Does your dog ride shotgun? The idea of “dog as sidekick” has always been very attractive to me. I love the visual of (in my case) a woman and her dog, riding side-by-side taking on the world! Okay, more likely taking on daily errands such as picking up the dry cleaning or a trip to the market, but you get the picture.
Ever since I was a young twenty-something living in the big city of Chicago, having my dog in the car with me, taking him (and eventually them, as dogs DO magically multiply) everywhere I went, made me feel safe and provided excellent companionship.
I’ll admit that back in those days I let my 110-pound Rottweiler and my 75-pound Ridgeback-mix ride loose in my big SUV. Of course I did! I wanted to be able to scratch their ears. I wanted to be able to receive their slobbery affection whenever they felt like delivering it. And frankly, I wanted the sense of security it brought me. How were they supposed to protect me from harm if they were locked behind a barrier in the back? How would that stop someone from breaking into my car?
As appealing as it is to ride side-by-side with your best buddy, unfortunately it’s terribly dangerous to let your dog ride in the passenger seat. Not only does this put the dog’s safety in jeopardy, it can actually put many lives on the line. In fact, it’s even unsafe to let your dog sit in the backseat or cargo section of a car if they are unrestrained. Deep down I always knew this, but I buried those responsible thoughts in order to feed my selfish needs and ideal vision of “life with dog”.
However, eventually common sense won out; these days my dogs are safely tucked into their well-secured and comfy crates when we go for a spin.
What changed my mind?
Over time I’ve heard too many horror stories to play dumb; scary tales of dogs who break their teeth or even their backs by slamming into the console or windshield when the driver slams on the brakes to avoid a crash. (This can happen even when the fender-bender’s been avoided!) Stories of dogs lost roadside when a vehicle flips and dogs escape from the wreckage, panicked and running for their lives; drivers losing control of the car because their dog distracted them from the road or in some cases dogs have actually shifted gears or gotten under the brake pedal! There are stories of dogs loose in parked cars actually putting the car in motion or locking themselves in with the keys inside too, on hot summer days. The list goes on and on.
The funny thing is, irresponsibly leaving a dog loose in a vehicle is contrary to all of the other wonderful things we do to keep our best friends safe. We train them not to wander and to come when called. We teach them emergency “sits,” secure our gardens, feed them the very best foods, microchip them, ward off parasites with potions and lotions… Yet we voluntarily put them in grave danger nearly every single day when we pop them in a car to “go for a ride.” Seems a bit illogical, doesn’t it?
I am generally not an alarmist, and I really don’t think I’m being one now. Car accidents happen all over the world every single day, hundreds of times a day.
The good news is there are lots of very effective devices available that secure dogs safely in vehicles: seat belts, crates, carriers, etc. And the even better news is that there is a website, Pet Auto Safety, that has already done all the research and has all of the info you’ll need to help you find the right restraints for your dog.
Once you find the right equipment for you, your dog, and your vehicle it is important to take time to acclimate your pooch to the new restraints or confinement and the new routine. Be sure to introduce equipment slowly and as positively as possible. For example, don’t just throw your dog into a new crate or strap on a seatbelt harness and then go for a cross county road trip. Rather, let your dog sniff the new stuff and reward her for exploring it. Bring out her favorite snack every time you bring out the new tool and keep your intro sessions short and sweet. Maybe put the harness on, hop in the car and then right out again for a play session for the first few times, without even going anywhere. You get the picture. If your dog seems adverse or stressed, you may be going too quickly or not building enough positive associations. If necessary, seek the help of a qualified trainer to make the process as fun as possible!
You already do so much to keep your dog happy and safe, why not take this final important step? Please, restrain your canine in your car!
Kelly Gorman Dunbar is Director of the Center for Applied Animal Behavior, where she recruits and trains the instructors for the Dunbar family business, SIRIUS® Puppy & Dog Training. She is the creator of the SIRIUS Sniffers scent-detection program. Kelly is also Founder and President of Open Paw and consults on various matters.
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