Where does your dog(s) sit in the car?

[blueyezz74]

Do they like the front seat? Do you have a crate or carrier for them? Do they sit in the back seat?

[Orchid Crazy]

Buddy has an oversized lookout car seat. I have the latch portion of it attached to his hug-a-dog harness. He can move around a bit, but not too much. He loves it!!! He loves to travel with us, in fact this year he has been from one end of I-95 (Maine/Canadian border) to the other (Miami Beach)!

I am very into car seat safety, all three of my kids are in car seats or booster seats. I would no more have Buddy loose in a car than I would allow one of my kids to be. It is for his safety as well as ours.

He sits in the middle or back row where he is safest. He is never allowed to sit in the front - air bags you know.

http://mediaservice.photoisland.com/auction/Sep/2004985398424548421106.jpg

[soph & li mom]

we have a my buddy lookout carseat and hug-a-dog harnesses for our girls. They are buckled in and not allowed to roam free. Before this, Sophie used to sit in the back window or try to sit on my shoulder - while I was driving. Not safe...somewhere I have a picture...I will look for it

[Tammara]

2 dogs one crate, back seat. Happy babies. Happy doggie parents. They've done 6 hours like this, with potty/stretch breaks.

[kpm_tex]

I used to use the car seat but now that I have 3 babies I have switched to a crate. The boys have no problem with the crate but Merry is highly insulted that she has to take a back seat and she lets me know it!

[mamaw]

I have 3 dachsies and a extented cab truck. They all wear a harness which is attached to the seat, one up front and two in the back.

[rustydaisymom]

Both Rusty and Daisy are strapped in the back seat with hug-a-dox harnesses.
I started strapping them in after I took them for a quick ride to get a Sunday paper early one cold windy winter morning when the paper boy was late. I was in my PJ's, jumped out of my new car with the engine running, both dogs promptly jumped into the drivers seat to look out the window and hit the electronic door lock. I had to call my parents to rescue us, dad stayed with the dogs and mom drove me to the my unlocked house to get the extra keypad (the extra keys were in my purse in the car). Well guess what, the keypad will not unlock the doors if the engine is running. Well 75.00 and 1 hour later a locksmith rescued the dogs.
The worst part was that by the time we got home the paper had been delivered.
:o :o :o

[FOREVER A DAXIE]

Guilty! Charlie used to be in his crate in the back. So really that's not very safe either - in an accident it will go flying. You can't safely buckle the crate.

He has been sitting on someone's lap.....

[lotsadox]

I didn't vote because I have several and they all have their favorite place. Bogart sits on the front seat, Miller tends to be all over the place if I don't seat belt him in. Cash is a good boy and hops in the back and sits quietly.

[Heide]

strapping mine in either.
I have a extended cab truck and they all sit in back.
I do not allow them in front with the air bags tho. They are very good travelers. They lay down and go to sleep, only waking up enough to see if we are there yet:D :D

[ShewShew]

Pi sits on my lap most of the time, and Dred gets the back seat or passenger seat.

[maryanne]

Back seat, although most of the time he prefers the floor.

[Chapo's Mom]

Quick runs on the base, he's on my lap, and I've got smily faces from his nose on the windows too! Off base, he's crated and I wrap the seatbelt around his crate.

[maddoxies]

Guilty! Charlie used to be in his crate in the back. So really that's not very safe either - in an accident it will go flying. You can't safely buckle the crate...

I got one of those huge D ring key rings. It is on the handle of Valentin's crate and I clip it to the seat belt (which is buckled into the seat).

Heidi is in her car seat in the front seat (older vehicle, no passenger air bag).

[abiose]

In the back seat, secured in her "pet lookout" seat.

[HawaiiDoxieLover]

On the *FLOOR* in the back in their tote bag carrier.

[Doxie_88]

Depends on how far we're going. If we're traveling far, Tia gets put in her crate but if we're jsut going to visit someone within the city then she sits in the back seat, strapped in.

[Leslie]

we never travel far so I just stick them in the backseat and the usually sit on the ground !

[Suzanne R]

Front seat of my pick-up, with a seat belt threaded through both harnesses so they have to stay in place, no matter what!

[Jacqueline]

when I got out, both girls go into their carriers. Daisy goes in the back seat, where she is seat belted in. Taffy, the great escape artist, goes on the passenger seat, where she is seat belted in. I either need to get another carrier or sew the top of hers closed.

