Do you leave your dogs in the car?

[Laurelin]

Brought to you by: http://shine.yahoo.com/pets/7-dog-myths-lead-mishaps-143000780.html

And the comments too...

I leave my dogs in the car all the time in good weather. My dogs like going with me when possible. Mia perches on the back of the headrest and just watches out the windows. We've never had an issue but I'd be really angry if someone busted out my windows when it's 50 outside and the dogs are in the car.... We also use the cars to kennel dogs in good weather at dog events.

I'm abusive apparently.

 

[Xandra]

I've sat in car with the dog in the summertime and neither of us were dying.

In the wintertime... they can shut it. Yes if your dog is 10 lbs and it's -20 C you may not want to leave them in the car for 2 hours while you go to the mall.

A 98 lb GSD when it's 8C/46F is in no danger from the climate.

I'll take my risks with him being stolen. Someone could steal him from my house as well. It's somewhat secluded and there are some big windows.

 

[Airn]

Meh. I don't because I rarely go places Gwen can go or places that would be a quick trip. She's also not a social butterfly or small like Summer and Mia seem to be.

I don't think there's anything wrong with it, given that the dog is safe and comfortable. Or well behaved. I've seem dogs that would bark nonstop when they were left in the car without a person. I think Gwen would anxiously look for me.

It's kind of like keeping your dog intact. For people who are responsible with their dogs, it's fine. But in the wrong hands, it can go terribly wrong.

I think having some kind of notice that you are only going to be gone for a few minutes or that you have some sort of heating/cooling would be good. I wouldn't break someone's windows if I saw a dog in their car but I would definitely keep an eye on it.

 

[Beanie]

If it's hot, no. If it's super cold, no.
Otherwise, sure, I've done it. They are in their soft crate so most people can't even see they're in there, unless you got right up on the car and looked into the crate.

I don't take them with me just for fun though, or on a shopping trip or whatever. The times I've left them in the car are times like I'm at an agility trial and we're going out for dinner, and I don't want to leave them in the hotel... the boys were in the crate together one day because they had a vet appointment and when I'm at work, I'm closer to just getting on the highway and driving to the vet than if I went all the way back home... Pepper and Auggie were stashed in the car one time at an agility trial for a few hours because we'd packed up our stuff early so we could just jump in the car and go once we were done. Or we're going to PetSmart or whatever and I need to run into Target first. Dragging the dogs along when I need to go to the grocery store just doesn't sound like fun for me LOL.

 

[Laurelin]

A lot of times I go to the grocery store on the way home from the park or agility. Yeah, I could drive home and drop them off but they like staying in the car.

It seems weird to me that it would bother people to see a dog in a parked car.... just because it was a dog in a parked car.

 

[Fran101]

Unless the weather is VERY hot, I don't understand why people bother with dogs in parked cars. When it comes to dogs freezing, most coated average sized dogs can handle the cold just fine.

When it comes to heat, I do worry, and I have been tempted to break windows (but instead just call the cops)

I've never left Merlin in a parked car, but that's mostly because I worry about him getting stolen.

 

[JacksonsMom]

yes and no. It depends on the area, the store I'm going in, etc. Unfortunately, sometimes my dog sounds like he's being MURDERED when I first leave him in the car- loud, obnoxious barking for the first 30-60 seconds of me walking away from the car. So god forbid someone thinks he's in distress, that would be horrible. Because he's really not, and most of the time he's good and calm by the time I get back.

So anyway stores like Walgreens, CVS, and food chains like Chipotle, etc, or gas stations, where I can be in/out fairly quickly, or possibly even still see him from the store. I won't leave him in the car for prolonged periods like the grocery store, it's mostly just me being paranoid about other people tho - NOT him, because of the 'OMGPOORDOGINTHECAR' mindset that everyone seems to have. And it would be entirely more traumatizing if someone tried to break in, and 'help' him, as Jackson does not like to be touched by strangers w/o me there. Also dog theft/stealing DOES happen and even tho he's a big yorkie, and not a 'tiny teacup' that people seek, I still worry about possible theft.

Definitely moreso in the fall, spring and winter he rides with me. In the summer when it's hot and humid, I don't like to, because he gets hot easily, but I also don't want the windows down too far because of his annoying bark, plus people being able to reach in.

 

[release the hounds]

I don't take them out to do errands, but they are with plenty when we travel and they stay in the car. Sometimes over night even But they are in crates with beds and tinted windows so nobody would know they're there. They don't do much but sleep in them so they don't draw attention to themselves.

We have stopped at restaurants on trips and go inside in the summer. I pop the back on the minivan and we go inside. They get lots of looks, so far nobody has done anything. But we watch for the overzealous do gooder. People tend to keep their distance from GSD's with no owner in site


Overall there are some really dumb people when it comes to heat and pets, and we also now have spawned a whole bunch of hyper vigilant animal welfare people. temps in the 50's 60's are nothing. 70's and 80's aren't a danger either unless all windows are up in direct sun. Shade and airflow and 90's aren't anything to even glance at.

 

[Dogdragoness]

Lol I would pity the cool who would bust out the windows when Izze was alive, she prolly would have come at them with teeth a blazin'

Meh ... Like I say "haters gonna hate" ... People say I am cruel because I leave my dogs out all day when someone is home, and the weather is climate. I say they are your dogs, if you know they aren't being mistreated then I say **** the haters xD

 

[ruffiangirl]

Yep, if I have to, and depending on the weather, for where I live I have 6-8 months of the year that they are find without the vehicle running, and the other months fine with it running for short periods, I wouldn't leave them for more then 10-15 minutes though.

