Transporting dog in saloon car

qhe0i9zvfgdou8

My trusty 2001 Mondeo has gone to the big scrapyard in the sky.
I'm been offered a 04 one for very handy money but the problem is my dog.
The old car was a hatchback so with the shelf out he was happy out in the boot.
The one I'm been offered is a saloon so the boot isn't an option and the back seat is impractical.
In the local last night someone suggested he'd be ok in the boot with a back seat dropped down and some mesh to prevent him getting into the car.
Has anybody here used this method or have any opinions on it.

Ms Doubtfire1

why don't you put him on the backseat with a safety net between the back and frontseats?

kathleen37

If he's going to be in the back seat, he should really be in a safety harness so he doesn't become a propelling object should the worse happen...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CLIX-18260-CAR-SAFE-Medium/dp/B0023R73IU/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1487006634&sr=1-4&keywords=dog+safety+harness+for+car

You'd just need a blanket for the back seat too for him to sit on.

razorblunt

Backseat, with a short belt buckle?

qhe0i9zvfgdou8

Thanks for all your replies. I'm afraid the back seat won't really work because it's more often than not in use.

Two would be in use so would drop the one third

kathleen37

How would you drop the seats down if they're in use?

I wouldn't put him in the boot as there is no way to restrain him and I wouldn't know about airflow for him?

What about using the safety harness and strapping him into the front seat?

Wheety

I've never seen one in use.

http://www.alphadogtrailers.co.uk/trailers.html

qhe0i9zvfgdou8

kathleen37 wrote:

How would you drop the seats down if they're in use?

Two would be in use so the other one third would be dropped.

kathleen37 wrote:

I wouldn't know about airflow for him?

He would have the same airflow as the passengers in the back only a mesh would separate him from the back seats.

kathleen37 wrote:

What about using the safety harness and strapping him into the front seat?

Front seat would be in use too

qhe0i9zvfgdou8

Wheety wrote:

I've never seen one in use.

Thanks but I don't really want to be towing a trailer.

elperello

Quincy Cold Cross wrote: »

My trusty 2001 Mondeo has gone to the big scrapyard in the sky.
I'm been offered a 04 one for very handy money but the problem is my dog.
The old car was a hatchback so with the shelf out he was happy out in the boot.
The one I'm been offered is a saloon so the boot isn't an option and the back seat is impractical.
In the local last night someone suggested he'd be ok in the boot with a back seat dropped down and some mesh to prevent him getting into the car.
Has anybody here used this method or have any opinions on it.

Years ago I found that I could drop the smaller side of the rear seat backrest and put a grille to prevent the dog entering the passenger area. The dog was happy in the boot and you could talk to him and a passenger could keep an eye on him.
I used a chrome mesh tray from an office desk and it fitted ok.

bmwguy

Just a case that the saloon doesn't suit you, get another hatchback or even better an estate car. If you are looking at 04 pretty much everything is going to be a cheap price, some gems out there for small money.

Don't put the dog in the boot of a saloon, not fair, buy a suitable car. Any amount of them out there

qhe0i9zvfgdou8

elperello wrote:

Years ago I found that I could drop the smaller side of the rear seat backrest and put a grille to prevent the dog entering the passenger area. The dog was happy in the boot and you could talk to him and a passenger could keep an eye on him. I used a chrome mesh tray from an office desk and it fitted ok.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. So it worked ok for your dog. The mesh tray from the office desk is a good idea.

muddypaws

Quincy Cold Cross wrote: »

That's exactly what I'm talking about. So it worked ok for your dog. The mesh tray from the office desk is a good idea.

It might fit OK, but it wouldn't be secure, in the event of an accident, it could cause a lot of damage to the rear seat passengers, or indeed, those in the front of the car.

elperello

muddypaws wrote: »

It might fit OK, but it wouldn't be secure, in the event of an accident, it could cause a lot of damage to the rear seat passengers, or indeed, those in the front of the car.

You are right it would need to be a good secure fit. In the cars I had the tray fitted in quite snugly and could not be pushed through into the passenger area.
You would need to experiment with different setups to get it right.

By the way I should have said I only used it for short journeys maybe half hour max.

Is it a big or small dog? If its tiny then the boot in a saloon might be okay, but if its a normal or big dog that can't stand up properly whilst in the boot then I wouldn't even consider it.

Vizzy

Wheety wrote: »

I've never seen one in use.

http://www.alphadogtrailers.co.uk/trailers.html

These trailers are really the rolls Royce of all trailers, but you will pay for them, about €1500 second hand.

Would one of these work ?

http://www.ginnellfibreglass.com/cms_media/images/250x250_fitbox-dog_box_top.jpg

kylith

elperello wrote: »

You are right it would need to be a good secure fit. In the cars I had the tray fitted in quite snugly and could not be pushed through into the passenger area.
You would need to experiment with different setups to get it right.

By the way I should have said I only used it for short journeys maybe half hour max.

Even if it seems pretty secure it could be a totally different story if you get in an accident and the dog hits it at 80kmph. IMO a 'good secure fit' means 'firmly and securely attached'.

If you have space to drop down one seat in the back then there is no reason you can't get a car harness and clip your dog into the free seat in the back.

I would advise to thank them, but turn down the saloon. If it isn't fit for what you need then it isn't fit, and the boot of a saloon car isn't suitable for a dog.