I NEED to convince my dh that he MUST NOT LET HER OPEN IT during travel. Once I get her to where she does not get her head and the rest of her out of it when the car is moving, she will also go in the back - which is safer, because in case of accident, the air bag will not crush her.

When we go up to St. Louis, they will be in a crate on one side of the back seat, again, seat belted, and Caesar, my Senegal, travels in his "bachelor pad cage" atop a rubbermaid (so he can see out) behind the driver, secured so he won't fall or get thrown.

I am the only one who does not wear a seatbelt, because of a physical reason. I live in fear of one of the airbags hitting me, and finishing off what breaking my neck years ago did not do. I don't want my babies crushed or injured by one.

[SaraInCT]

Both boys have harnesses that hook onto the seat belt so they can't move around.

[primergray]

LB is in his crate seatbelted in the back seat.

[Halfpint's Mom]

I voted other, but I guess I should've put back seat. We have 2 lookout seats, one for Rocky & Halfpint to share (they weigh about 10.5 lbs each), and one for Buddy. Buddy is our big dog, he weighs 18 lbs, and is all muscle! All 3 wear their hug-a-dox harnesses too.

[Peanuttymom]

It used to be the front seat or on my lap but due to the safety issues, he is not in a crate in the back seat.

[doxymama]

Pepper wants to ride everywhere I go. She has a seat in the middle row of my van w/a bed & blanket. She wears a harness that attaches around the seatbelt.

Gretchen doesn't want to ride much anymore - she prefers to peace & quiet of the house when Pepper and I are gone. When we travel though, the back row of the van is theirs - beds, pillows, blankets. However, Gretchen will NOT wear a harness - she manages to get out of it every time. But she never moves from her spot once you place her in the seat.

[Jacqueline]

I have a coworker who has decided that I am a mean mom because I will not let my girls ride loose in the car, preferably with their heads hanging out the window. She also thought I should have taken them with me to the doctor's office yesterday, when I had to take my husband. I pointed out that they could not go in. She said they could wait in the car. I reminded her that I do not leave my girls in a hot car. She replied that if I left th windows open, it would not be hot. (And where has she been in Florida lately????? DUH)

I beg your pardon? Do I look totally stupid? Okay, so maybe she is blind, but still, do I really sound like I have stupid written across my forehead? Sorry, but if I left my girls in the car, preferably....in her opinion, running free and loose, and they didn't get out on their own in the open windowed car.....I am sure by the time I got back....if they did not have heat stroke,....someone would have surely taken them by then.

I did get a new carrier for Taffy, which is sewn across the top....little escape artist can't pop out now....and both girls ride securely seatbelted in the backseat. When we go places they can't, they nap secure in their crates, which are more comfy than my couch, in their air conditioned house. Too bad I am such a bad mom, huh?

By the way, I have ridden a motorcycle on these roads down here, wearing shorts and tennies. Yeah, I know. My point is that I know first hand, arm, leg, etc....just what blows up and hits you from the open road in that wind she wants to let my pups feel in their face, eyes, nose.... . No thanks.

[Dackel-Mom]

Due to doggy-overpopulation in my car, the back seats were removed and the sides upholstered with big body-pillows and the guys just "roam" there. No space for that many crates. :blush: When hubby travels with us, one of the dachsies insists usually on travelling on his lap. :D

[longtimecouple1]

I have a pet seat in the back seat behind the drivers seat. It has a suitcase base, and is strapped into the regular car seatbelt. The 2 of mine fit into it nicely, with the help of a short (3 or 4 inch) coupler, so that they cannot get out, but can move around without getting wound up in it. It can be totally closed up if you want to use it on trips on a plane, with the suitcase on wheels under it, you can just store all their food, toys, water bowl etc, right underneath them.
It is probably the best investment I've made towards the dogs safety and comfort.
Eileen

[nonnyd]

Sam sits in back seat...and lets me drive him all around...his head ..up in the air..like a king!

[chanelsmom1]

coco & chanel sit in their car seat. its actually really kinda cute they snuggle and fall asleep with eachother:hugs:

[Melisande]

For now, in the backseat in a crate, but I really want to get him a lookout car seat soon!

