Bringing dogs with you in the car

How do you all feel about this?

Jim Elbrecht...

The dog loves it and so do I.

shore...

Love it.

Suja...

My dogs love going on errands with me. When it is safe for them to go, I
take them.

Do you bring your dog if your not leaving the car?

Jim Elbrecht...

If he wants to come. If other people are home, he'd usually stay home
with them. Sometimes he just likes to stay home if I say I won't be
gone long.

Janet B...

sometimes. with 3, it's not quite as simple as 1 ;-D

Kathleen...

Zane is my designated Errand Dog. The other two stay home unless we're
on a specific dog-related outting.

shore...

Yes.

Do you leave your dog in the car if the temp is cool enough?

Jim Elbrecht...

Not for more than about 2-3 minutes.

Janet B...

I have, but wth a lot of precautions and never for very long.

Kathleen...

Ditto. When we're at tournaments I leave the dogs in the van when we go
out to dinner, but that's always after sunset.

shore...

"Cool enough" is below 50F, but never for more than 15-20
minutes.

Suja...

Yes to both. They enjoy the car ride. I usually let them out at various
places to have them sniff around and check things out.

Or do you feel dogs should be left home?

Rocky...

My dogs go pretty well everywhere with me, though they're fine
at home alone if they can't. Luckily, I work at stuff where I
can make these kind of accommodations.

This weekend for example, I'm judging an agility trial in town
and it's traditional that the club takes the judges for dinner
on Saturday. I can usually find shade to park in; if I can't,
I pass up on a good dinner with friends or take my dogs home
first (tonight would have been the former because of the
distance involved). In my part of the world, with fairly low
humidity, even at 25degC (80F) it's cool when in the shade.
My dogs are fine, though I wouldn't recommend it for dogs
which have a more difficult time thermo-regulating, like Pugs
or Boxers.

If I can't find shade, or it's a place I can't leave all the
doors and hatches open with reflective tarps blocking sun and
battery powered fans going full tilt, I don't leave the dogs.
Air conditioning is a big help, too, if you're close by and
can supervise your vehicle - though I've only had to do this
once.

Jim Elbrecht...

When I see dogs sitting on driver's laps or with their heads out the
window, I think they might have been better cared for if left home.

Mine gets crated in the back seat- but I'm curious if anyone has seen
any studies on the safest way to transport dogs in passenger cars.

Amy Dahl...

Long ago I got a pickup with a white bed cap on it. To make sure
it was safe, I sat in the back on hot days under various conditions,
with a wire dog crate that had a thermometer on it.

Having decided it was safe in the hottest summer sun, I proceeded
to take my dogs everywhere.

Amy Dahl

Paul E. Schoen...

I have taken Muttley several times in my car, and he usually sits quietly
in the passenger seat. I make sure his window is open enough for him to get
his head out. Sometimes he curls up on the seat or on the floor. I have

Janet B...

you'll get my handout on no front seat if airbags, need for restraint,
and no heads out the window! ;-D

left him for 15 minutes to a half hour, with windows partially open, and
then only in the evening when there is no chance of solar heating.

Long ago, my girlfriend left her dog in the car on a hot day while we went
shopping, intending to be gone only briefly. We were detained longer than
expected, and when we got back her dog was badly overheated, but we were
able to give him some water and took him home and cooled him down in the
tub, but that was a close call. I did not have experience with dogs, and
probably she had not known of this danger, or she would have made sure one
of us went out to check on him. I think there is now more general knowledge
of this, as well as laws, but I don't know the specifics. If anyone knows,
I would like to be informed.

Maybe it is better to tie the dog to a tree or other immovable object in an
area where he can eliminate and have access to shade. I know that Muttley
is much happier being tied up rather than confined, although inside the car
seems to be OK for him. Again, I do not know if there are any laws or
guidelines about this.

pfoley...

Yes, I take my dog in car unless it is too hot to do so.
I also take my dog to Florida from MA in the car and back again without any
problems. It is a three day trip.
She loves riding in the car.

Paula...

Depends on the dog and the day. I have had dogs who hated to go in
the car and dogs who love to go in the car. If the dogs hate to go
for rides, I leave them home unless it is a trip to the vet or
something like that they need to go to. I don't do the kinds of
activities that make it necessary for my dogs to be comfortable
traveling in the car a lot, so I don't make them get used to it if
they don't want to. With the dogs that love to go in the car, I will
take them when I can. If I am not leaving the car, it is easier
because I don't have to worry about heat, etc. If I am leaving the
car, I only take them if I will not be out of the car for a long
period of time when it is hot. If it is cool, I will take them along
sometimes even if I will be gone from the car for a longer period. I
definitely err on the side of caution when there is any issue of heat.
Dogs overheat so easily and it's senseless to endanger them when I can
leave them at home where it is cool and comfortable on hot days.

I do have one dog who hated to go in the car when we first got him,
but now loves to go because he loves another of our dogs who lives to
go for car rides. So when she excitedly jumps in the car, he is right
behind her. I also have one who loves to ride in the car, but gets
car sick more often than not, so, needless to say, doesn't get to go
along unless it's a necessary trip. Poor baby!

Kathleen...

Nope. I enjoy his company and he loves to come along, even if it's only
to the gas station, the ATM or to drop a package in the mailbox. We've
discovered that both Starbucks and Mississippi Mud give out dog biscuits
at their drive-thru windows, and it's a rare trip to White Castle when
he doesn't score a free slider just for popping up and looking cute when
I pay for my order.

Janet B...

In general, leaving 3 at home makes more sense. I rarely go anywhere
in the car where I stay in the car though. If I was taking kids or
spouse to school, work, transportation, I would probably bring the
dogs along.

Kathleen...

The other two seem to be mostly indifferent about not coming along on
routine errands. When the vests and/or harnesses come out, though,
there's no way I'm getting out that door without the whole pack.

MauiJNP...

I try to take the dogs away with me when I can. If I go to the pet store or
post office, they can go inside with me. If I go somewhere they can't go
in, I will only take them along if I will only be in the store a short time
(under 10 minutes). When I do that, I leave them in a locked car with the
windows up and the dogs still in their car seats. I leave the car turned on
and have air or heat on for them depending on the weather outside.
Otherwise I leave them home.

Suja...

That's what they get most of the time, so I certainly look forward to the
cooler temps, when they can be left safely in the car.