Restraining a dog in the back seat of A6 saloon

[Brycie]

Hi all,

I just picked up our new (1year old) boxer dog earlier today & she was really well behaved in the back seat while the wife was in there with her. I'd like to know though if there are any barriers available for the saloons that stop her getting in the front on occasions when Mrs B isn't there.

Does anyone have any knowledge on this subject? I've seen that there are seat belt restraints available which seem to plug into the seat belt socket, but these all appear to have harnesses around the dog's chest & I've been advised against these harnesses for boxer dogs that are still growing - something to do with a combination of the harness restricting their chest and their short snouts not being a good idea as the two together create respiration problems.

If I'd known a year ago that I'd be getting a dog any time soon, I'd have gone for the Avant. However unfortunately I didn't & I'm now looking for advice from any dog/saloon owners.

P.s, she's pretty powerful so I need something robust.

P.p.s If any of you have experience of training boxers, I have a few questions on training them to walk beside me rather than pull me along. If not, obedience classes it is.

Thanks,
Paul.

[NickPicks]

I think I've seen harnesses for dogs - they look like a webbing harness that goes around the front legs and chest, and also have a loop to fit the seatbelt through. They stop the dog from jumping through to the front, and are also supposed to protect it in the event of an accident.

My parents use a DogBag for theirs, but they do use it in the back of a hatchback - I'm not sure how it would go in a saloon.

[chody]

ive got a harness for my mutt which is ok when im in the car with her but if i get out for any reason she is so excitable and determined she just launches herself around so might be better with the doggy bag

[mikeybutch]

I always feel guilty about allowing our terrier freedom in our Bora but we only drive about a mile to the park and one of us holds on to him.Proper way would be to begin with a cage in a 5 door so the dog is safe and happy with enough room

[MrCracknell]

Get a small cage - although you may find this to be unfair or cruel - this is best for the dog and his safety - just make sure that it is secured somewhere. You dont want it falling over etc... Good luck and let us know what you choose.

[Eshrules]

I don't so much with mine nowadays, as she's getting on a bit and jumping around the car isn't really her thing. But in all the years we've had German Shepherds and attended shows, we've used cages - much safer than any dog guard and just as comfortable if you put a blanket in the bottom.

On the obedience front, am I safe to presume you're new to dog ownership? If so, a kennel club registered obedience club may be the best bet for you and the dog - it's not just the dog that needs to be taught but handler too. Once you've got to a certain level to be considered competant, you'll not need to attend classes again, it's a skill for life

[Sam]

Training boxers? Are you not in big boy underpants yet?

[Brycie]

Training boxers? Are you not in big boy underpants yet?

Haha, at my age I'm closer to incontinence pants than training boxers lol


Thanks for the input everyone. That's given me some idea of what to look for, I didn't realise you could get dog crates that would fit in a saloon. As a result of the advice I've narrowed it down to a dog tube (as long as it's tall enough for her to sit up in) or a dog crate if I can find one to fit snugly in the rear seats.

Cheers everybody so far.

[Brycie]

Sorry Esh, meant to answer your question there. I grew up with dogs in the household all my life, but wasn't responsible for the training (being a kid). Since then I've never been in a position to own one, either in a flat or in rented accommodation.

We've now booked a KC registered trainer who's coming round Sunday for a few hours, so hopefully he'll give us some good tips. We've tried loads of tips that we found on the web where people have posted up Cesar Millan's methods. She's got a very strong will, but hopefully we'll get there soon enough.