anna Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Hi We are currently a one dog, two kid family. Joss travels in the back seat between my daughters, with seatbelt. Our new puppy arrives next weekend, which means we are one seatbelt too few (OH and I in the front, kids in the back, plus the two dogs), so I'm looking for new ways to restrain both dogs. My understanding of the law is that all dogs need to either be belted in or in a separate compartment in the car, presumably the boot with cargo barrier. If you have more people and animals than seatbelts, how are you configured? I drive a Mazda CX-7 so there is plenty of room in the boot, but I want to make sure it's as safe as possible. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RANDCMOORE31 Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I don't think there are actually laws in any of the states at present about having to have dogs restrained whilst travelling inside a vehicle. They can not be interfering with the driver - and there are laws about dogs on the back of utes - but not in cars. In fact, I've read some research that restraining dogs with harnesses clipped into seatbelts may do more harm or cause greater injury to them in a crash - I believe further research is proposed. Sorry I didn't actually answer your question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panto Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Will both dogs fit on the back seat with the kids? Could you get a (lead) splitter and clip both dogs into the one seat belt clip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 There is no law saying they need to be seat-belted or even restrained but obviously for saftey it is ideal to have them restrained. The only law is that they can't be on your lap. I would crate them in the back (I assume its a 4WD or station wagon?- no idea about cars sorry :D ) Or if you can't crate them, then just put them in the back compartment. Alternatively, you could put the puppy in the footwell of the pasenger seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KumaAkita Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 (edited) We're a two human, one dog family with a CX-9, so Kuma's chucked in the boot (with the 3rd row of seats folded). If I'm not mistaken there are plenty of restraint points in the back of the CX-7, so you should be able to use a chest harness and clip the dogs to one of those. Kuma's on a flat collar when restrained in the car. We have a removable doggy barrier sectioning off the boot so he's a happy camper and can't interfere with the middle row of seats. Best photo I can find here is: Are we there yet? by shibburd, on Flickr Alternatively, if you can spare the space, you could grab a crate. You can get foldable ones that are curved to fit in with the roofline of your vehicle and are easy to store. ETA: Oh and I should mention. We upgraded to the Big Car so Kuma had more room... only now I'm not allowed to take him in it because his hair is too messy! :rolleyes: Husbands, who'd have 'em? Edited June 1, 2011 by KumaAkita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I'm finally taking the plunge into 100% crazy dog lady and getting the boot of my car fitted out with crate doors and a divider, with 2 doors (one for each divided section). I can't wait!!! I don't have a cargo barrier (as the model of my car won't allow it as it will interfere with the side airbags, what a silly thing :rolleyes:) so I am also rigging up a cargo net to act as a visual barrier between the boot and the back seats. This setup allows me to take the dogs and human passengers without altering anything. It is all going to be removable, too, so when I want to transport any bulky items that require me to fold the back seats down, I just remove the doors and divider and Bob's your uncle! I'm just a tad excited as it will make my life easier at training/trials :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I'm finally taking the plunge into 100% crazy dog lady and getting the boot of my car fitted out with crate doors and a divider, with 2 doors (one for each divided section). I can't wait!!! I don't have a cargo barrier (as the model of my car won't allow it as it will interfere with the side airbags, what a silly thing :rolleyes:) so I am also rigging up a cargo net to act as a visual barrier between the boot and the back seats. This setup allows me to take the dogs and human passengers without altering anything. It is all going to be removable, too, so when I want to transport any bulky items that require me to fold the back seats down, I just remove the doors and divider and Bob's your uncle! I'm just a tad excited as it will make my life easier at training/trials :D :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 have a look HERE re:laws in different states . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Regardless of the laws, two loose dogs in an accident with your kids in the car is a recipe for disaster (not aimed at the OP, who is asking for solutions!). Mine are in seatbelts. I realise they aren't real seatbelts but it means they won't be projectiles in an accident. If you have a wagon can you put crates in the back? Personally, I'm not a fan of crates in cars unless well fitted because they can move around a fait bit in an accident too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Dogs in the back of a wagon or 4WD need to be in secure crates of behind a sturdy cargo barrier, so they can't be thrown forward onto passengers in the event of an accident. If the seats are fairly high and you can find crates that fit snuggly, so they can't move around, then crates are fine. Otherwise get a good cargo barrier fitted and put the dogs behind that but make sure it is a steel wire one, not a plastic type because they don't allow enough air to circulate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anna Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 Thanks everyone Regardless of the laws (I think I've confused it with dogs ON vehicles?) I'd still like to make sure they're safe and restrained. I'm not sure that two crates will fit in the boot, but fitting a cargo barrier would be simple enough, it's a very common car! Obviously dogs make pretty nasty projectiles and we don't want that with the kids in the car especially, but I want the dogs to be as safe as possible too. Should they be uh ... secured? ... to the cargo barrier in some way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Thanks everyone Regardless of the laws (I think I've confused it with dogs ON vehicles?) I'd still like to make sure they're safe and restrained. I'm not sure that two crates will fit in the boot, but fitting a cargo barrier would be simple enough, it's a very common car! Obviously dogs make pretty nasty projectiles and we don't want that with the kids in the car especially, but I want the dogs to be as safe as possible too. Should they be uh ... secured? ... to the cargo barrier in some way? They don't need to be unless they are going to bolt when you open the tailgate. If they are trained to stay until you tell them they can get out then they will be fine just behind the cargo barrier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 can you fit one crate in the car? In my old car i would have one in a crate, the other on the seat with a harness/belt on. New car will now fit two crates, but i only ever keep one in there (dont often take both dogs) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiekaye Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I had a head on car accident with two dogs in the car with me, a GSD in the back asleep behind my seat and a Kelpie asleep on floor in front on passengers side. They were both OK. Thats how they always traveled and it probably saved their lives and mine. Maybe you could teach your new pup to sleep on floor. I dont think a dog harness would save the dog but may stop the dog from flying around the car and killing someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I wouldn't want a dog on the seats with kids in an accident, scared dogs can get snappy at the closest things to them and I would worry about kids being bitten. My dogs travel in a split crate in the back of the car. Having heard about car crashes reported in the dog press, dogs who have been in crates have at worst been a bit bruised, other dogs have run off when the car door has burst open or helpers to the rescue have opened doors to get people out and dogs have run off, sometimes getting run over. I'm not convinced about the safety of the travel harness and I find it much easier to pop a dog into a crate then have to fiddle with getting a harness on and off and fastening them to a seatbelt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I have a cargo barrier in my car and it works a treat. When I first got the car Kenzie was not reliable in terms of not jumping out the moment the door was opened so she had to also wear a harness and was secured in also. But this was only so that when I opened the door she did not run off. Now she has been trained to wait until I pick up her leash and then she is allowed out. good system!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shyfig Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Get a people mover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warval dobe Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Trust me look at buying a small dog trailer. You will get a second-hand one pretty cheap (maybe home-made). I remember our first dobe at 6 months with 3 kids & 2 adults in the car - whatn a circus - get a trailer, you won't beleive how much easier life will be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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