Mary Allen
The top rule in road traffic is Safety first! Just as we put on our seat belts, animal passengers also need to be secured. We explain how your dog can get from A to B safely.
Transport boxes
Station wagon drivers have the safest option for driving with their four-legged friend: a permanently installed transport box in the trunk. Your darling cannot be thrown through the vehicle in the event of an accident, so the risk of injury to your four-legged friend is reduced to a minimum.
However, permanently installed boxes are also expensive and cause a permanent loss of space in the trunk. Portable transport boxes, which can be easily removed from the car, also offer good protection and are also an option for people without a station wagon. However, the box should be able to be properly fastened in the vehicle so that it and the dog are not thrown through the car. Smaller boxes can also be placed in the footwell behind the front seats, but they must also be securely fastened there.
To make your dog’s journey as comfortable as possible, you should place the box so that he cannot look out of the car. This is how he feels most comfortable and can enjoy a smooth ride. It is also advisable to get your darling used to the box in peace, with a lot of patience and love. This is especially true if you are planning a longer trip.
Separation grids and nets
For owners of large four-legged friends, there is the option of installing a partition grid or partition net in the car. In general, grids are recommended because they are more stable.
Partition grilles can be installed either between the rear and front seats or between the trunk and the rear seats. In general, it is important that the net or grille is properly fixed in the vehicle.
However, there is still a risk of injury to the animal in the event of an accident, especially in a large trunk. In the event of an emergency stop, the dog would be thrown through the trunk. A dividing grille between the trunk and the back seat is therefore only recommended to a limited extent, even for particularly large dogs.
Safety harness
A safety harness is a type of harness for the dog. This prevents the animal from being catapulted by the car in the event of an impact. A short belt length is recommended here, but this also restricts the four-legged friend’s freedom of movement and can lead to him getting tangled up in it and feeling uncomfortable.
If you decide to use a safety harness for your dog, it’s a good idea to get him used to the restricted range of motion before going on longer journeys.
Car seat
The dog car seat is an extension of the safety harness. The dog sits in a half-shell and is secured with a harness.
As with the safety harness, however, the dog’s freedom of movement in the car seat is severely restricted. Here, too, the dog should be accustomed to the seat before long journeys. In addition, frequent breaks are even more important than usual in this case, so that the dog can stretch its legs.
Protective blanket
Protective blankets are not recommended and should only be used for short distances, if at all. Although a protective cover prevents the dog from falling from the back seat into the footwell, it otherwise offers little safety for the animal and the owner: the four-legged friend could disturb the driver and thus cause accidents. Protective blankets alone are therefore not a good idea for longer journeys.
However, as a supplement to the dividing grid or net, a protective cover is a very good idea. It offers the dog a comfortable place to lie down and protects the car seats from dog hair.
As so often, the optimal solution depends on the animal. In addition, the type of car determines what options are available to you. So choose wisely and plan some time before a long road trip to test your chosen mode of transport. This is the only way you can be sure that your dog will cope with the journey well and without stress.