Dogs in Cars

[d112358]

Thanks for the input everyone. I'll look into those thermometers, that's a good idea. I may or may not be able to see the car from the classroom, depending on which side of the building it's on. Luckily Victoria is not worrisome as far as crime. The worst that happens is peoples' bicycles getting stolen. Not to mention the parking lot I'd be in is way off on the other side of campus where only the Fine Arts buildings are. Unfortunately I don't think there's anywhere for good shade so I'd only be able to bring the dog on cloudy days.

 

A cool cap or space blanket setup looks weird, but it will solve the sun problem. I use space blankets when I crate out of the car at agility trials, and have on occasion gone to nap in the car mid-day in full sun when it's in the high 70s/low 80s.

[HJTRAS]

Not in the car. First the heat. I have a thermometer in my van because I cant have things freezing, the norm I found is about a 30 degree difference . On a sunny day. So 60 outside would be about 90 in your car. Also the noise and confusion around the car can really cause stress. also seems to stress dogs out more when they are in a car when the owner leaves it. So no I would not think the car would be a good option.

[Gideon's girl]

I live in FL, so nothing like Victoria, but we have dogs that died in hot cars in the news every day down here. January is the only month when you can leave a dog in the car and even then the windows still have to be rolled down.

[Gloria Atwater]

.......... I would actually be more concerned with the pup getting disturbed being left in the car if people go past and make noise. Could actually see a greater chance for accidents then if the pup was left at home.

 

I would set up a nice big crate or puppy pen on linoleum and have it large enough so that if the pup were to have a accident they could go off to that area, or some even litter pan train their pups. Put a kitty litter pan of wood pellets in the pen, you would be amazed how many pups will go to use the litter pan or even just a towel laid in the corner of the pen.

 

 

THIS!

 

If you're only going to be gone 4 hours, this is the very best solution I've seen. I would be way, way more anxious about a puppy in a car that I can't see than the chance of accidents at home. If you set up a crate with an x-pen attached, the pup will have room to go potty away from its sleeping area and room to play with its toys while you're gone.

 

Seriously, when you mentioned being unable to see your car, my heart just shrieked, "NO WAY!" Maybe you don't have crime there, but it only takes once for someone to see that cute puppy in your car and either steal it or try to "save" it. I would never, ever trust my dog alone in a car that I can't see for any length of time.

 

And yes, noises or disturbances outside the car that you don't see and aren't aware of could potentially cause the pup stress or fear. What if there's an accident or a thunder storm or people having an argument, or who knows what out there, when you're in class? She will be just fine waiting for you at home where she's safe, secure and comfortable, and nothing scary or bad can ever happen to her.

 

Honest, leaving a pup for 4 hours won't hurt, and if she has an accident while you're gone, it's no big deal. She'll grow up and learn potty training just fine.

 

Besides, at that young age, she's going to have accidents no matter where she is and being in the car won't change that. I like the crate-and-x-pen idea for home way, way better.

 

Just the thoughts of a very nervous dog mom!

[chene]

Fair enough comments. I am already convinced as far as keeping the pup at home most of the time, but I will seriously consider what you've said before I decide to ever leave the pup in the car. As of right now, my thoughts are "not unless it's absolutely necessary or the circumstances are perfect".

[Skyedog]

Hi there.

 

I would not keep your dog in your car while you are away for hours ( even if it is cooler

in the Fall). You could get a very large X-pen and put your dog's kennel inside.

You can have a newspaper area in the pen, for your dog to relieve itself. I saw

this suggested on a dog care forum. Ideally, getting someone to check up

on the dog, would be best. It is an extreme case, but a dogwalker in Canada recenty, left a young Border Collie, Salty (picture attached) with 5 other dogs in a hot truck for 45 minutes. The dogs all died. There is more to the story. It has created a growing awareness of the danger

of leaving a dog in a warm vehicle. Be carefull who you choose for a dog

sitter, if you get such a person ( find someone with some proven experience that

is saftey conscious, trustworthy, and loves animals).

