# Dog travelling in motorhome



## Hezbez

We haven't had the new pup away in the van yet so not decided how she'll travel. 

Up to this point she has not been caged.

She travels great in the car - settles down on the back seat.

How does your dog travel in your motorhome - secured or not?

Anyone know if there is a legal obligation to have dogs secured when travelling?


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## Kev1

Hi hez bez

We have two hulking labs

They love the camper
and if the door is left open whilst on our drive they climb in and settle down in their beds and we have to drag them out.

A camper is a big vehicle
I think fastening your pooch in is just common-sense. If you brake hard they will get hurt and you may get hurt.

Each dog wears a harness and I made a seat belt system and they click into that. The system gives them enough space to move around to the drinking bowls.

They lay down in their beds to travel


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## thesimmokid

*Dogs in Motorhomes*

Large dog travels on floor under table secured to passenger bench seatbelt. Small puppy travels in a travel cage wedged between driver and passenger seats. Both seem happy with this. More importantly, I am not sure why anyone would not want to secure their dog. I presume you are clipping the puppy into a harness onto the rear seat belt in the car!

Don't know if there is a legal obligation but I would sure think there was a moral one!


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## HeatherChloe

She sits on passenger seat with a harness plugged into seatbelt, or on someone's lap, if I have a passenger.


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## Hezbez

*Re: Dogs in Motorhomes*



thesimmokid said:


> ...I presume you are clipping the puppy into a harness onto the rear seat belt in the car!
> 
> Don't know if there is a legal obligation but I would sure think there was a moral one!


Yes, she's clipped into the seat belt.


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## Zebedee

Agree with the above.

Ours travels in her soft basket on the side bench, immediately behind the driver's seat. She is loosely tethered there so she has to stay put.

This means if I have to brake hard she is very close to, and fetches up against, the soft rear of my seat. And Mrs Zeb can easily keep an eye on her as we travel. Plus she can see out of the window - the nosey little sod just has to know what's going on around her! :roll: 

Dave


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## Remus

Our dog travels in a cage. At first it was difficult getting him into it but now he goes in happily when he sees it's been set up for a move. Once inside he sleeps for the entire journey. It's the safest place for him because I know that, in the event of an accident, he won't be thrown around too much.


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## 91502

We dont use a belt or cage as our dog like to move around but we do have a gate made from the bottom of a bread tray between the fron seats to stop her coming up front.
The gate can then also double up to stop us sinking on soft ground.
JP


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## chrisdougie

*new pup*

Hi Morag & Andy
Happy new puppy What kind of dog did you get? What is its name? Our Dog Tye has long lead attached to harness clipped into seatbelt but he always lays between the drivers and Passengers seat has done since we got the van has never been any problem.

Christine & Dougie


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## Hezbez

*Re: new pup*



chrisdougie said:


> Hi Morag & Andy
> Happy new puppy What kind of dog did you get? What is its name? Our Dog Tye has long lead attached to harness clipped into seatbelt but he always lays between the drivers and Passengers seat has done since we got the van has never been any problem.
> 
> Christine & Dougie


Red Border Collie called Amber.


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## Hezbez

Do those who use cages secure the cage in anyway - if not, what's to stop the cage (and dog inside it) from becoming a flying missile?

(Heaven forbid).


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## Pollydoodle

Polo - labrador - always used to lie quietly between the dinette seats, but since i have been driving the van she has twice tried to get in the front with me (is she trying to say something about my driving :roll: ) So next trip out she will be tethered for the sake of safety


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## rugbyken

Molly's bed is between the seats wears a normal body harness with a lead back to the door grab about .6 ft also works as a restraint when parked she's always at full stretch between the seats can sit up & be fussed at our elbows and bark at the gendarmes,


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## Zebedee

Hezbez said:


> Do those who use cages secure the cage in anyway - if not, what's to stop the cage (and dog inside it) from becoming a flying missile?
> (Heaven forbid).


