2 kids + dog

[McMeefia]

Hi,
Sorry if I’m asking a question that’s been asked before, but I couldn’t see anything on the forum that quite answered my question.
My question is for those who travel with 2 children and a dog in an SE. Where do you put your dog in the Cali when you travel?
I’ve heard a few people mention they put a crate on the back shelf, but how do you tether it down?
I’d far rather have the dog in the cabin with us but not sure how to secure the dog as all the seat space is occupied.
We don’t actually have a dog yet but are hoping to get one soon

 

[Hotel California]

Your best option would be a foldable dog crate that sits on the floor behind the front seats , that way the dog is as low as possible to the floor witch is safe and best to avoid carsick. The kids in the back seat can entertain him/her while driving
Putting the crate in the booth would take up valueble space.
Arriving at site or at a stopover just fold up and store flat on the rear parcel shelf

 

[McMeefia]

Good point about keeping the dog low.
I think I saw someone managed to find Drings to bolt into the seat rails to anchor their crate.
I wonder if anyone has used them to attach a dog seatbelt/travel harness? And how safe that would be ie to stop dog becoming a projectile in event of an accident?
With a seatbelt they could then just have a soft bed on the floor.

 

[Alibee]

Gus sleeps on his bed behind the driver's seat most of the time, but occasionally hops onto the back seat with the boys, or onto the missus's lap if he wants a bit of attention. I know the arguments for crates are all well founded, but our cabin has such a lot of kit in at any point (ipads, external batteries, drinks, cases of wine, 8kg jamones, etc) that a small dog really isn't going to make much difference.

That said, I may use a length of 4mm dyneema or 6mm shock-cord to tether his harness (which he wears 99% of the time we travel) to a point under the back seat during the next trip, just to see how he takes to it. Don't want to restrict him too much though as it can be lovely when he hops up for a chat during a long stint.

 

[mccp]

Unrestrained dogs doesn't appear to be against any UK law, but it is against the Highway code: http://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/answers/can-you-drive-with-your-dog-in-the-car

 

[MattBW]

If your dog is well behaved you will probably be fine, we always strap ours in but we have no children in our van. If you stopped quickly though what would happen to him that is always my biggest worry and I dont think a crate is going to make him safer just everyone else in the van maybe?

Worth remembering that not following the Highway code can still result in a fine but for a more generic driving without due care and attention or words to that effect.

 

[MattBW]

In fact just read that link £2500 fine

 

[Alibee]

Unrestrained dogs doesn't appear to be against any UK law, but it is against the Highway code: http://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/answers/can-you-drive-with-your-dog-in-the-car

I think the reason why its guidance and not legislation is that it would be very hard to prove that a dog was at fault in an accident, and attempting to design standards for restraints for all breeds would be a minefield, and an expensive one at that. At some point common sense has to prevail, and recognition that an over-excited 1yr Great Dane represents a very different risk profile to a narcoleptic 12yr old miniature dachshund!

I can't find any prosecutions (successful or attempted) for driving with an unrestrained pet, nor anything specific in my policy wording (or anything that even refers to the Highway Code). Seems like there was a big news push on this last November, but not much before or since.

Personally, I'm much more worried about the 3,000kg lump of metal hurtling down the road than the 4kg meat sack slumbering by the kids' feet, but then I never was very smart!

 

[mccp]

I can't find any prosecutions (successful or attempted) for driving with an unrestrained pet, nor anything specific in my policy wording (or anything that even refers to the Highway Code). Seems like there was a big news push on this last November, but not much before or since.

Agreed - and most of the online news articles seem to be sponsored by the manufacturers of dog harnesses. We carry our dogs in the boot mostly and if they are in the back, I do clip them in because at least one would try jumping up onto the driver.

I'm not sure that there is going to be much difference to dog injuries whether harnessed, caged or otherwise; because you need to give them enough room to move around a bit. What I don't want is an over-excited pooch trying to get through the windscreen to play with the dog in the car in front.

 

[Amarillo]

We started off with the dogs in a crate behind the drivers' seat. We soon gave up and Meg now sits where she likes, usually between the two boys, sometimes on the floor and occasionally, when Clare goes into the back, on the front passenger seat.

It gives the toll collectors quite a start when I unwind the front passenger window and Meg greets them with a lick.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Hotel California]

In many European countries dogs are not allowed being transported without a harnas in the seatbelt or a crate or in the booth behind a fixed protective separtation behind the rear seat.
Just use your brains ....