Zapperzy

I drive a saloon and used to put my old dog in the boot when he was wet or sandy. He was a small terrier so well able to stand up and move around. Dropped the back seats down and hooked his leash through a little loop in the middle of the floor that's used to lift it up to get at the spare tyre. Meant he had enough room to move around the whole boot but was secured in. Unfortunately my bumper has lots of little scraps in it from him jumping up and down, only recently took his tennis ball out of the boot :-(

AryaStark

Wheety wrote: »

I've never seen one in use.

http://www.alphadogtrailers.co.uk/trailers.html

I was driving behind a car one that has one of these attached. I thought it was terrible. It was a very hot day and it only had two small vents on either side. Also the driver was going very fast and the roads were not the best so it was bumping around. Maybe they are not so bad but I thought that it was a bit cruel and I would never use one.

muddypaws

AryaStark wrote: »

I was driving behind a car one that has one of these attached. I thought it was terrible. It was a very hot day and it only had two small vents on either side. Also the driver was going very fast and the roads were not the best so it was bumping around. Maybe they are not so bad but I thought that it was a bit cruel and I would never use one.

I would never use a dog trailer or a dog box on the back of a vehicle, I saw a dog box get knocked off the back of a camper van when they went up a really steep hill, it fell back down the hill with a dog inside it. And there was a trailer a few years ago, the floor of it fell through (maybe rust) and the dog fell out. Just my personal preference, I just feel safer with the dog(s) inside the same vehicle as me.

Vizzy

muddypaws wrote: »

I would never use a dog trailer or a dog box on the back of a vehicle, I saw a dog box get knocked off the back of a camper van when they went up a really steep hill, it fell back down the hill with a dog inside it. And there was a trailer a few years ago, the floor of it fell through (maybe rust) and the dog fell out. Just my personal preference, I just feel safer with the dog(s) inside the same vehicle as me.

And I had occasion to have to break the window on a car ( at a dog show, no less) on a hot day, due to some idiot trying to dry roast 2 Golden Retrievers :rolleyes:.
Unfortunately there will be instances of neglect/accidents etc no matter what method you use to transport an animal.
Just on the trailers mentioned above, as I say they are the Rolls Royce of trailers. Haven't actually seen the particular trailers in the link, but they are insulated so they stay hot/cold as required and they are built so that the vents allow plenty of fresh air into the trailer when it is being towed and the "inside doors" are lockable so that when the trailer is parked up, the outside doors can be fully opened and the dog(s) can have all the air they want and also see everything that is going on. Some of them are actually semi air conditioned with a fan running in the roof of the trailer.

muddypaws

Vizzy wrote: »

And I had occasion to have to break the window on a car ( at a dog show, no less) on a hot day, due to some idiot trying to dry roast 2 Golden Retrievers :rolleyes:.
Unfortunately there will be instances of neglect/accidents etc no matter what method you use to transport an animal.
Just on the trailers mentioned above, as I say they are the Rolls Royce of trailers. Haven't actually seen the particular trailers in the link, but they are insulated so they stay hot/cold as required and they are built so that the vents allow plenty of fresh air into the trailer when it is being towed and the "inside doors" are lockable so that when the trailer is parked up, the outside doors can be fully opened and the dog(s) can have all the air they want and also see everything that is going on. Some of them are actually semi air conditioned with a fan running in the roof of the trailer.

Yeah I know, I go to a lot of events where people use top of the range trailers, but I just hate the thought of them, have seen too many people forgetting that they are towing something and not driving the way they should. As mentioned elsewhere, I'm paranoid and a worrier, am much happier with my dogs in the van with me, in their crates

qhe0i9zvfgdou8

kylith wrote:

If you have space to drop down one seat in the back then there is no reason you can't get a car harness and clip your dog into the free seat in the back.

I'm not sure the back seat passengers would enjoy a wet sandy dog beside them.

kylith wrote:

I would advise to thank them, but turn down the saloon. If it isn't fit for what you need then it isn't fit, and the boot of a saloon car isn't suitable for a dog.

The old greenbacks aren't that plenty so could be difficult to turn it down at the price not to mention I know it's history so know it's straight.

Thanks again to everyone for the replies. Very informative posts.

tk123

Quincy Cold Cross wrote: »

I'm not sure the back seat passengers would enjoy a wet sandy dog beside them.

I have fleeces for my two for drying off in the car or at home and they love them! It contains the sand/wet too and often they're dry by the time we get home.

What size is the dog? I was able to fit a soft crate on top of the single back seat with it in the down position in my old car

qhe0i9zvfgdou8

tk123 wrote:

What size is the dog? I was able to fit a soft crate on top of the single back seat with it in the down position in my old car

He's a Springer I rescued a couple of years ago. He's never been in a crate. He doesn't like to see where he's going in the car for some reason. If he was in the car he would try to get under the seats.
He's happy to jump in the boot and lie behind the back seat. I had the glass tinted for him in the hatchback so he was grand.

tk123

Quincy Cold Cross wrote: »

He's a Springer I rescued a couple of years ago. He's never been in a crate. He doesn't like to see where he's going in the car for some reason. If he was in the car he would try to get under the seats.
He's happy to jump in the boot and lie behind the back seat. I had the glass tinted for him in the hatchback so he was grand.

lol I had my windows tinted in my last car for the dogs too if he's hiding like that a crate might be perfect for him and he's nice and small too so you could possibly fit one on the folded down seat?
You could always go for a fleece or even a lined coat, harness and strap to clip him in for now and see how he gets on. I drop the seats in my car and use a seatbelt strap clipped to the luggage loops - old car didn't have loops so I'd just clip it to the loop the seat should clip into when it's up. One strap came with a car harness and has carabiners on both ends, the other is just a standard seatbelt one so seatbelt buckle on one end and like the clip off a lead on thn other - I bought a carabiner in 53 degrees so I could have clips on both ends