Dog guards in cars dilemma

[Patchworkpony]

OK so this is an interesting dilemma. Crime is on the up and car jacking and robbery is becoming very common. With this in mind more people are buying a trained protection dog or simply having a large dog around. So do you restrain the dog that’s meant to defend you with a dog guard or do you leave it loose so that if attacked the dog can defend you? I know what I would do law or no law.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I guess one would have to balance the risk of being in an accident (a large, unrestrained dog either escaping, getting badly injured, or whapping you on the head and badly injuring you), getting a fine from the police, against the minimal chance of getting robbed or carjacked.

IME, the 'personal/family protection dog' market needs more regulation, some people will sell distinctly average dogs, trained in very specific scenarios, for a very high price, with no guarantee they will do the same thing in the real world...dogs are not stupid, they can smell jute/hessian and most bite suits and even covert sleeves aren't exactly subtle.
Most of these dogs are defending themselves/their personal space, anyway, rather than the owner or object.

For me, my dogs are not weapons, I'd rather protect them than use them to protect possessions. They do kick off if a stranger approaches the car so I guess that would be deterrent enough before anyone got too close.

Also, AFAIK, you have or train a 'guard dog' you need a license and someone on premises 24/7.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

Illegal to have a dog bigger than a handbag unrestrained in a car (in the UK), or so I believe, plus would you want to risk the dog in the case of an accident?

If our dogs are in the car it's very unlikely that someone would try and get in. They (the dogs) see it as their territory. There's usually one in the back seat with a travel harness on, which as they're big dogs means they could reach the driver if they wanted to.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Illegal to have a dog bigger than a handbag unrestrained in a car (in the UK), or so I believe, plus would you want to risk the dog in the case of an accident?

If our dogs are in the car it's very unlikely that someone would try and get in. They (the dogs) see it as their territory. There's usually one in the back seat with a travel harness on, which as they're big dogs means they could reach the driver if they wanted to.

It's not illegal, but unwise. It can however lead to a fine if it is thought that you are driving without due care and attention (max fine is £5000). Also, if in an accident, your insurance can refuse to pay out.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

It's not illegal, but unwise. It can however lead to a fine if it is thought that you are driving without due care and attention (max fine is £5000). Also, if in an accident, your insurance can refuse to pay out.

Ta. I don't know why I thought there was a legal requirement to have a dog restrained in a car. Must've misread something.

 

[Dexter]

it is illegal and has been since 2017

 

[The Xmas Furry]

it is illegal and has been since 2017

No, it's not. Read the highway code.

 

[Patchworkpony]

On driving.co.uk it says - UK motorists technically aren’t breaking the law if they don’t restrain their dogs on road trips. However, as the Highway Code says you should “make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving”. A well trained dog should travel quietly in the back of a 4x4. Years ago our well trained GS used to travel miles loose in the back of our vehicle and was never any problem.

 

[Keith_Beef]

it is illegal and has been since 2017

You could point us to the law... I wonder if a loose dog could be considered an "unsecured load"... One of my law lecturers talked about a woman who had been to the supermarket; a tin of beans fell from her shopping bag and rolled to the driver's footwell and got stuck under the brake pedal. She had an accident because she could not brake, and was charged with something like driving with an unsecured load.

No, it's not. Read the highway code.

The Highway Code is not a complete summary of the law. When the HC states "you must not" I think (from memory) that there is a reference to statute, but most of the things in the HC are "you should" or "you should not" and are not much more than guidance.


But back to OP... Is car jacking becoming really such a problem, and are people buying trained protection dogs in such numbers?

The South Africans devised an anti car jacking device decades ago, and it doesn't involve dogs.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Travelling quietly doesn't matter a damn if you have to brake or swerve suddenly at speed and a 40kg dog goes flying.

I had the MD of a big supermarket ask advice on a PPD for his family for when he was away on business, I told him close protection would probably be more reliable.

Also know someone who was fined for having a dog unsecured in the front of a van.

 

[Bellasophia]

Both my dogs now travel harnessed and attached on the back seat,since I downsized from a vw touran ( huge boot,and grill) to smaller Vw.cross.(small boot)
They are safer on the back seat since in Italy the incidence of being rear ended is high.
Ive added a new type of barrier which fits between the front seats,preventing dogs from coming into the front of the car..
I think having a dog in the car is a good enough detergent,but it’s safety must come first.
...here we face large fines for having an animal loose in the car and points are taken off the license without discussion.

 

[deb_l222]

If I lived somewhere that carjacking and robbery were common place, I would move first, rather than buying myself a protection dog, regardless of where it travelled in the car

 

[Parrotperson]

If I lived somewhere that carjacking and robbery were common place, I would move first, rather than buying myself a protection dog, regardless of where it travelled in the car

yes I wondered this. Where does the OP live that car jacking etc is on the ups ti the point where you'd consider buying protection. Not in the Uk surely? I'm with you deb_1222. I'd move.......

 

[Keith_Beef]

The South Africans devised an anti car jacking device decades ago, and it doesn't involve dogs.