, depending on how many passengers I had.
dnQ
 
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The Fuzzy Furry said:
After an ongoing debate last night on a FB group which got quite heated at one point, I'm interested to know how many people do have some form of restraint for their dogs whilst day to day car travelling.
What do you do? (poll coming up!)
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I bought a car harness for my first bitch which I bought around 27 years ago, and it have never crossed my mind to use anything else for my bitches since then.
I'm a little amazed over that they're currently the least used option in your poll. Dog car harnesses is simple to use, and they allow your dogs to easily travel just as safely in a friend's car, as in your own.
 
They're in the boot, so I guess that is counted as loose? They're well behaved with or without grille.
Old dog would hate to be 'tethered' or crated. Young spaniel was crated so she learnt the laws of transportation, but now there is no need and no room in my car!
 
FinnishLapphund said:
I bought a car harness for my first bitch which I bought around 27 years ago, and it have never crossed my mind to use anything else for my bitches since then.
I'm a little amazed over that they're currently the least used option in your poll. Dog car harnesses is simple to use, and they allow your dogs to easily travel just as safely in a friend's car, as in your own.
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For me, with poodles in show coat, I would not use a harness as it would matt the coat up. Any harness is a no-no for that type of coat. But instead I use a crate which keeps them in a place where I can see them (I have a second rear-view mirror) and they snooze in the comfort of a bed. Besides, it keeps them separated from each other, which often my dogs prefer particularly while travelling.

I used to have a boot grille, but that worries me in the case of a rear collision - what happens to the dogs on impact? And what happens if the door some how comes open? A harness would be good for all those scenarios, apart from the matted coat bit.
 
I have a TransK9 crate in the back of my pickup. 4 cockers travel in there very happily - two in each section.

We used to have a little rescue cocker, who had obviously spent a lot of time travelling in her past - given half a chance, she would jump onto the front passenger seat, curl up in the middle of the seat, and fall asleep.

Ages ago, I had another cocker dog who was "mine" - he wanted to be with me ALL the time. Travelling him in the lorry, he came in the front with me, and he slept on his vetbed in the footwell. He was on a harness though, fastened to the handrail thing you hold to get up into the lorry with, otherwise he would try and sleep behind my feet while I was driving .... He was secured at a length where he could touch my hand on the gearstick with his nose..... he was a very anxious little thing
 
Archangel said:
Does anyone have any recommendations for doggy seat belts? Labrador cross size. Thank you in advance.
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I bought a (very expensive) Sleepypod harness for my GSD but he couldn't seem to get comfortable when wearing it so it has only been used a handful of times and he is now in a TransK9 crate. I bought the Sleepypod because it is one of only a few that are properly crash tested. Buying one that is not properly tested for the weight and size of a dog is pretty pointless imo.
 
i have a crate on the back seat(tied to back of front seat) for my dogs as i worry that they would be vulnerable if another car crashed into the back of mine and they were in the boot area. i also like them in a crate so if there was an accident or i was taken ill someone could open the car doors without the dogs running off on to the road...i put a towel over the top so it keeps the sun off...have used a crate for so many years i dont think i would now be comfortable having them loose.
 
EBT in a crate but Rottie loose, wedged in alongside her. Didn't know about the legality side of it. I never go very far with them although that doesn't make it right. He has a harness which he wears if we are going further but I have to put the seats down.
 
Archangel said:
Does anyone have any recommendations for doggy seat belts? Labrador cross size. Thank you in advance.
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The ones I use are made and sold in Sweden, they're a few years old, and I should actually probably start looking for new ones. So, it seems pointless to recommend them, but as I understand it, the first 2 harnesses on this page was the 2 best harnesses in an independent test in USA 2013.

http://www.mightymitedoggear.com/dog_travel_car_accessories.html#Dogseatbeltharness
 
Thank you WorkingGSD and FinnishLaphund - the Sleepypod seems to be out of stock in my dog's size everywhere so have ordered an AllSafe.
 
I mainly travel mine in the van, which is crated, & with escape hatches. If in the car, they're in the boot, behind a dog guard (although they don't all fit in there so just 3 at a time).
 
Lurcher wears a harness & sits on the back seat attached to the seat belt. Both OH and son are guilty of not restraining theirs, Cairn tends to travel in the front passenger footwell. Cocker is more likely to be in the tractor than the car
 
satinbaze said:
Please be aware that legally dogs need to be restrained whilst travelling. If stopped by the police they can be considered an unrestrained load which can incur a £300 fine AND 3 points on your licence. YES I do know someone who was fined
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This ^^^
Has been law, I believe but happy to be corrected on that, for years and no one seems to know about it. I have 2 dogs in crates in the back of my Transit and the third one in a strong car harness (no plastic buckles but metal ones so stronger) in the front locked on to the seat belt. I have the crates in the middle of the van tied down so very secure.I cringe when I see dogs in the back of cars as the most common accident I have seen is the rear end shunt, poor dogs in the back will bear the brunt. I also cringe when I see loose dogs in the car, anywhere in the car. If they had to stop quickly the dog gets catapulted forwards, we are not allowed by law to have unrestrained humans of any size yet I see some owners of small and large dogs alike allowing them loose in the car, absolute madness on the owners part.
Oz
 
Having years ago nearly killed my daughter whilst putting her carry cot in the back of my escort with back seats down and done an emergency stop when only a few months old and the carry cot tipped up and tipped her out! Luckily unhurt and traveling to the baby clinic. I am probably aware more than most of the deadly effects of not containing dogs. i at present use seat belt attachment that prevents movement and interference with driving. You cannot be too careful even on the shortest journey.
 
Harness and seat belt that clips into the seat belt fastener on the back seat. Gives him some space to move around, but he can't interfere with me driving. Wouldn't travel him any other way.
 
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