Yes Morag, we certainly did when Gracie was small and travelled in her cage. We fixed it in the same place as she now travels - leaning against the back of my seat so it couldn't go anywhere if I had to brake hard.

Dave


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## ched999uk

It is a legal requirement to secure the dog in a vehicle. See rule 57 in the highway code: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069853


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## Arrachogaidh

Secure ours with harness and belt into seat belt fitting or in rear garage.


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## Spiritofherald

Much the same here. I bought travel harnesses for our dogs (Pets At Home) along with a seat belt adaptor thingy off (eBay). They then have their beds on the seat behind the drivers seat so if we're in an accident they can't get thrown off their seats. An accident with a dog loose in a vehicle is going to cause immense damage to the dog, and probably anyone in front of them, so if you care about your dog and yourself just don't do it.


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## Enock

ched999uk said:


> It is a legal requirement to secure the dog in a vehicle. See rule 57 in the highway code: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069853


In the UK This is a recommendation..... Not a legal requirement...

You cannot be fined or have points for having an unrestrained dog in a vehicle....


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## palaceboy

We were travelling to Santander from Almeria to catch the ferry last year when my wife got up from her seat to fetch some cheese to go with the crisps we were munching . On returning to her seat just at the same time as a police car came alongside , they indicated that we were to follow them to the next exit where they examined our documents and checked our vehicle he then said the fine for not wearing a seat belt was 200 euros and that our loose dog (BEN) should be harnessed and that was another 200euros fine . At this stage i was thinking that was probably be the most expensive piece of cheese i would ever eat then he smiled said it was our lucky day and he was only going to warn us . I should be so lucky lucky lucky


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## Remus

Hezbez, the cage sits behind the driver and passenger seats and, since it is much wider than the gap between those seats it couldn't possibly be thrown forward in an accident.


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## Spacerunner

Having watched the dynamic forces that come into play when rally and race cars run out of road I'm not sure that cages, seatbelts, tables or even bolted down seats will have any restraining effect on dogs, humans, lockers, fridges and even the kitchen sink!!
We're not talking hard braking, we're talking major crunches.

I just use crossed fingers and hope the dog is tired/bored enough to find a low and restricted location to wedge itself into for a kip.

We have bought a soft crate for the new pup but cannot think of anyway to secure it in the event of a major shunt. Polyester canvas seams will definitely come apart at reasonably low pressure as they are a weakened area in any fabric construction.

So what we really need is a .25 inch armour plate box welded through the floor to the chassis, a direct line to our God and a lot of luck in the event of 'the other driver' giving us a good bashing.
Of course its always 'the other driver' as our driving is impeccable


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## leseduts

Our 2 German Shepherd have a side bench each whilst travelling. They are both in harnesses and the leads are bolted through the floor, under the benches. I worry about them running off in panic in the event of an accident. They are very good and sleep between stops. they seem to know when we are approaching an Aire.


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## aldra

on the floor with a harness attached to the rear seat belt

or in the garage if we need to fill up, go through towns, passport checks, toll booths, crowded market villages etc

On the last trip he was an absolute pain and we have no idea why the change

In a sudden stop/accident I would prefer he didn't fly through the windscreen taking one of us with him

Aldra


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## MEES

Our hefty Dalmation has s bed on floor behind our seats

We travel our folding outside chairs behind each seat 'wedged shut' this makes a barrier though we can pat/talk to him.

He wears a harness which is attached by a short chain lead to the habitation door grab handle.

this seems to suit him and also prevents and attemped escape if we stop and need to use habitation door 8O 

We just hope this is sufficient though in a major major smash probably there would be all sorts of problems :? :?


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## an99uk

Don't have a dog but we do occasionally take the cat away with us. She hates travelling in her box but I insist because the worry I have is that in the case of an accident, not only could she could become a flying missile but that she escapes and runs off scared.

Same principles apply to a dog.


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## camper69

leseduts said:


> I worry about them running off in panic in the event of an accident.


I have actually seen this happen when an accident occurred on the opposite side of the French motorway we were traveling on. The car that was in the accident ended up on its roof and two rather large dogs got out through the broken windows and started to run around the motorway as all the other traffic was coming to a halt.

Derek


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## Arrachogaidh

Remus said:


> Hezbez, the cage sits behind the driver and passenger seats and, since it is much wider than the gap between those seats it couldn't possibly be thrown forward in an accident.


You hope........

You need to secure it!!


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## csmcqueen

We have a little Jack Russel bitch, we got her one of these LINKY and it fits between the driver & passenger seat when travelling and folds away under one of the benches when we are on site. works a treat


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## csmcqueen

an99uk said:


> Don't have a dog but we do occasionally take the cat away with us. She hates travelling in her box but I insist because the worry I have is that in the case of an accident, not only could she could become a flying missile but that she escapes and runs off scared.
> 
> Same principles apply to a dog.


I would never take my cat as she would be a flying missile with claws, knowing my luck she would launch and be stuck to my face like a scene from the alien :lol:


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## gogs58

Hi 
We have our two mini Schnauzers in a crate while we travel. This fits snuggly in the space provded by lowering the table. The table top is covered and the crate secured by using the 2 seat belts. Dogs very happy in crate and just go to sleep.

Gordon


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## annetony

I bought a harness from Tesco for my King Charles and fastened her in the back seat..we stopped for petrol and when we looked round she had done a Houdini and was sat in the drivers seat :lol: :lol: 

Now we just fasten the end of the lead to the seatbelt at the back and she can reach either seat, but to be honest she just lies down on the seat and doesn't stir till we get where we are going


I did try to add a picture but It didn't work :roll:


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## Manc-K9

Our 2 little ones travel in the bed over the cab in soft travel kennels. I have fitted a strong cargo net in the gap to ensure they dont fall out and I am quite happy with it. They also sleep up there at night.

My other dog, well she is a big stinky land shark and she is used to being on the road so she just tends to lie down between the driver and pax seat. If we crash then chances are she will come off a lot better than us!


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## rtaff

Our van isn't big enough for a cage nor a dog bed! When in transit he's clipped to the leg of the sofa with a police lead. He can still reach pretty much everywhere in the van.


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## greenasthegrass

Ours travel in the shower room it shuts the woofing up, they have their bed in there and drinking water sits in shower base. They seem happy to come out but bit of a shove gets em in!

Greenie


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## Arrachogaidh

Guess it depends on the dog. Our three deerhounds and an Irish Wolfhound require storage in the garage/kennel or heavy secure seat belt harnesses.

Having said that, our boy hound has the knack of sitting on the seatbelt/harness release button. Took a few trips to work that one out.......


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## Patty123

We have 2 Pugs and they travel together in a cage, as we have an Excutive the cage fits snuggly between the settees with the opening door to the front, as it fits so snuggly I don't think it would be able to flip anywhere. When we had only the one Pug she sat on hubby's knee and attached to his seatbelt.

In some countries its a legal requirement that dogs are secure in the vehicle. I think Germany is one not sure of any others.

Patty


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## SomersetSteve

Our dogs always travel with harnesses secured to the rear seat belts in the mh or the car, they have enough slack to change position or to sit up and look out the side. Our standard poodle used to block the view of the interior mirror sitting up looking forward but I'm used to just using the door mirrors.

Yesterday we had a cyclist just ride out on to a zebra crossing and I had to brake hard, the harness kept our dog in place whereas he would have been thrown forward without it.


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## 4maddogs

Arrachogaidh said:


> Guess it depends on the dog. Our three deerhounds and an Irish Wolfhound require storage in the garage/kennel or heavy secure seat belt harnesses.
> 
> Having said that, our boy hound has the knack of sitting on the seatbelt/harness release button. Took a few trips to work that one out.......


 :lol: Just as well you have a big van! Love the fact that the next poster has 2 pugs! From the very large to tiny!
I have 3 springers and a goldie. They are too lively to all come away together but I will pluck up courage one day! 
Generally the dog I take with me is secured by seatbelt harness, but they do twist about a bit and get in a muddle.


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