My dog loves to go for car rides, but she thinks she must look out the window for the first 15 of the ride before she lies down in the seat quietly. She hasn't scratched my interior yet, but every time I hear her claws slide down the door panel, I just cringe. Is there any way to keep her from scratching it up, like a protector that attaches to the window or something?
2007-03-22 15:54:10 · 6 answers · asked by Someday Soon 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I'm not putting my dog in a crate. What would be the joy in going for a ride if you have to be caged in a little crate? I hope to God the person who suggested this doesn't actually own a dog.
2007-03-22 16:04:07 · update #1
Hilary -
Crate "training" might be ok. But my point was that if part of the enjoyment of the ride is looking out the window, a crate would defeat the purpose of the ride.
As for aussies not being lap dogs, we raised them when I was a child and if you let them sit on your lap, they love it. Although, yeah, they are a bit heavy. :) They also love to ride shotgun in a truck - and would definitely not like it as much in a crate. Besides, aussies are meant to be country dogs, not the sissy-fied crate-trained kind of dogs. Do him a favor and give him to a nice farmer where he can do what aussies love to do most - chase cattle - just like his ancestors have done for many years.
2007-03-22 19:11:45 · update #2
You could use a crate in the car. but if you don't want to do that, find some booties and put them on her feet.
2007-03-22 16:01:53 · answer #1 · answered by renodogmom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Crating is actually safer fr dogs, but I don't agree with it entirely as safer isn't allways that much better.
My dog loves to ride in the car, too. He's hilarious, and my dad actually showed up to pick me up frm work today with Tako riding shotgun.
As for protecting the car,I'd say figuring out a way to cover the areas in danger is best. Like, maybe get some suction cups and attatch them to s piece of material, then stick it to the window with the fabric hanging down. If that's a bad idea, or winds up failing, then you're stuck with armorall to protect it a bit as well as simply trimming your dog's nails regularly.
there are also these nail caps availible called soft claws *i think* that you could look into. Puts a piece of plastic over the dog's nails.
2007-03-22 23:10:41 · answer #2 · answered by mandy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey! Crate training is, when used effectively, very humane. Dogs in the wild try to find small caves to go and sleep in, and crates make dogs feel more secure. My aussie is crate trained, and whenever he is tired he just walks right into his crate (i leave the door open) and falls asleep, and he likes to chew his rawhide bones in his crate, since it is so similar to the way his ancestors lived. A dog can be kept in a crate overnight, but more than nine hours in a crate IS ABUSE! In fact, my dog is more comfortable in his crate than on my lap in the car, because Aussies aren't really lap dogs, and he doesn't fit that well! LOL!
But seriously, don't diss crate training. It is humane, effective, and comforting to the dog. Dogs don't think of the crate as punishment, they think of the crate as the one place that is all theirs, and is comforting and completely secure. Do a little research, will ya?
I was sceptical at first, but I read a couple books on it and when my puppy sawhis crate for the first time, he ran into it and fell asleep!
By the way, as for your comment about me, I happen to live on 5 acres and he doesn't have anything specifically to herd (although he tries to herd the wild deer and turkeys, which is hilarious!), but we are very active together (in fact, we are starting agility classes soon, but they have to stop growing completely first, so they don't damage devolping bones), and travel a lot, and it is safer to have him in a crate. Sometimes I cheat and let him hang out with me in the car, but if there was a car accident he could be thrown out the window and killed, versus being banged arond a little bit, but no serious injuries. Besides, the breeder (who breeds her dogs for agility and shows), when I asked if I could leave him in the car with me, without a crate, was horrifed and said that they are more secure and safe in a crate. Like I said, I sometimes let him out in the car, but when you are driving for 3-5 hours, he prefers to be in his crate.
Sissy-fied? Please! Just because he isn't herding cows doesn't mean he isn't getting what he needs. Besides, why would I drive a truck? They get bad gas mileage!
And my dog sits on my lap all the time, AT HOME, where he can spawl out on me and the couch, and not be smushed by the car door and cupholders. He is too big to be comfortable on my lap for hours.
If a view is such a big deal, why don't you just take your dog for a walk instead? Who takes their dog on a drive just so it can look out the window?! I thought the purpose of the ride was to take the dog with you...so when you got there you could play!
2007-03-23 00:55:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a crate to use when you take her in the car.
2007-03-22 22:57:52 · answer #4 · answered by DawgHouse 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well u could put some boots or socks on her or u could put like a blanket or a sheet where u think she will scratch the car.
2007-03-22 23:10:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you do what chevy chase did in national lampoons vaction.
2007-03-22 23:15:50 · answer #6 · answered by dogfart 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