 

[JessLough]

Meh, I'd rather see people care and report a dog in a car for long periods of time than a dog suffering. If nothing's wrong, its a waste of time. If something is wrong, it (quite possibly) saves a life. :shrug:

ETA: To be somewhat on topic, no, Rosey was never left in the car for long. Maybe if we ran in somewhere quickly, and then there was a note on the window saying she's fine, I'm just Gone for a few minutes, if really concerned please call Jess at (number). Same with the ferrets, though they've always just come in with me, as store manager has always given permission when it came up.

 

[AmandaNola]

No. I live in Florida, and the only time it's not too hot to leave them in the car it's too cold. Plus, I have a small and desirable breed, and people steal dogs all the time here.

 

[Snark]

I don't usually take the dogs somewhere that'd I'd have to leave them alone in the car but, on the rare occasions I need to pick up something at the store with them aboard, I leave my sister in the car, too. (Or she leaves me.) We're both paranoid about leaving animals in the car unattended (or out of eyesight). If I was by myself with a dog, the only place I'll leave them alone in the car is at a gas station while I'm paying.

 

[Southpaw]

No. I don't have my dog with when I go to non-dog places. Generally it's to the dog park and home, or to the pet store and home. I have occasionally left her to run into the bank or something, but always under 5 mins. I will make special trips - like, Target and Petco are right by each other, but I will drive Juno home and go back to Target by myself if I need to grab something there.

I just don't like to do it especially if it's somewhere I can't park by the door.

 

[crazedACD]

It depends on where I'm going and the weather. I do frequently take a dog with me to run errands, go to the bank and the post office and whatnot and have no problem leaving them in there for that time. I do not leave my dogs in the car for say...half an hour while I'm in Wal-Mart. There is no line of sight, too many people coming and going.

I do usually leave them or crate them in the car off and on for dog events. If it's hot I leave the car running while I walk the course or figure out registration and whatnot, then take them out to hang with me while waiting.

Also..I see no problem leaving a dog in the car for a period of time in the cold. It takes a few hours for the car to get 'freezing', and even then the dogs can handle it.
In the first few weeks I first got Fiona, it was maybe 35 degrees out? I brought her to dog class with me, but left her crated in the car while I worked Skye. At the end of class I asked if she could come in and say hi to everyone (socializies) and everyone was kind of appalled/berated me for leaving her in the car. "AWWW SHE WAS OUT THERE THIS WHOLE TIME?! You shouldn't do that! She's cold! You can bring her in and crate her in here next time!". Urgh. So I haven't done that again.

 

[LostAndConfused]

I have done it on occasion, but not very often. We normally don't take him with if we know we have to run in somewhere. I did it on the 10 hr drive from NY to OH, when I had to run in and use the restroom. He survived, but wasn't very happy.

 

[BostonBanker]

Good lord, my dogs are in the car more than the house some days. Gusto in particular loves going out and running errands. Meg will sometimes choose to stay at home, but often wants to come as well. They've hung out in the car during dinners, running into stores, whatever. As long as the temperature is okay, they like to go and people watch. And obviously with the amount of traveling I do for agility trials, they are also in the car then (I don't leave them in hotel rooms alone). They are as happy as clams.

What sucks is that I've started doing it less because I worry about lunatics breaking my windows or something. Meg would probably be completely traumatized (it took nearly a year of training to get her comfortable on the interstate again after I got pulled over by police and she got stressed), and if Gusto got out somehow, nobody would have a prayer of catching him and he'd probably get hit or bolt.

So, they go on less fun rides, and my next car will have darkly tinted windows so people can't see their crates easily.

 

[*blackrose]

All the time. Routinely.

If the weather is hot (and, I mean, I wouldn't want to sit in a car with the windows up or I'd die), then they either don't come, or someone sits in the car with them with the windows down. Because if a person can sit in the car with the windows down and be fine, so can the dogs. And if it gets too uncomfortable, the person is able to get the dogs out and go find a different spot (or turn the air on).

I don't really care about the cold, because with the windows up they turn the inside of the car into a mini-sweat lodge with all of their panting.

I've been a college student who would routinely go back to my car and take a nap during the day. So I know what weather is comfortable and what isn't. We have yet to have an issue, although I do worry about idiots freaking out when they see my dogs in the car, especially on warm days.

 

[FransterDoo]

Our old lady loves coming along. She is usually sitting up in the front seat watching people go by when we return. Sometimes we even bring her back a tortilla or a small fro-yo.

The competition dogs are crated in the van and we will leave them in there in the right weather to eat or potty or stop at a cool store.

 

[Oko]

Yeah, Feist does a loooot of riding in the car, and she does have to wait in the car sometimes, for long periods. Like this weekend she was crated in the car at my tennis tournament, we were there from 8-1, and she had a break halfway between but other than that was in the car in the parking lot. I have tinted back windows, she sits in her crate. She doesn't really seem to get cold, if it's super cold she'll get an extra blanket in her crate, but even then that's probably not necessary. She seems to like being with us crated a whole lot more than staying at home crated.

I joke if someone stole her, they'd be bringing her back within an hour. :rofl1: