Putting your dogs in the boot!!

happyfeet22

Am I the only one that does this? I have a hatchback so i just take the boot tray off and let the two of them jump in. They dont seem to mind.

The reason I ask is because I was at the beach today, and when I was on my way home as usual I opened the boot and they jumped in. Then this 'nice lady ':D came over to me and started telling me how cruel it was and then she said that i was far too young to know how to care for a dog properly.:eek::eek:

Please tell me I'm not the only one that does this.

Sigma Force

As long as the boot tray lid thing is off at all times I don't see the problem, that's one of the reasons many people get hatchbacks. Usually there's a dog guard up or some people use crates saftey wise having them loose in the boot isn't ideal in an accident but it's not worse than putting them in the back seat with no harness or crate etc.

Done it myself had a boot guard thing up but to be honest even those aren't that great unless you can get them welded.

It's people that put their dogs into a closed boot with the lid on that's cruel I think there's no way you can tell if the dog is ok while travelling or too hot etc. perhaps she thought you were putting the lid on after.

paultf

happyfeet22,

I wouldn't mind that lady. I have a VW golf (hatchback) & my 2 cockers jump into the boot anytime we go for a walk. I have a guard so they can't jump into the back seat. They normally lie down but if they want too they look out the back window. I have been doing this for years & I had no problems.

Inexile

I have travel with mine in the boot of a hatchback too, with the lid off. the love it. Anytime the boot is open now they just jump straight in and have to encourage to get out - they even jump in when the lid is on!
As guineapig said its the main reason when I got my new car I got a hatchback.

Dont worry about that woman - did she say where the dogs should travel - your knee perhaps.:)

kazza90210

I let my guy travel in the boot with the lid off and a doggy guard, he just sits there and watches the world out the back window. dont see any problem with it, if i left him in the front he would try and sit on my lap and thats much more unsafe!!!

ISDW

Have to agree with everyone else, a hatchback is totally fine, mine used to travel in the boot of a hatchback.

However, I absolutely hate seeing saloons with dogs shoved in the boot, I think that is dangerous, and must be quite distressing for the dogs.

deebee08

I also put my dog in the boot, he's a small terrier and actually jumps in by himself now with no encouragement!! He sheds A LOT and there's no way i'd let him in my little baby fiat 500 and get hairs all over the place!!!

When I was a kid my dad used to ALWAYS put the dogs in the boot and they never seemed to mind

Redzer22

My lab travels in the boot of my hatchback too...the main reason being for safety. Given half a chance he'd be traveling on my knee while i try to drive. He has plenty of room in the boot, never travels too long without getting out for a stretch and can lie down or watch the world go by out the window.

convert

The number of 'concerned do-gooders' who attack people like you described is scary. My dad was at a local show and was putting our King Charles into the boot of the car to go home. The lid happened to be sitting half on/half off as we'd put stuff in the boot and wanted it out of sight while we were away from the car. Any muppet could have clearly seen it wasn't tied down and that he was in the process of moving it, but not this woman who proceeded to absolutely abuse him for putting the dog in the boot and that the dog should travel in the car like the rest of the family! She took the car reg and said she was going to report him to the guards and the SPCA. We never hear from either, but we weren't bothered either way as we'd done nothing wrong. But people like that absolutely incense me.

There's nothing wrong with a dog travelling in the boot of a car for a short journey. Lid off and/or lots of breaks and plenty of water is prefererable for long trips. . A grid or mesh is a good idea, just incase the dog tries to jump into the car and help you drive!

happyfeet22

thanks for the replys everyone.... i couldent believe it when she came over to me.

If I let my two in the back of the car they just try to get in the front but when there in the boot they just sit and enjoy their big window

Dusty87

My sprocker sometimes goes in the boot. He dosn mind he'l jump straight in. When im travelling short distances he's goes in back. I know thats dangerous though. Dont mind that woman op. Just another example of someone who cant mind there own business which is one of the reasons irelands gone to the dogs (excuse the pun)

Jip

The boxer goes in the boot of my Octavia with the parcel shelf removed. My smaller 2 go in a doggy hammock in the rear seat as if I left them in a boot the size of the Octavias it would be like that scene from Dumb and Dumber when he's driving the dogs to the show and they're being thrown all over the place.

Lemlin

I always put my Cocker into the boot and she doesn''t mind it at all. She jumps in and jumps back out at our destination and I've never noticed anything wrong. At our destination she is always sitting there calmly when I open the boot.

jamesd

We put our Akita in the boot if travelling distances of about 40 minutes and he seems fine, we leave down one of the back seats and have a dog guard behind the seat so he can see us but cannot come through and this allows the wind from the window to get down to him and he loves this as crys when we put up the window.

ro09

happyfeet22 wrote: »

Am I the only one that does this? I have a hatchback so i just take the boot tray off and let the two of them jump in. They dont seem to mind.

The reason I ask is because I was at the beach today, and when I was on my way home as usual I opened the boot and they jumped in. Then this 'nice lady ':D came over to me and started telling me how cruel it was and then she said that i was far too young to know how to care for a dog properly.:eek::eek:

Please tell me I'm not the only one that does this.

My Problem is the whole dog and Beach concept. I hope you are picking up after your dogs. People are letting their dogs go mad on the beach and crap all over the place. I don't want to sit down on your dogs crap.:)

Kiya

I have an almost daily issue with some well meaning muppets, giving me their opinion on what to do with my dog.
(Try telling them what way to look after their kids & see the response )

Anyway, I drive a 2seater sports scar & because it’s too small for my dogs’ carrier (& no boot) I bought a Car Seatbelt/Harness for my dog.

Now there’s no hassle with her trying to jump into my lap. She has no choice but to lie down and it’s really safe for her.
It’s like a soft harness that hooks through the existing seatbelt. There are a few versions available either online or the one I bought was from Petstore in Blanchardstown.

Now all I need is a cushion/bed to fit onto the bucket seats so she doesn’t feel the road vibrations as much!!

But the amount of times the busybodies come up to me & give me abuse for putting a dog in the front...
I’m going to print a leaflet on car harnesses & 2 seater cars (= no boot or back seats… duh) & hand it to them politely while telling them to bog off... :P

Dusty87

ro09 wrote: »

My Problem is the whole dog and Beach concept. I hope you are picking up after your dogs. People are letting their dogs go mad on the beach and crap all over the place. I don't want to sit down on your dogs crap.:)

My dog cleans up after himself. Maybe start a new thread.

TFP

ro09 wrote: »

My Problem is the whole dog and Beach concept. I hope you are picking up after your dogs. People are letting their dogs go mad on the beach and crap all over the place. I don't want to sit down on your dogs crap.:)

actually during that hot spell we had earlier on in the summer I took my dog down to beach one evening and to be honest I was more worried about what he would catch from the crap and filth that the human population left behind them ..... we really are a filthy breed of people.

cesarbart

for short journeys dogs in boot - yes
for long journeys - no


Dogs dont have irrational fears of darkness, clostaphobia unless we give it to them. All they do is relax and my fellas in my old car used to run for the boot with excitement.

golden

I have a VW Golf for the reason I have a lab otherwise would more than likely have a saloon.

I would never have a dog in the boot in a saloon due to poor air circulation and acting like a caravan effect. We have another car that a saloon and if she is travelling in that shes in the car with us. Its not the darkness or claustrabhic element of things but the lack of air circulation.


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lrushe

I have two dogs (a chihuahua & a jap spitz), both have no issue going into the boot of my Kia Ce'ed as they know it means walkies. I will be picking up a Rottweiler pup in 3 weeks so when she gets bigger I will need to transfer the dogs to our other car, a jeep for space reasons but other than that I see no reason not to put a dog in the boot of a car for short journeys

junkyard

Sorry but I wouldn't put my dog in the boot of any car, they haven't a hope if the car gets rear ended. If it's an estate they may have some hope but a hatchback in most cases, has no or very little protection. It all boils down to how much you like your dog really isn't it? Would you put your child in the boot of your car?

Muppet Man

Two terriers in the boot of my Golf with parcel shelf off and rear windows ajar when on the move. No issue really. They love it.

It has occured to me that being rear ended would be bad experience for them, but a risk I am willing to take given that it hasnt happened in 15 years of driving and also given the frequency of them being in the boot. i.e. it is very very unlikely. Additionally getting rear ended is not a fatal situation... most rear endings are relatively low impact, except for Motorway pileups. No stats to back that up, just observation.

Muppet Man.

richievo5

I have a hatchback and a saloon and the boxer goes in the boot of both cars , he loves the saloon but would not have him in that boot for long journeys

callaghanjp

Have a bmw saloon and my much loved dog often gets in the boot. In fact sometimes it is easier to get her in the boot than in to the front seat foot area. Shortish journeys only and with the poor weather this summer heat hasnt been an issue.

dee o gee

We've a micra hatchback and our cairn terrier x used to travel in the boot with the lid off, he loved it because he knew it meant walkies. We had to get a dog gaurd though because another dog taught him how to jump over the seat one day He then learned that he can knock over the gaurd, and that he can also look out the window and bark at anything he feels the need to bark at, which he did quite often. He also barked so ferouisly in the back that he literally used to rock the car, so if youve ever seen a rocking micra at a deserted beach its not what you think it is!! :rolleyes: He now has to sit at the front passengers feet so he can't see out the window:P
As regards getting rear ended with the dog in the boot, I thought about that when we first got the micra, and was completely against the idea of him being in the boot until I sat in the backseat and realized how close my head was to the back of the car, and then thought if we were rear ended bad enough to eckkk kill poor charlie then we would all end up fairly fe*ked as a micra sandwich:D Whoops I think I got kinda carried away with the long post, sorry!!!:o

cesarbart

i have seat belt for my fellas aswell. I didnt know that there is poor circulation in a boot of a car, gonna check with mechanic tomorrow to see of it holds true as i dont want my dogs in that situation.I doubt it is true but ill check it out anyways. Thansk all the saem though.migth check car forum aswell.

useful_contacts

happyfeet22 wrote: »

Am I the only one that does this? I have a hatchback so i just take the boot tray off and let the two of them jump in. They dont seem to mind.

The reason I ask is because I was at the beach today, and when I was on my way home as usual I opened the boot and they jumped in. Then this 'nice lady ':D came over to me and started telling me how cruel it was and then she said that i was far too young to know how to care for a dog properly.:eek::eek:

Please tell me I'm not the only one that does this.

ya you had the lid off thats fine. my dad used put our dog in the boot and i could hear him crying and it upset me. but if theres a lid that can come off thats fine.

i would never put an animal in a boot without a lid thats just cruel

BlackWizard

It's not cruel if the dog loves it! Mine jumps into the boot even when Im just taking shopping out or cleaning the car.

Even the vet recommended that I should put him in the boot on journeys because he gets overexcited when in the back seat. Because of the soft seats he can't get a good balance and it hurts his joints and muscles. He's an old dog but he still thinks he can jump all over the place and sit on my lap while im driving or nudge my arms to be rubbed :rolleyes: