Looks like the Highway Code specifies how dogs should travel for safety:

57
When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...code/DG_069853

I know that I find dogs that are sticking their heads out of the window to be very distracting.

Do you know it's not specifically illegal to have a dog un-restrained, yet it is illegal to have your dog cause a distraction or injury to another person. Random UK laws! I also found out that it is not law to wear a cycling helmet or horse riding hat in this country above the age of 14. Madness!!

Don't forget that extra 28% isn't just the back of the car ;o)

I'll help you with your research. I'll log on tonight and we'll go through all the different ways of harnessing Monty and you can choose which one he will be happiest with. It's really, really important.

The risk may seem small, but its actually really not, car accidents happen everyday, just because personally you haven't been in one yet doesn't mean that you won't be....if by what you're saying that is how the world worked, why do you wear a seatbelt?

Tara my late dalmatian used to kick up an almighty fuss when in the car, seriously, she hated it, but she was still either in the boot secured, or harnessed with her seatbelt harness.

My two now do lie down, regardless of the length of the journey, they're not bothered, they are secured in the boot. But even if they did hate it, in the boot they would go, securely....at the end of the day, dogs like things they're not supposed to in our world, mine would LOVE to cuddle up on freshly washed clothes or chew socks, or steal food from the worktops, but I don't allow it....just because a dog thinks its fun to hang its head out of the window, doesn't mean its right.

Because I assumed that car harnesses
force a dog to stay in one position but have said that I don't know much about them so it's probably ignorance on my part.

Aww the perpetual student does her research ;o)

I can't believe this is just a suggestion though and not law!

Why be so defensive if you are doing what you feel is okay? Just because the majority of us feel it is totally irresponsible and dangerous doesn't mean to say that if you do that because you don't feel there are risks etc, you shouldn't do it - your dog your risk your fault if something goes wrong - don't wish to be nasty, just have concern for the dogs knowing what can happen but each to their own! Can't see the need for defensive comments though! You do it because you think it's right then you have confidence in your convictions eh?

I see, so you are happy for a Boxer to be moving around on the back seat of your car, because you have had no need to make an emergency stop in the last 8yrs...so in all likey hood you wont have the need in the next 8yrs????

Tell me, do you buckle up when you buckle up when you get in a car, do your passengers buckle up also.


Why do we wear seat belts??????

I know.

Luckily I don't see people doing this much any more. I think it used to be more common once upon a time, but now people have got the message about road safety. I notice (just a random observation) that a lot of people have guards, crates in the back, etc., which is nice to see.

I'm sure I'm going to regret this and set myself up for a downfall but I've actually been in two car accidents. Neither of which were my fault.

I think the biggest problem these days is there is far too much scaremongering in the world. Yes accidents happen everyday but that doesn't mean i want to spend my life driving round stressing that it will happen to me (again!).

A dog harness, straps a dog to the seat belt in the back of your car, it is designed to allow the dog to turn around, lay down or sit, it is not designed to allow the dog to stand up and move around the car, if it was it would useless, as would human seat belts.

you have trained your dog to walk on a lead for his own safety have you not, so why would you be against training him to sit (settle) quietly restrained safely in the back of your car.

Why is one acceptable and not the other