Bringing Pup Home Safely

[Kissindra]

Can anyone tell me what the best way to keep a puppy safe in the car is?

I know some people have been told to hold their pups but what if you have an accident?

Is it better to be holding them than have them jolt into the side of a crate/pet carrier?

Are harnesses a better alternative or dangerous in their own way?

Are some measures better for adult dogs but not puppies?

I don't actually drive and car trips will be few and far between once he's home but I'd like to make sure that when he does go in a car he's as safe as he can be!

[Gayle.]

I brought mine home in a PP40 carrier. Now he wears a harness which is clipped to a seatbelt in the backseat. He loves coming in the car with me.

[Kavik]

Depending on the size/age/temperament of the dog - crate for a puppy or wiggly dog, or a harness that clips into seatbelt for a dog too large to crate in the car or dog that is not too wiggly or destructive.

[Rhi*Jak*Ed]

I use one of those little cat kennel cabs for Jak - she still fits inside it which is great as I know that she's safe.

I've tried her with the harness through the seatbelt but she freaked out big time. I think she likes the security of the kennel cab now...

[Kavik]

I normally crate Kaos and he is very good in a crate - will lie down and go to sleep. I am now trying to get him used to a harness with seatbelt to give more options when travelling (the crate is bulky!). We had our first try last weekend and like Jak he freaked out and tangled his legs. So we stopped the car, untangled him (which required undoing everything!) and tried again. I put him in a drop and told him to pull his head in, and it worked ;) though he still didn't look overly comfortable. We will give it another go on short trips only for now, may still use the crate for long trips.

Diesel on the other hand is really cruisy in the car, and never had any problem with the harness and seatbelt. He is way too large to crate in the car, so it is just as well!

[Wynnlake]

The best place to put a pup is on the floor of the front passenger side in a crate or petpack. The location is good because it doesnt get as much movement as the back does, which will reduce the chance of the pup throwing up. And of course the pet pack to contain him/her.

I have always held my pups on the way home, i think its good bonding time for you and the pup. But the above recommendation is what was recommended to me by a couple of breeders.

[Poodle wrangler]

Pup is likely to wee/poo/puke for the trip home, so I'd borrow a dog or cat carrier, line with newspaper, hose out later if needed. Pup on passenger lap would also be OK, but take some towels and something waterproof, too to protect you and car. Lots of excitement, possible fear, small bladder, possible car sickness not a good mix ;).

I had an airline carrier which I used for our pup when he was smaller. Saved a lot of cleaning up!

Now, I use a harness designed for use in the car, loop for seatbelt. You can buy them for about $5 at those cheapie shops, buy another when pup's older, though they're also adjustable.

[Kissindra]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I'm going to borrow a small pet carrier (my one is too big as it's going to be Boo's "den" so it needed to be bought bigger to accomidate him as he grows) line it with newspaper and put an old cot matress protector under it (absorbant and water proof! ). That should be able to fit at my feet in the front passenger seat and I'll make sure to have a few stops on the way and take lot's of garbage bags and extra newspaper and a peg for my nose might not go amiss too by the sounds of things

Thankfully it's only a 45 minute journey!

I found this little snippet in an article of a recent doggy magazine today "The RSPCA believes that the safest practical way for a dog to travel in the average family car is in the rear of a station wagon that is seperated by a parcel cage or in a crate" but I don't know if they've looked at/considered harnesses and some of the other newer options or not when making that decision...

[Poodle wrangler]

I found this little snippet in an article of a recent doggy magazine today "The RSPCA believes that the safest practical way for a dog to travel in the average family car is in the rear of a station wagon that is seperated by a parcel cage or in a crate" but I don't know if they've looked at/considered harnesses and some of the other newer options or not when making that decision...

Sounds like you'll be fine. We might all be doomsayers and you get there fine .

I'm not sure I agree about the parcel cage bit. In an accident, there's still an awful lot of space for the dog to be smashed around in . Safe, from the point of view of passengers, though. Dog= missile in an accident.

All the car harnesses I've seen say they're "not designed to prevent injury (to dog) in the case of an accident."

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

The best place to put a pup is on the floor of the front passenger side in a crate or petpack. The location is good because it doesnt get as much movement as the back does, which will reduce the chance of the pup throwing up. And of course the pet pack to contain him/her.

I have always held my pups on the way home, i think its good bonding time for you and the pup. But the above recommendation is what was recommended to me by a couple of breeders.

You hold your pups on the way home? Do you mean you hold the crate on your lap, or you actually hold the animal without it being restrained?

Check the laws that apply in your State or Territory as in most jurisdictions, there are penalties for the carriage of animals that aren't suitably restrained for a journey.

Specifically, this means that a dog must be secured when travelling in a motor vehicle. This doesn't mean left on the vehicle's floor or held in someone's arms or lap or permitted to ride unrestrained on a ute/truck tray.

This does mean restrained by use of a harness that attaches to the seatbelt, carried in an approved crate or cage, or contained by another suitable method that restricts the animal's movement in the event of emergency braking or other emergency action taken by the driver.

My dogs travel in harnesses and from time to time, Molly travels in her crate.

[Kissindra]

Sounds like you'll be fine. We might all be doomsayers and you get there fine :cool:.

I'm not sure I agree about the parcel cage bit. In an accident, there's still an awful lot of space for the dog to be smashed around in . Safe, from the point of view of passengers, though. Dog= missile in an accident.

All the car harnesses I've seen say they're "not designed to prevent injury (to dog) in the case of an accident."

well yes, they don't say who it's safer for do they

I guess it's a hard thing to design something comfortable, durable and safe that accomidates a dog!