Drive-time dopes: Ill-mannered dogs need to be trained, restrained
By Gina Spadafori
June 20, 2007
I’m still shaking my head over this “humor” piece from the Winnepeg Sun (Oops! Canada. I meant, “humour”). The writer shares the story of getting the family dog to the vet’s and back. On the way over:
The adventure begins when I lift Cody (who weighs more than 80 pounds) into the back of my small car, onto the blanket put there for him to lie on. He doesn’t even pause on the blanket, but instead squeezes his big round furry shedding body between the bucket seats, taking ownership of the right one. Moving him is out of the question. Besides, I have nothing to hold him in the back with.
Too large to sit comfortably in the seat, he has his front feet on the floor, face pasted to the dash.
“Ah well,” I mumble. “It’s a fairly short drive. I’ll just go.”
Within a couple of minutes, he finds the position he will keep for most of the journey. Paws straddling the stick shift, face a few inches from mine, panting early morning wicked dog breath directly into my face.
Before long, shifting through fur and legs, I notice we are both panting, and I’ve got the strangest feeling I’ve wet myself (feeling of warmth spreading “down there”). Cody is really panting. I look down, and notice his paws have managed to turn both heated seats on full. I shut them off.
Now the challenge is to keep him from drooling onto the front of my pants, making it appear as though I really have wet myself. I squeeze as far left as possible.
How attentive a driver do you think this fellow could be with this dog so out of control? A crate wouldn’t fit in his small car, but a harness and seat-belt restrain would. No worries, though: The wife has a van, and she’s going to pick up the dog:
She takes him to the rear of the van, just about breaks her back lifting him in, and drives away. As she is approaching the Perimeter Highway on Roblin Boulevard, she notices a nasty smell. Thinking that in his excitement Cody is probably just passing a little gas, she looks back and sees it’s a lot more than gas (vet nerves). [...] She stops on the side of the road, opens the tailgate trying to catch Cody as he jumps out, but misses.
Decision: “Poop, or dog? poop, or dog … DOG!” [...] She grabs his collar with one hand, rolls up the poopy carpet in the other.
Wow, how brilliant of her to not let her dog get hit by a car, and maybe cause a chain-reaction pile-up. Every hear of a leash, you two? Better yet: It’s a van. Get a crate, and have the dog ride in it. Even if “vet nerves” trigger a poop mess, a crate’s easier to clean than the carpeting of a vehicle. (And a dog ramp or step would help with the lifting!)
I’d go on about how many ways these two chuckleheads are risking their dog’s life, their lives and the lives of every driver on the road, but … I’ll just sum it up. Use a leash. Crate or otherwise restrain your dog. And maybe train your dog, as well.
Life with a dog doesn’t have to be this “funny.” Sometimes it can just be fun. A well-trained dog with manners in the home, in the car and away from home can go anywhere, and open up a world of possibilities for everyone. A crate can even get a dirty dog like the above (mine, after an hour at a dog park, and yes that’s the muddiest I’ve ever seen a dog) home with minimal mess to the vehicle. Update: Since I moved the picture of Woody muddy to the top of the blog, I’ve put in a picture of my van, ready to roll: Crate, water buckets, bucket of bumpers, etc., etc., etc.
We’re getting ready, by the way, to post a whole lot of reviews of pet travel gear over on DogCars.com, by the way, so check in there in a couple of weeks. Dog harnesses, travel crates and more.
I use a dog crate when needed and I also will hook the dogs on a very short lead to their leather collar (not to a choke chain - never use a choke chain that is hooked to a lead for the obvious reasons.) Hook the dogs where they don’t get tangled. If I want a dog sitting in the front seat and dog will not behave, like a puppy, then I hook him on a short lead so he can’t get far.
I’m not in favor of dogs loose in a car - heard too many horror stories of people who get in accidents and the first thing - in fear the dog runs off. And dogs tied in the back of a pickup is worse - what will happen to the dogs in an accident - they will be flying in the air tied to the bed of the truck.
Comment by Linda — June 20, 2007 @ 11:34 am
What is wrong with the dog in the picture? He looks like he is losing his fur.
Comment by Jill — June 20, 2007 @ 12:01 pm
Linda — June 20, 2007 @ 11:34 am
I use a dog crate when needed and I also will hook the dogs on a very short lead to their leather collar
That’s really dangerous. An abrupt stop could break your dog’s neck, and a serious accident, your dog can become a deadly missile. Please, if you are going to tether your dog in the car, use a restraint harness that attaches directly to the seat belt.
Comment by Shelly — June 20, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
Addy rides in the back with a car harness. I would not have her in the front passenger seat, OR loose in the car, for the same reason I wouldn’t have a child in the front passenger seat, or loose in the car. Everyone gets appropriately strapped in, end of discussion.
My sister, most unwisely in my opinion, has her Lab ride uncrated and unrestrained in the car. I worry about what would happen in an accident—but at least Stella is a well-trained, mannerly dog who lies down in the spot she’s told to lie down in the car, and isn’t herself likely to be the cause of an accident. Unlike these idiots’ dogs.
Comment by Lis — June 20, 2007 @ 12:23 pm
I used to own a small sports car - not the ideal vehicle to transport a 65 lb dog who was terrified of cars. Hammer had been bounced around from home to shelter to home and back again multiple times before I took him. The only thing to do was strap him in the small front seat with a doggy seatbelt. He eventually got over his fear of cars when he realized he had a permanent loving home. Still, the doggy seatbelt was used as a safety feature to protect him in case of accident. It’s amazing to realize that people still find this kind of story amusing. I think people need to pass a common sense test in order to become pet owners.
