I am sure you do, no one doubts you care for Monty,

But you can understand why people where becoming a littler frustrated with your replies, they just seem to come from a denial that anything could happen.

Getting Monty used to being restrained in the car is just like any other discipline you want to teach, persistence pays off... a good dog guard is needed, yes they try to climb through at first, have been their, but you just have to be firm.

Put a nice cosy blanket /duvet in the boot for him to settle on, maybe a Kong too...

Ad for lifting him in.. have had to do that with Bandit since he was a pup, and I have always had 4x4`s try getting him to lift his front feet up into the boot, then you can place your hands under his bum, and heave the rest of him in.

That's the way I do it, I say "up you go" he half jumps , put his front feet in the boot , and waits for me to do the rest.

Place one hand under his tum between his back legs, and the other between his back legs (bum) from the back, this way you can lift them in without much effort.

i am sure once he is used to being restrained, you will both be much happier/

I apologise if it seems like my posts come across that I'm in denial of potentially dangerous situations.

I think we can all be guilty at times of thinking that it will never happen to me and I guess that's what I'm guilty of here.

I'm fully aware of how bad car accidents can be after three people I went to secondary school with were killed in an accident that ripped the car they were travelling in clean in half so I'm fully aware of how badly wrong things can go.

However my frustration in this thread has come from a couple of posts that have made me out to be a reckless driver and someone is carefree of other peoples well-being which is simply not true. Those of you who know me well enough know that it takes quite a lot to get a reaction out of me and that im not the type who likes confrontation and that what people think of me is important to me so it has upset me that some people have suggested that I don't care.

Esme, I haven't read the whole thread and didn't want to get into a slanging match with anyone and still don't.
I have no doubt you care for Monty and his well being, I am sure all of us have been guilty of doing something at some time with our dogs that have been risky, and not just because we don't care but because we don't know, there is a learning curve with dogs and it is endless.
Here dogs are put on utes and tied to it (a new law in the last few years) to stop them from falling off as it was way too common. Their heads are outside all the time and some dogs stick their head over the side to get the full force of the wind.
It is up to you on what you do and there are reasons for securing a dog in a car, and many dog safety websites talk of the horror of car accidents with unsecured dogs and the result of that.
You did nothing wrong by not knowing, it can only be a mistake to not seriously think of changing that action, but the choice is yours and I have no doubt your care for Monty.
The end of my ramblings

How do you know that he will be howling & flapping around in a crate or behind a dog guard ?? I didn't say he had to be in a crate-body harness & a seat belt ?

If you do not restrain him in the car & he is injured(doG forbid)who will you blame ??

My dad had a GSD who didn't like being restrained in teh car, but with a bit of training she was quite happy to be in the crate & often jumped into my car into a crate & just sit there !

Max and Murphy travel in 2 ways....

In my car - an estate - they are in the boot, unrestrained. Due to the headroom, they can't get over the seats into the back seat of the car. I won't restrain them further in the boot though. This is my preferred way to travel with them.

In OH's car (a SEAT Leon) they have to travel on the back seats. They have car harnesses for this. Frankly, they are the faffiest thing ever for Boxers. It takes two of us to get them on the dogs (I suspect with a 'normal' dog, it would be fine).

Once the boys are on the backseat and clipped in, they have plenty of movement! Every time we use them I have to stop and untangle their legs and seatbelts and each other. They can sit on the backseat and still smoosh their jowls on the window though. I often find both of them on one side of the car, with one seatbelt stretched to its max length...

Well, I have not read this full thread but had to comment because the title tickled me with some memories.

I remember riding in the truck box through the field trails, standing up with three other of my siblings as my oldest brother learned to handle steering in a vehicle (he was 14) and joyfully ride over bumps and lumps on the trail. We made a contest out of noting who could stand the longest without losing balance. It was a hoot, and we did it many times.

This was long before seatbelt days and many of our vehicles didn't even have them (they were an option when you purchased a vehicle). We kids road sticking our heads out the window to feel the wind . . . . as did the dogs. They often road in the truck box as well.

Was there risk involved - hell ya. There was also risk involved when I used to sky dive and mountain climb. I would hate to see a completely safe world - where measured risks were not left to indivual choices. There would be no fun left.

Sooooo . . . . . just wanted to mention that each individuals tolerance for risk and 'guilt' over possibly taking too great a risk and suffering a consequence is quite different. Ones limit might not be anothers and there is not a right/wrong that can be imposed by those that like things safer. In younger days I would have delighted in teasing those who loved opting for safety as I was sure they had it all wrong.

As a North American that lives in the Texas of Canada (redneck Alberta) and who therefore is almost obligated to believe in and fight for continued indivual choices and freedoms and against the intrusion of gov't imposed regulations in life, I couldn't help but mention that.

And yes, on occasion when out on a slow traffic free country road I'll open the windows and allow the pups a time with their head out the window at a slower clip. They love it and I love watching them love it.

As a person who has never smoked, drinks never to excess and only rarely, eats healthy and keeps a good fit weight I can think of a lot more behaviours that people have themselves, and impose on their dogs, that are of a much greater risk than a short ride with their head out the window.

As an example, taken your dog to a dog park lately?

Ruby

Dog Parks ?? as far as I am aware there are no Dog parks here in the UK

In the UK the Road Traffic Act obligates anyone carrying a dog in their vehicle to have it suitably retrained-that is the law & not a suggestion

Good thing then that I don't live in the U.K. I'd probably hate to, and hope those ideas don't travel across oceans. I'd be fighting them.

CC

Ruby

I agree

Glad to know you are so happy to embrace that belly up position.