 

[Ocean Spirit]

We also travel with a Dog and he's partly responsible for us buying/holidaying in a California.
I think so much is dependant on how your dog reacts to travelling and it's size.
Our Cockerpoo just climbs in and lays straight down on the bench seat. He has a harness so we plug it in to the seat belt reciever....job done.
However I am also aware of dogs that fidget, howl and need to be restricted further especially if they are an agitated large dog.
Meet Gitface...I mean snow face.

 

[Pete_Hampton]

Meet Gitface...I mean snow face.

Has he (Gitface!!!!?) just been doing that hot tub -> roll in the snow -> hot tub -> roll in the snow thing?

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Has he (Gitface!!!!?) just been doing that hot tub -> roll in the snow -> hot tub -> roll in the snow thing?

He would of, if he could of I think.
I have caught him eyeing it up on many occasions. 2 feet up on the step peering in the top.

 

[Sad]

We've just bought the floor rail load anchor to tether ours to in her harness while in her bed on the floor behind the front seats - but this setup has not yet been roadtested. She had previously been on the bench seat tethered in but has a couple of times now slid off in heavy braking scenarios...

 

[Hotel California]

We've just bought the floor rail load anchor to tether ours to in her harness while in her bed on the floor behind the front seats - but this setup has not yet been roadtested. She had previously been on the bench seat tethered in but has a couple of times now slid off in heavy braking scenarios...

The breaking scenario we had with Mieke also as we used to strap her in the seatbelt with a harnas. But : or you make the lead that short your dog can't move at all or you make it longer resulting your dog can slide off the seat hanging in the harnass.
We don't use the harnas that frequent anymore after we got a foldable crate .

 

[McMeefia]

We've just bought the floor rail load anchor to tether ours to in her harness while in her bed on the floor behind the front seats - but this setup has not yet been roadtested. She had previously been on the bench seat tethered in but has a couple of times now slid off in heavy braking scenarios...

Hi, sounds like the set-up I’d like to go with. Where did you get your floor rail load anchor from?

 

[Hotel California]

Hi, sounds like the set-up I’d like to go with. Where did you get your floor rail load anchor from?

Club shop sells those...

 

[Sad]

Hi, sounds like the set-up I’d like to go with. Where did you get your floor rail load anchor from?

Indeed... Club shop... Literally only fitted it yesterday...

 

[Sad]

Also have one of these arriving tomorrow:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076BRRZNB/?tag=eliteelect-21

 

[shudycamps]

Hi,
Sorry if I’m asking a question that’s been asked before, but I couldn’t see anything on the forum that quite answered my question.
My question is for those who travel with 2 children and a dog in an SE. Where do you put your dog in the Cali when you travel?
I’ve heard a few people mention they put a crate on the back shelf, but how do you tether it down?
I’d far rather have the dog in the cabin with us but not sure how to secure the dog as all the seat space is occupied.
We don’t actually have a dog yet but are hoping to get one soon

I have a Lintran dog box in the back on top of the shelf. It's big enough and heavy enough, it does not slide about. Our two working cocker spaniels and Kerry Blue travel in that. The three small terriers have Solvit hanging dog baskets that hang off the two headrests on the bench seat and one from the passenger's chair. They are harnessed in and travel very happily in those baskets. When parked up, I have an accordion foldable 8 panel fence and they stay inside it. They come in at night inside Campi. This system works a treat for us.

 

[Keith Smith]

I've fitted the club shop's D ring into the running rail, it does stick up a bit and necessitates cutting a hole in any carpet, but it provides a strong fixing to attach a harness. Jess lies down behind the seats and in the event of an accident would be thrown against the back of the seats. So my next job is to get a piece of plywood, cover it with foam on one side then sleeve it in a durable fabric. I'll put this up against the back of the seat to give her some extra protection and prevent her from coming forward through the gap in the seats. I'm hoping I can also rest it across the front seats when we are parked up to give her somewhere to sleep if we are sleeping downstairs.

 

[Zebedee]

We use a hard crate behind the drivers seat which then goes in the drivers seat at night. We used to have a soft foldable one but Buttons ate through it! We also have one of the extendable leads and the seat belt goes through the hole and we can adjust the length to suit. Then when on site we can put it to full length and he can potter about under the awning as well.