[MorenaChula]

Mocha always sits in the backseat in her carseat. :D

[panzer]

Panzer will sit on the passengers lap for short rides (like to the vet) but on the trip from Kentucky to Alaska he rode in his kennel sleeping most of the time!

[FourOrchards]

Ally sit's in a seat with her harness on that is seatbelted to the seat. Otherwise she'd be sitting on my lap!

[Camilla]

I had a seat belt harness but Camilla is a little houdini and manages to get out of it frequently. So lately, she's just been sitting around in the car - usually with the kids. But for longer drives, the crate is an option, and I threaten it, but haven't had to use it yet. We'll see!

[Lori Z]

In the very back with the dog barrier up. He has a bed back there and blankets. I usually take him and the aussie two beds and I always bring water and they have a bowl that stays in the car, plus chew toys.

[Dinosmom]

Back seat with the seat belt on. When he was little I let him roam and he changed gears on me (from drive to neuture not good, been in a seat belt after that)

[Rodney'sMom]

Rodney ALWAYS has a harness on. If there is only one person in the car, he is seat-belted into the front seat. If there are 2 people, he is sitting on the passenger's (ok, ok, my) lap.

[Jacqueline]

Since the last time I put my two cents in, I added another pup to the family, so we have three doxies - and if we go on a long trip, like to Missouri, one Senegal who need to go in the backseat.

I bought a Life Stages Crate 36x24x27 that stays in the back seat most of the time. It has a nice fat pillow, complete with stylish cover and bumper pad, and two crate fans. One of my coworkers asked, "What do you do with that huge crate in you backseat?" "The one that looks like I own a Great Dane?", I asked. Yep....that's how big it is. When we go out, we put the three of them back there where they lounge in comfort. The seatbelt from the right goes thru the crate to hold it in place. There's just the perfect amount of room left back there for Caesar's traveling cage.

[PetMother]

For Long Trips: They start off in their carriers in the back seat. Then I let Sammy and Macy out to go potty when we stop somewhere. They then end up in my lap in the front seat. Sammy or Macy then feel the urge to go lay in back so then they do. When we stop again they end up in my lap together alseep most of the way then.
For short trips, IE- petco, vet, etc: They sit in my lap or the carrier not both. If I'm by myself Sammy or Macy get the passenger seat to themselves.

Crazy huh?:wonky:
I do plan on getting them both car harnesses.

[Doxie Duo Mom]

If it's only one (trip to the vet) then it's in the kennel in the middle of the back seat strapped in sideways. If side impact crash I do not want them by the doors.

If both (on the way to board or see Santa) then one is by the door and one is in the middle...again the crates are sideways and strapped in.

I do not take them in the car just to take them somewhere, if they are in the car with us it's because "they need to go somewhere". Joe and I were actually on our way to the pet store for food in December when we were hit by a 25 year old...the impact actually caused my back seat to fold down...I don't think the weight of the 2 combined (not even 25# would have been enough to hold it up) I hate to think if we would have had them with us what could have happened to them.

[kpm_tex]

If you've never been in an auto accident I don't think you can really appreciate how much force is imparted by the impact of 2 vehicles going even at a relatively low speed. I was broadsided by a car while I was in my big old pickup truck. The car pushed my pickup across 2 lanes and the seat belt left a huge bruise across my chest. Estimates were the other car was only going 30 mph or less. If the dogs had been with me and loose in the truck they likely would have been killed or badly injured.

Not having you dogs confined to a crate while in a car is just as bad as not having an infant in a baby car seat. My personal opinion is that even the harness belts are not a good idea, especially for a small dog. The only thing they'll do is help you find your dead dog at the end of a tether rather than having to go find where they were thrown.

[eaglewingm]

I have two girls. Maggie usually sits on my shoulders and has since she was a puppy at 8 weeks old. Dolly ride in her crate in the front seat. Dolly gets the crate because she hates car rides and gets car sick sometimes. Dolly usually will go to sleep on any car ride. I do need to get one of those built up dog bed things so Maggie can see out and be buckled in. Maggie does usually lay down on my shoulders and even goes to sleep up there. I now have my nephew's dashie living with me, but havent taken her any where in the car yet, but nephew lets her ride in his lap I know before.

[peanut0315]

He actually sits on my shoulders. Being a mini, he fits perfectly. But most of the time, he does it so he can stick his nose out of the window.