2 Dogs In The Car. Advice Please.

[Lewiswalks]

Hi. New to the forum. I am arranging to pick up my galaxy at the end of the month. I am getting a '97 2.0l petrol ghia. The 6 seater.

 

Does anyone have any advice about transporting dogs?

I have 2. An airedale and a whippet (25 and 10kg).

I need to be able to get the dogs in the car safely, along with the wife, baby, pram and luggage.

 

I was hoping that I might be able to get a dog crate to fit lengthways in the boot if I removed the 2rear seats. Bolt yet to the floor and have enough room left over for the pram.

 

Does anyone know how big the boot will be without the 2 back seats?

 

Thank you for your time.

[seatkid]

Probably more than big enough. Depending on pram/luggage, you can always tip or remove one of the side/middle seats to give you plently more space.

 

If transporting dogs regularly, probably be better to get the back area divided off.

 

dog divider

[Lewiswalks]

Thanks for the reply.

The divider looks good but I definitely want them in a cage so they don't get thrown around.

[gregers]

look on ebay,there come up all the time.

look under alhambra and sharan aswell.

[Lewiswalks]

Thanks, I really need to know what size I am looking for. Can they be easily bolted to the floor?

[seatkid]

Theres no provision for bolting to the floor, unless you drill the mounting points yourself, but there are tie down eyes in the corners for use with bungee cords etc. You can also use the mounting points for the removed seats. As for size, that up to you to determine, there is room for a very large crate without the 2 rear seats.

 

Personally I would not transport dogs in a crate/cage - I think its cruel. Our 10kg spaniel loves to travel in a window seat (preferably on the booster seat which gives her a great view.) When both grandkids are aboard, she loves to travel on the middle seat between them. She sometimes jumps down and lies in front of the middle foor vent if the a/c is on.

Edited July 15, 2013 by seatkid

[gregers]

it is actually safer to transport a dog in a cage/crate because god forbid in an accident the dog becomes a missile.

 

op,also have a look on freecycle or the other type of sites.

[Lewiswalks]

Theres no provision for bolting to the floor, unless you drill the mounting points yourself, but there are tie down eyes in the corners for use with bungee cords etc. You can also use the mounting points for the removed seats. As for size, that up to you to determine, there is room for a very large crate without the 2 rear seats.

 

Personally I would not transport dogs in a crate/cage - I think its cruel. Our 10kg spaniel loves to travel in a window seat (preferably on the booster seat which gives her a great view.) When both grandkids are aboard, she loves to travel on the middle seat between them. She sometimes jumps down and lies in front of the middle foor vent if the a/c is on.

 

I think it's less cruel to allow them to smash in to the windscreen in an accident. Plus my dogs love their cages indoors. We never have the doors closed so they are never trapped, but it is a natural instinct for a dog to gave a den.

 

I will look at the rear seat mounting points for securing a travel cage. Thank you.

[Grandad Too]

I have just bought a 2004 2.3 ( traded in my much loved 3.2 V8 XJ Sport) because one of my spaniels decided on the way back from France ,that she was not going to travel in the back of my wife BMW Estate.and kept squeezing her self onto the back seat So got the Galaxy,removed the two back seats ,fitted a dog guard ,put a board covered with an old duvet on the floor,so they would not catch their paws in the mounting points.loads of room.And just to make sure they behave I pointed my shotgun at them and sang them the last verse of Old Shep. So far so good

Edited October 7, 2013 by Grandad Too

[gregers]

:16:

welcome to the forum.

[Fraz-ktf]

Here's my two-penneth on the subject.

 

I totally agree that in an accident, the dogs would become missiles and potentially kill a passenger or themselves, or either of the occupants sustain serious injury and I also agree that dogs do love their dens & cages if they are brought up using them regularly, so they would feel safe and secure in a cage.

 

However, in my opinion (And incidentally, the Police and most other working-dog users), dogs in transit should be housed individually and in as small a cage as is "Comfortable" so the dog can stand, sit, lie and turn round, all for the same "Missile reason" in a crash.  2 dogs together will become missiles for eachother within a cage and at the end of the shift, safety in the accident that will "Never happen" has got to be the primary concern, in my world anyway.

 

My own take on this situation would be to remove the 2 x back seats, make a template of the floor space, using the fixings for the removed seating, fix a plywood "Fitted boot liner" that you could then permanently fix the cages to (Or semi permanently using some sort of wing-nut / quick release system so you can remove the cages should you wish) You could weld or bolt some lugs to the cages and have some captive bolts coming through the wood from the underside, so you could simply use a wing-nut and a split pin to hold the cages down.

 

before fixing the cages, I would buy and add one of these, to go between the cage and the plywood http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151010157920?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 and silicone round the bolt fixings so it's all water-tight.

 

You'll then have a very safe, user-friendly canine transportation unit. B)

 

I'd then remove the middle seat in row 2 so that's where the pram would lie, along with any other gear that will not fit in the remaining "Boot space"

 

I'd then buy a roof box, in case the mother-in-law wanted to come along too  ;)  :P  :o

 

Hope you enjoy your new purchase and some of the ideas in response, give you food for thought.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Fraz-ktf