Securing dogs in vehicles
Between turns, dogs will need to be kept in vehicles so that you can lay trails for other teams and also to help keep the sport as inclusive for reactive dogs as we can so it's important that our vehicles are set up to keep them safe and secure.
Having the dog loose in the car with free access to the whole vehicle usually isn't the best idea, it allows them the opportunity to access things we may not want them to, even if it is just their entire food rewards for the session. It can also make getting stuff out of the vehicle, like say your scent article, tricky as you’re trying to get stuff and stop the dog jumping out at the same time. It also means you can't leave windows and doors open to help ventilate the car efficiently. Another thing to consider is keeping your dog safe while driving, you may also be breaking the law if your dog is able to interfere with your driving. It also means your dog is free to share any mud and water with the entirety of your car.
Living life in the drivers seat
The first option is a harness and restraint, the restraint may be attached to the headrest or the seatbelt buckle. This option is fine for the dog in transit, is quick and easy to install and use, allows the dog a larger degree of movement than some of the other options. Potential drawbacks with this method is that if the restraining belt is too long the dog may get itself in trouble trying to jump over seats into other parts of the car or out of the window if you have it open. This can be limited however with the use of guards to create compartments in the car. Another drawback with this is that the dog has access to things like seats, seatbelts and even the restraint itself to chew and damage. The dog can also easily see out of the vehicle which can be difficult for some dogs to cope with.
The next option is to split the car into compartments using boot and headrest guards to restrict the dogs access to parts of the vehicle. This is a good option for dogs that are unlikely to chew or damage your vehicle, especially if you can keep them in the boot section as it will allow you to still open windows etc if needed whilst giving them plenty of space to get comfy. This option also doesn't take up any additional space however finding one that fits your particular vehicle well can be tricky, and even then they can be tricky to install. Again, its also easy for the dog to see out the window which is not the best option for some dogs.
This boot guard setup turns the back of the car into a huge create where the dogs can relax safely and securely
The third option is to have crates set up in the vehicle, these can range from basic removable crates to top of the range crash tested crates or even custom built fitted crates. Crates are our preferred option for own dogs, they ensure our dogs are kept safe and cant access things that that may be dangerous to them or important to us, they can be covered up to help keep them calm, they are still secure if we want to open doors and windows to allow airflow, if anyone needs to access our vehicle they are safe to do so without risk of the dogs escaping and we can keep multiple dogs separate so that they all have their own space. Although crates have a good number of advantages over other options they still aren't a perfect solution, they are typically more confined than the other options and they take up space in the vehicle. Crates can be an expensive option, especially as some of the larger ones wont fit in smaller cars unless you get one designed for that particular model. Fitted and crash tested crates can also be costly, its also important the crate is secure in the vehicle and cant move around.
Patiently waiting their turn from the comfort and safety of this crash tested Trans k9 create
As always there is no one size fits all and what works well for one dog or owner may not work well for the other, however keeping our dogs safe and being able to ventilate the vehicle is useful not just for mantrailing but any time we are traveling with our dogs making it a worthwhile investment.
