How do you secure your dog in the car?

[timbobs]

When I had a small car Roxie was clipped in to the seatbelt and attached to her harness.

Now she’s still clipped to her harness in the boot, but round the headrest. The headrests are now pushed all the way down vs. The photo to make sure the loops can’t accidentally get over the headrest as they’re secure underneath.

 

[Merrymoles]

I'm thinking of investing some of my hard earned in a crate for my girl. She is 46kg of stressed traveller who would really rather drive than stay in the back and has wrecked various bits of my car, despite being secured with a harness and a horse bungie in the boot. She also screams and bites me (although not badly) when I ty to fasten the harness to the car.

I've never used a crate before so am wondering if I should accustom her to it in the house before I try the car?

 

[windand rain]

yes I would feed her in it treat her in it and make it a place of safety for her

 

[vhf]

I used this arrangement. She had a 'seat-belt lead' attached to a harness one end and the seat belt holder the other (you can see it lying in front of her). Added bonus, waterproof-ish containment area in car! (Didn't actually contain the dog, but it did contain almost anything else I needed to transport.)

 

[Moobli]

I'm thinking of investing some of my hard earned in a crate for my girl. She is 46kg of stressed traveller who would really rather drive than stay in the back and has wrecked various bits of my car, despite being secured with a harness and a horse bungie in the boot. She also screams and bites me (although not badly) when I ty to fasten the harness to the car.

I've never used a crate before so am wondering if I should accustom her to it in the house before I try the car?

Yes it is a good idea to accustom her to it before using it in the car. Feed her meals in it and reward her for going in and being relaxed. I can't recommend TransK9 enough.

 

[Birker2020]

We have a seat belt type harness for her which I insist she wears on the motorway on the way to/from our holiday destinations. But on a normal drive, say to drop her at Mums before we go shopping, my partner normally lets her sit on his lap up front or she will sit with her back legs on the back seat and the front legs on the centre console peering between our shoulders which I hate.

I do realise the dangers but sometimes it's hard to get the message through to my partner. Maybe when she's been flung through the windscreen he might get what I was saying by which time it will be too late ....

She clearly hates wearing the harness and I think this is why he isn't keen for her to wear it. Sighs....

 

[Merrymoles]

Thanks windandrain and moobli - I will do that. Unfortunately I think the TransK9 ones are a bit (a lot) out of my price range but they do look good!

Birker2020, mine hates the harness too which is why I am looking at alternatives. A 46kg dog flying through the car would probably kill me and the OH before she reached the windscreen. She actually weighs slightly more than my 22-year-old goddaughter.

ETA - we didn't get her until she was three so for all I know she travelled in a crate previously but am always happy to try to do things the easy way for my animals!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yep use it in house first. All of mine are in crate from day 1 and all travel brilliantly. My puppy did two hours home up front with me in a cat carrier and never looked back. I picked my Mum's dog up from kennels at weekend (in her car, dog in boot with dog guard) and he barked from the moment the key turned in the ignition for a full 15 minutes. Did my head in. Told her how she created it and how to fix it but she CBA.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I'm thinking of investing some of my hard earned in a crate for my girl. She is 46kg of stressed traveller who would really rather drive than stay in the back and has wrecked various bits of my car, despite being secured with a harness and a horse bungie in the boot. She also screams and bites me (although not badly) when I ty to fasten the harness to the car.

I've never used a crate before so am wondering if I should accustom her to it in the house before I try the car?

46kg?! What is she? That’s massive!

ohhhh I just read the bit that she sits on your partners lap in the front ? I know it’s not funny really (and yes, at that size would do serious damage flying round a crashing car) but the the picture in my head is hilarious!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Nb, perhaps I’ve confused two different dogs here, that would make far more sense!