Comment by Carol — June 20, 2007 @ 1:08 pm
Shelly,
There are dangers with everything I suppose - It would have to be some terrible slamming stop to break my dogs neck - but I think the worst situation is a dog that’s free floating - he is the missle through the windshield.
Comment by Linda — June 20, 2007 @ 1:18 pm
Jill, that’s not skin you see, it’s mud-caked fur! (I don’t know Gina or her dogs personally, but I’ve seen the same “look” on my own retrievers.)
My guess is that’s one happy dog. :-) Thank doG for crates.
Comment by Deanna — June 20, 2007 @ 1:24 pm
My Aussie, Dingo (rb age 16) was well trained. He had his hat on, he got in the passenger seat and he wore his seat belt. (No air bags).
He behaved well. He just always had to pee when he saw the golden arches…
Saved me from a ticket too.. under the radar and the cop cracked up at Dinger’s yellow hat and the seat belt. I waved & Dingo grinned.
Comment by Ann H — June 20, 2007 @ 1:24 pm
The sheepdog trainer told me that herding dogs are happiest if they can sit right next to you in the car and I’ve found that to be true with Pepper (Border Collie).
Even when she was a young puppy, when she got in the truck, she parked her butt right against mine and she stays there until we get to our destination. If there is someone in the passenger seat, she will put her head in their lap and get petted.
When she’s in the car, we put a towel in the back seat and once again, she parks herself there until we get to our destination. If it’s a long trip, she sleeps. Otherwise, she just curls up and waits for it to be over — God gave her 4 legs and she really feels that is the superior transportion over these wheel things! ;-)
Now that I know how big she’s going to be, I should check out the harness reviews when they come out - she doesn’t need restraint herself, but in an accident, it sounds like a good idea to have something.
Comment by Dorene — June 20, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
I’ve read lots of news stories about accidents and even when the people inside and dogs are not really hurt much - the dogs get very scared. And the owners open the door - and out the dog flies and runs. Very very sad, not only is your car a wreck but your beloved pet is missing.
My big 90 lb red Dobie jumped out a 3/4 open drivers window, went right over me and straightened out his long body - then he stood on the lawn and stared at me. He wanted out. Thank goodness he didn’t run. So, I learned my lesson about leaving my dog free in the car.
I’m going to check out the harness ideas - that does sound like the best situation.
Comment by Linda — June 20, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
Jill, that’s not skin you see, it’s mud-caked fur! (I don’t know Gina or her dogs personally, but I’ve seen the same “look” on my own retrievers.)
My guess is that’s one happy dog. :-) Thank doG for crates.
Comment by Deanna — June 20, 2007
HAHAHAHAHA … Jill, Deanna’s right: THAT’S MUD!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — June 20, 2007 @ 2:10 pm
Why are dogs happy when they get so muddy? It’s like all is well with the world?
Comment by Linda — June 20, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
Does anyone have any recommendations for car harnesses (for a dog that’s about 50 lb)?
Comment by Janine — June 20, 2007 @ 2:26 pm
My dogs ride crated. I believe all dogs should be crated while traveling in a car for their safety and their owners.
We had a head-on collision with a DWI person. If it had not been for the dog crates; my dogs would have been dead or seriously injured. They also could have been flying missles..
It also made it easier to contain them while waiting for emergency responders. It kept them out of the way of fire trucks,emt’s,and public. It prevented them from taking off. I also found that people were more willing to help me get my dogs home, knowing they would be crated for transport in an unfamiliar car.
When I see people driving with dogs on their laps with heads hanging out of the driver’s window - it makes me “cringe”.
Katie
Comment by Katie — June 20, 2007 @ 3:23 pm
My boy gets very excited in the car and wants to be in my lap (all 60lbs of him!). The best seatbelt harness I have found is at http://www.canineauto.com . He has room to lay, sit and move a bit but is restrained. And he does not get tangled up like he has in some I’ve used.
Comment by Terri — June 21, 2007 @ 6:03 am
If you love your pets and consider them your children then protect them the same way. Crate up or buckle up - there’s no excuse not to.
I neighbor of mine was driving with her daughter (and daughter’s kitten) back to college when they got had a rollover. They were fine due to airbags, but had to chase the kitten ( who also OK)all over the highway. When I asked how she got out of her cage, they said “what cage.” Big suprise….NOT from someone who let her 18 year old daughter drive at over 90 miles per hour on the highway.
Comment by Andrea Two Cat Mom — June 21, 2007 @ 6:32 am
About 6 years ago, I was driving on Great Highway south of San Francisco. It’s a 4-lane highway with fairly heavy traffic, but not a freeway. Anyway, one day, there was an SUV pulled to the side of the highway, and a woman, who was probably heading to nearby jogging trails, opened her tailgate and two huge dogs jumped out and immediately bolted across the road! I was too close to stop (going 60 mph or so) but I missed the dogs. In my rearview mirror, I saw cars screeching to a halt. The two dogs were blocking all 4 lanes of traffic, but miraculously were not hit. Their moronic owner was at the side of the road screaming at her dogs.
It’s a miracle that woman didn’t kill her dogs, or any motorists. It’s people like her, and the author of the “humor” piece above, who give dog owners a bad name.
Comment by Val — July 7, 2007 @ 10:54 am