how a dog should travel in car?

[Cob-Web]

How does the law interperate 'restrained'?

After years of my last cocker being loose in various 2 seaters and eventually my golf cab... I submitted and now have a 4x4 Estate 

Which actually, was a great choice as I wouldn't have been able to get a Weimaraner as well as a cocker if I hadn't 

Mine both travel loose in the boot behind a dog guard - is that restrained in the eyes of the law or should they also be wearing harnesses?

Hannah xx

Good question; the problem is that the law isn't black and white.
 
It is possible that if you were involved in an accident, your dogs could get loose from your car, and in turn they could cause further accidents. In this case, it might lead to investigations being made into the way in which the dogs were "secured".......

There are a lot of ifs, buts and maybes in law and it often depends on the legal advisors, magistrates and judges interpretation at the time; I don't think you need worry too much though, as a dog guard is one of the most common methods of securing dogs in cars 

[cazza]

having seen this on another thread mine are having a custom built crate for the care with escape hatches. although my current set up is pepper in crate on back seat and kye with harness and seatbelt clip in the boot (i only have a Clio)

it's in german but hey.
Where there is more than one photo = bad results, click on first to enlarge and you can go through the slides.

Translation:
Ohne Sicherung = on parcel shelf
Hundegurt = dog harness
Transportbox im Fußraum = crate in footwell
Transportbox auf Rücksitzbank = crate on backseat
Transportbox im Kofferraum = crate in luggage space

http://www.adac.de/Tests/Crash_Tests/Tiersicherung/default.asp?ComponentID=213536&SourcePageID=213765

After looking at those - then I would say

Crate in footwell or crate in boot

The crate on the back seat is frightening and also the dog with the harness (altho the dog on the parcel shelf is what I expected)

[SkyeSue]

How does the law interperate 'restrained'?

After years of my last cocker being loose in various 2 seaters and eventually my golf cab... I submitted and now have a 4x4 Estate 

Which actually, was a great choice as I wouldn't have been able to get a Weimaraner as well as a cocker if I hadn't 

Mine both travel loose in the boot behind a dog guard - is that restrained in the eyes of the law or should they also be wearing harnesses?

Hannah xx

Good question; the problem is that the law isn't black and white.
 
It is possible that if you were involved in an accident, your dogs could get loose from your car, and in turn they could cause further accidents. In this case, it might lead to investigations being made into the way in which the dogs were "secured".......

There are a lot of ifs, buts and maybes in law and it often depends on the legal advisors, magistrates and judges interpretation at the time; I don't think you need worry too much though, as a dog guard is one of the most common methods of securing dogs in cars 

The most important thing is the safety of your dog in my opinion. The law is clearly vague...

Wonder what Nicola would have said about this after her accident yesterday? I've always felt ok about Chloe travelling behind a guard in the boot, but now I'm having second thoughts. And even if she was crated, crates are hardly going to be able to withstand the force of another vehicle slamming into you!

[ClareB]

My 2 travel in the boot behind a dog guard, and then with a tailgate guard behind the boot lid.  Milo used to travel in a crate, but there wasn't room for 2 crates and they couldn't both go in the same crate, especially on long journeys. 

To be honest, I've heard lots of horror stories about all methods of transporting dogs - crates breaking up on impact and loose bits of metal flying around  , tailgates opening on impact and letting the dogs out who usually just leg it 'cos they're in shock, tailgate catches failing and dogs tumbling out onto the road  etc, etc.  As we do a lot of motorway travelling I insisted on a tailgate guard to minimise the risk of them running off or falling out.  I am a bit of a worrier though.       

[Cob-Web]

Wonder what Nicola would have said about this after her accident yesterday? I've always felt ok about Chloe travelling behind a guard in the boot, but now I'm having second thoughts. And even if she was crated, crates are hardly going to be able to withstand the force of another vehicle slamming into you!

I'm fairly sure that Tilly was crated in Nics car boot, and so she couldn't jump out through the broken rear windscreen; which could (and does) happen in accidents where a dog guard is used. She did get covered in glass though

I suppose the "safest" thing to do in hatches/estates is to split/flatten the rear seat and place the crate within the "passenger" compartment which is definitely the most protected area in terms of car design - I often do this when the car is fully loaded anyway, just to get everything in !
I do tether the crate too.....

[kalami]

We tried alsorts when she was little but settled on a seatbelt / harness, i have adapted it so that bella can lie anywhere on the back seat, she can reach the passenger of the car but can't reach the driver. We regularily travel on long journeys and she's quite happy travelling like this.

[barb]

Pippa travels on the back seat in a harness that loops onto the seatbelt, she seems quite  comfortable on longer rides. We've always put her in a harness and now she lifts her front leg up to help when you go to put it on!
She loves going out in the car.
She recently graduated to a medium size from a teeny tiny one, big girl now!

[stormer]

Hi I have a dog bag ,it fits in back of car lovely i have medium size so my two fit in it together only had it a couple of weeks and i am very pleased with it.Jovi likes to have it up in the house he loves to settle down in it in an evening.

[marin_uk]

Our two now travel in RAC harnesses, having tried all sorts! As puppies in the boot with a dog guard but they spent their entire time standing up (and I mean for hours!), we've used a metal crate but it took so much space up and rattled it drove me mad. Have a dog bag to, but again they spent their time leaning on the sides and making it collapse (used strong elastic bands to keep the tension up).

So now we use the RAC harnesses and only travel for an hour and a half maximum before we are out and taking a break, we travel alot visiting family and they adapted really well. Use vet bed cut up to fit the seat and then cut slots for the seat belt fasterners to fit through (and helps to prevent it slipping on the interior). Oh and another good hint is to use a carrabena (climbing fastener) that means it clips onto the seat belts easily for getting out in double time (and seems to stop them getting twisted). Anyway I'm going on a bit!

My advice is back seats and secured (the safest place to be in the event of a crash!!!).

[Karma]

Honey has a harness too... we started off with a crate, but she never liked it and whined constantly on journeys (also it was so much hassle getting it in and out it was too tempting not to bother for short journeys).

Now for short journeys she is harnessed on my knee (in the passenger seat), but mostly she sits on the back seat with her harness on. 

[louis mum]

Alfies new Clix Car Safe harness arrived today, and I am so impressed with the quality, snazzy design, comfort and ease of putting it on  No more trying to get blinking legs through holes when they are jumping around.  Love it, would defo recommend. 

[Maria]

Our 2 wear their walking harnesses which are clipped into the rear seatbelts with an attachment. We often do 5 hour plus journies (with breaks) and they just fall asleep. I wouldn't secure them by a collar as I'd fear them damaging their necks if we had to brake suddenly. My Fil's friend didn't have his dog secured and had an accident on the motorway - the door flew open, the dog got out and was run over 

[BryonyP]

Our dog "Monty" goes in the boot behind a dog guard, which we bought from Halfords. Its a grill type and it is very secure.  Monty did not like the harness. He chewed through it so not a good idea for us. Did not want a crate either as too much bother.

The week we fitted the grill, we took Monty on holiday and he was in the car for four hrs with toilet and water stops on the way. We would not know we had him.... he was brilliant.....  He was eight months old at the time! Never known a dog like it.  Sooo laid back.

[KellyS]

Ours travel in metal crates.

[xlisax]

my 2 go in the boot parcel shelf off ofcourse lol, i have a dog guard, and a sunshade accross the back window, and they wear a harness and are anchored in with a lead