What every Irish driver should know - How to bring your dog in the car

BreakingNews.ie

2 days ago

Bringing along your furry best buddy for a spin is something that pretty much all pet owners will do, but many may be breaking the law, because there is a legal requirement to make sure your dog is properly restrained if it's in the car with you.
Yes, that means a doggie seatbelt. These are simple enough devices that attach to the car's seatbelt and then clip onto your dog's harness — and a harness is definitely better than a collar in this instance. Once safely clipped in, your dog can carry on using your car's seat as a kind of comfortable, mobile sofa. Well, that's what my greyhound does, anyway.
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If you want to put your pet in the boot of an estate, hatchback or SUV, then that's fine, but you still need a form of restraint. If the dog is in the boot, then you'll need either a divider that goes between the back seats and the boot — which prevents the dog from being flung forwards into the passenger cabin in the event of an accident or emergency braking (which can hurt both them and you) — or you'll need a crate or cage that fits in your boot.
Just be aware that some larger crates won't fit into a conventional hatchback.
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Bringing along your furry best buddy for a spin is something that pretty much all pet owners will do, but many may be breaking the law, because there is a legal requirement to make sure your dog is properly restrained if it's in the car with you.
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Once you've done the restraining bit, you'll then have to think about heat. Dogs heat up far faster than humans — it's all the hair — so it's a good idea, on a warm day at least, to drive with the windows slightly open to make sure that your dog is getting a constant flow of fresh air. Air conditioning with vents in the back seats can help, but an open window is better.
That said, don't open the window much. Dogs sticking their heads out of car windows might be fun for them and look cute to onlookers, but it's a sad fact that many dogs have been injured — either by being hit in the face, or worse, if the window is fully open — by jumping or tumbling out of the car altogether. So, it's best to just open the window a little. For the same reason, it's also a good idea to invest in some window shades, even the simple stick-on ones, which will keep the sun off your dog as you drive and ensure that it's kept at a more comfortable temperature.
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When you come to a stop, never leave your dog alone in the car with the windows up. On a day that's just nicely warm from a human perspective — say 20 degrees Celsius — a car interior can quickly heat up to as much as 47 degrees Celsius, and that's enough to give your dog heatstroke, and maybe even kill them.
While some people with electric cars use dedicated settings to keep the air conditioning running while the car is parked, that's not really good enough — the interior can still heat up to the point of heatstroke, and the air conditioning will switch off if the car's systems detect that it's overworking the battery. So, don't assume that tech is going to get you off the hook in this instance.
You'll also want to bring along some water for your dog, especially if it's a long journey, and there are some very handy collapsible bowls that fold up almost flat, precisely for this purpose.
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Be careful about feeding your dog before they get in the car for a long journey. Animals get car sick just like humans, and a full stomach is going to make that so much worse. Even a dog that has been happy to be in the car in the past can get car sick unexpectedly, so keep the food intake down before a long journey.
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Any long journey should always be interspersed with rest breaks, allowing your dog to stretch their legs and go for a pee and a poop. Which means it's also a good idea to keep a roll of dog poop bags handy in the glovebox for cleaning up afterwards.
As well as heatstroke, car-sickness and thirst, another very human issue that can afflict dogs is mental health, which is why it's important to bring your dog in the car for regular little spins that don't end in a trip to the vet. Many owners only ever bring their dog in the car for vet visits, which can lead to anxiety around car journeys — so it's important to teach your dog that going in the car can also be fun, such as driving to a new park or beach for a run.
Finally, don't forget to bring some items to keep your dog happy on a long journey — whether that's their favourite chew toy or just a few treats that they can nibble on as you go. And, of course, never allow the fact that your dog is in the car with you to distract you from your driving.