 

Best of luck

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Liz P]

Interesting discussion right now in a "handlers tent" on Facebook. Lots of stories of people having to deal with the police, being harassed and even having a dog confiscated by animal control. I had several officers descend on my car and try their hardest to write me a ticket for any offense they might be able to find (thankfully they found nothing). Traveling to trials with dogs is becoming difficult as the animal rights nuts lash out at owners of dogs left in cars (and doG forbid they are crated!).

[Tommy Coyote]

I don't ever leave my dogs in the car. It's not just the heat problem.
But dogs get stolen out of cars.

 

My puppy has always stayed in his crate when I have to be gone and I'm often gone for 4 hours at a time. He does fine and has since he was just little. Fortunately I usually have about an hour before I have to go out for the morning and I make sure the dogs are outside and running so that they are all ready to just settle down and sleep while I'm gone.

 

He's never known anything else so it just seems normal to him to stay in his crate and sleep while I am away. And I know he's safe.

[Mark Billadeau]

A friend watched our pups in their ex pen while we were giving a 30-45min herding demo and she was hassled by the "dog police" early in the demo.

 

It was too hot (they had shade).

There was not enough shade.

Their drinking water must be too hot because it was in the sun (but it wasn't when the "dog police" tested the temp with their finger).

 

In a past case we were "ordered" to lower the car windows by the "dog police" because our dog was too hot (he was panting). It was at night, in the middle of winter at a fire wood lot and he was panting because he was excited by our loading fire wood into the trunk of our car.

 

 

If something is not being done the way the "dog police" would do for their fur kids it must be animal abuse. We will see more and more of this in the future. Unfortunately there is plenty of true animal abuse that needs their (everyones) attention.

[Debbie Meier]

speaking of traveling to trials, the AR nuts here in IA have tried to make a movement against dog trailers twice last summer and expecting it again this. Thinking real hard of eventually replacing our dog trailer with a modified cargo/horse trailer so that they won't realize that we are hauling dogs to trials. Really sad when things get to that point.

[Maralynn]

It's interesting reading everyone's experiences. Other than the one instance I've mentioned, I've never had an issue. Even then I just chatted with the police for a couple minutes and it wasn't a big deal. I actually spoke with the head of security on campus yesterday when I had the dogs out there he told me that I was responsible so he had no issue with me bringing the dogs. My dogs are used to being in vehicles and just snooze the whole time. 99.9% of the time people don't even know that there are dogs in there. ETA: I'm not saying that it's a good idea for everyone of course, just that in my situation I've been able to safely have my dogs in the car. In the OP's situation with no shade to park in then I would leave the dogs home unless it was shady AND below 45.

[Tess's Girl]

I occasionally leave Tess in my car if I'm running errands. I usually won't do it if it's over about 65 degrees. She's always crated in the car. I roll the windows down. It's only when I'm going to be gone 10-20 minutes.

 

The longest I've left her in the car was when I was volunteering at the Bluegrass Classic trial this year. I left all the windows down and the hatch open. She had water and it was very cool this year so she was fine. I didn't have anyone say anything about it, but Tess was one of many that was crates in the the vehicle.

[juliepoudrier]

You're unlikely to have folks comment on dogs in crates in vehicles at a sheepdog trial, even one as public as the Bluegrass.

 

J.

[Tess's Girl]

We've had a few public protests from activist groups here in Lexington, so I'm kind of surprised they've not protested the Bluegrass because it is so public.

[GentleLake]

Posting this in a couple threads so it will be available when people check the archives:

 

[simba]

Thanks, GentleLake.

[GentleLake]

 

As I mentioned in the other thread, it's not perfect, as it doesn't account for variable such as whether the car's in full sun or shade (or somewhere in between), or whether there's a breeze or not, but it's a good visual reminder that it's much hotter in the car than it is outside.

[Liz P]

I wanted to climb into my car this weekend at the trial. About 90F plus sunny and humid. Felt lovely in the car with shade cloths and the windows/hatch open all the way.

[highway61]

Dog police caught on tape!