Riding in a car with your boxer

[pghchris]

Hello,

I will be getting my first boxer puppy this Friday!! I am very excited and have done a lot of research and reading about training and other things on various websites and forums...primarily this one. You all have such great advice and experience, that I thought this was the perfect place to come with a question.

When you travel in a car with your boxers, do you put them in a crate, let them sit in the back seat, use one of those seat belt harnesses, or do something else? Was any training involved so that they behave in the car? Do you put the windows down when it is nice out and let them stick their head out and get some air? I appreciate any help and advice.

Also, if there is any advice you can give to a first time puppy owner, please share it. Thanks so much!!

 

[whiskers]

I let Juno ride loose 99% of the time although it's smarter not to do that. She sits in the front seat and stares out the window. She's a perfect little passenger. There was never any training involved, even when she was a puppy I'd just plop her in the back seat and... it was fine. She doesn't hop from seat to seat, she doesn't try to bug me, she just sits and watches the world go by!

I do roll the windows down for her, yes

I DO thoroughly recommend some sort of restraint, however. I have a Roadie harness for Juno (Ruff Rider | Dog Seatbelts | Car Safety Harnesses and Pet Safety) and honestly it's just sheer laziness on my part that I don't actually use it very often. It's one of the only brands that I recommend because most car harnesses on the market haven't actually been crash tested, and wouldn't actually hold up in an accident. I kind of tend to think that a proper car harness would be safer than a crate, but if a crate could fit in my car I'd probably use that just because the ease and convenience of it would make me more likely to use it more than I use the harness.

 

[Jan]

Your dog should be restrained in your vehicle, In many places it is the law that you do so. The Roadie Harness looks like a good one.

It's really not a good idea to let you dog stick his head out the window as they eyes can get damaged, by flying bugs etc. You can always get goggles for them.

 

[Stub]

When Gus was a baby he rode harnessed in the front seat just so that I could comfort him with my hand when he cried and was scared of the car. ( Flickr - Photo Sharing! awww so cute!) But as soon as he was grown enough to not cry, Gus always rides harnessed in the back seat. Toby my last dog was never restrained and we were in two vehicle accidents during his 16 years of life, in one he ended up crumpled under the dash in the passenger seat, and the second one the airbag went off in his face, scratching his cornea badly but luckily NOT breaking his neck as I feared. There is nothing worse than the fear that you may have killed your dog by the simple act of NOT restraining him while in the car.

I put the windows down for him but he doesn't usually put his whole head out unless we are going under 35 mph. Just his nose to sniff the wind. And I know that he is not going to get excited by another dog or a deer or something and jump out the open windows, because he's harnessed safely.

 

[haloboxer]

My boxer rides restrained in the back seat with her window down.She has doggles for eye protection and if she is tired she will hop to the back and fall asleep on her bed or fall asleep on her seat.

 

[CuervoMom]

Axel rides in the back with the seatbelt hooked through the short loop in his leash. It keeps him restrained, but allows enough room to lay down and turn around a bit. He's had it since he was about 11 weeks old and he got used to it pretty quickly.

 

[Gatorblu]

I travel with my dogs. (As a matter of fact we're on vacation now.) They have harnesses and seatbelts. I am a big advocate of harnessing or crating your dog while in the car. Mine have ones that are long enough they can move around a bit in the back of our SUV. riding in first class | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
When home I drive a convertible and they wear seatbelts ad Doggles. The Doggles take some training and I would suggest ones with clear lens. This is mine with their old lenses. https://picasaweb.google.com/113669...CMXpx67W3fCxIw&feat=email#5715056894039981922

I have heard of stories where dogs that were not restrained being killed as they protect their injured owners after and accident or being hit wondering around. Or others be lost. I just feel better knowing mine are safe and locked down.

 

[furrykidmom]

In Pittsburgh it is the law. What area and how did you finally find your puppy? Remember do not name the breeder

When we picked up Woody 8 years ago the law was new here. I crated him for the ride home and have regretted it ever since. He was so traumatized being taken away from his litter mates that he howled the whole way home, 6 hours. I wish I would have held him

We are guilty now of leaving them loose on the back of the SUV. I know it is not smart. We do keep a collar and leash on them which has an advantage and disadvantage in the event of an accident. We just purchased a divider to keep them from being projected out the windshield but in the event of a rollover there is not any protection.

They are both excellent riders and love to go. It is so nice to finally have dogs that travel well
Our Dalmatian mix used to vomit and our GSD would pace and whine.

What area of Pgh are you from?

Congrats on your new puppy. I am so excited for you. I was just looking at Sable and Woody's baby pictures yesterday. I miss those days so much. Enjoy.

 

[XxATCxX]

Cerbs just chills in the front seat or will jump into the back seat and lay down on the longer rides. I've never used a restraint for any dog I've owned, and until reading this I never would have imagined so many people do. She'll stick her head out the window unless we're going above 45. I also had to teach her that when I say "shift" she'll brace or otherwise she goes flying when I hit the clutch.

 

[Bathel]

My little girl rode in a soft crate that buckled into the rear seatbelts when she was little. Once she got to about 6 months she was a bit too big for the soft crate and we used a harness that attached to the seatbelt. She's always just slept in the car, so I've never had any issue with her even on 8 hour drives to Florida.... she just sleeps and chills.