travelling with dog.

[piglet]

Hi All,

Just wanted to ask how you folks with dogs secure them whilst travelling?

My understanding is that it's the law now to have them secured in correctly. Rightly so too.

 

[Wobble’s Mum]

Wobble has a harness with an attachment that clips into the seat belt plug.
Buddy has a small cage.

I’m thinking of getting floor mounts though so both dogs can be harnessed to the floor rather than on seats.

 

[Sad]

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/dog-harness.25180/

Ours travels in her bed on the floor harnessed to the rail anchor:
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/shop/product/vw-california-floor-rail-load-anchor-lashing

 

[piglet]

Wobble has a harness with an attachment that clips into the seat belt plug.
Buddy has a small cage.

I’m thinking of getting floor mounts though so both dogs can be harnessed to the floor rather than on seats.

View attachment 39704

Aww what a cutie- love the stretched out legs-very chill haha.

 

[piglet]

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/dog-harness.25180/

Ours travels in her bed on the floor harnessed to the rail anchor:
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/shop/product/vw-california-floor-rail-load-anchor-lashing

yeah thats what we were thinking. I was shocked at the price though.

 

[Romke]

I was shocked at the price though.

It shouldn't be hard to make one yourself with these:

https://www.vanessa-mobilcamping.de/accessories-in-general/accessories-t-screw.html?language=en

 

[willwander]

yeah thats what we were thinking. I was shocked at the price though.

Me too !



The crate folds flat on a night and is stored in the boot, they sleep with us

The van is used as a daily driver and our base at agility shows. It works well for hitching them to the tow bar to wash, dry etc. It’s a bit of a pain sometimes to lift them in, but they get used to it, I may build a ‘jump board’ at some point.

 

[Dave650]

Harness and attached to seat belt plug. Worked well 3000 miles in France with one year old Ozzy this year.

 

[Carolinegallen]

I have a crate that goes in the boot for my 3 field spaniels. It means we can't use the lower bed, but we like upstairs, so that's not a problem. There are lots of safety issues with dogs in vans and cars .... the crate means the dogs can't jump out when we raise the tail gate. It also means we can leave the tail gate open if we are waiting in a que for the ferry etc.

 

[Tandt]

I use the seatbelt anchor with the dog laying on the floor with the big dog, but worry that she would get badly jolted if we stopped quickly. Keep trying to think of a better idea. I have cages in my car. The two little ones are in a cage at the back that is secured. It goes in the toilet tent in the day and they sleep in it at night up on the kitchen side. We have also made a tailgate lock so it can be fastened open for fresh air on site without the dax escaping. We seem to spend more time on considering doggy comfort than our own!

 

[Georgiegirl]

We’ve got a miniature schnauzer and he travels on the back seat in a dog car carrier like the one pictured below. It fastens around the headrest and has a block that you push in the gap between the seat and back of the chair. Then there is a seat belt attachment which clips on his harness. He loves it often falling asleep on longer journeys. The seat itself wouldn’t prevent him being injured in a crash but the seat belt attachment would, and I feel it’s just a bit comfier for a smaller dog to be sat in something rather than just sat on the back seat

 

[Carolinegallen]

I personally worry, that if the worst happens, and there is a crash, then the a no.t of space in the van could me an uncaged dog being flung around the van. Even a harness could result in a dog hanging or dangling by it's harness.
We had a crate made for us for the boot. It also has an escape door on the inside, in case you are rear ended and can't open the tailgate. I feel if a small crate is being used in needs securing.
I'm a bit obsessive about this topic I'll take a photo today of mine in their crate, and post it later.

 

[Carolinegallen]

I personally worry, that if the worst happens, and there is a crash, then the a no.t of space in the van could me an uncaged dog being flung around the van. Even a harness could result in a dog hanging or dangling by it's harness.
We had a crate made for us for the boot. It also has an escape door on the inside, in case you are rear ended and can't open the tailgate. I feel if a small crate is being used in needs securing.
I'm a bit obsessive about this topic I'll take a photo today of mine in their crate, and post it later.

 

[Carolinegallen]

 

[flying banana]

Put me in a cage you say? Wear a seat belt you say? I don't think so pal!

 

[Carolinegallen]

Put me in a cage you say? Wear a seat belt you say? I don't think so pal!

View attachment 39778

 

[Carolinegallen]

Better a cage, than flying round the cab , or going through the windscreen , if you have to break suddenly, or have s crash (also a motoring offence not to have dogs secured). There is a 3 inch memory foam bed in that crate I want my dogs as safe as possible.
Also the crate means they can't escape or jump out into a road when I open the doors/tail gate.
Hey ho.

 

[westfalia]

I personally worry, that if the worst happens, and there is a crash

If you really worry you would get one of these instead
of a shopping basket.

 

[flying banana]

View attachment 39776

The dog on the left is thinking 'I hate that shower attachment'!

 

[Carolinegallen]

If you really worry you would get one of these instead
of a shopping basket. View attachment 39779

Actually I agree. This type are the best. Though mine is stronger than you might think. It's not a cheapo pets at home job And it can't slide around as it was made to fit the van. Still better than ha ing a dog on a slippery nylon seat cover.

 

[Carolinegallen]

The dog on the left is thinking 'I hate that shower attachment'!

Never used it though it was bought with them in mind. In fact I bought the van for them.

 

[westfalia]

Though mine is stronger than you might think.

Lets not imagine a crash

 

[Carolinegallen]

Lets not imagine a crash

Probably best not too. At least they won't be flung around the cab. But there ate other reasons I like the crate. I can leave the boot open, which is good. Also it has hand holes so you can put the leads on before you open the crate. With 3 dogs that's a huge plus And on the ferry I use one of those gizmos that lock the boot a few inches open, plus Windows down a bit = bit of a threw draft.

 

[willwander]

If you really worry you would get one of these instead
of a shopping basket. View attachment 39779

I agree, most crates offer no protection, even a well secured dog doesn’t have much of a chance, although it does stop them flying around and injuring passengers. We use a cloth cage, it’s no protection but keeps the mud off the seats. One of the safest spots for them to travel is in the passenger foot well, although this is probably now against the law

 

[Carolinegallen]

I agree, most crates offer no protection, even a well secured dog doesn’t have much of a chance, although it does stop them flying around in a crash an injuring passengers. One of the safest spots for them to travel is in the passenger foot well, although this is probably now against the law

I have 3 quite large field spaniels basically you can only do your best. My friend had a nasty crash (car not van) and the crate did get bent. But prevented them running onto the motor way, which apparently happens quite frequently as they are panicking ànd frightened.