Waterproof pad for car

ollow

Hi I was wondering if you could help? I've just got Archie a harness for the car but I need a pad/blanket of some sorts to put under her as she wee's in the car. I've been using her crate in the car but unfortunately it's too large (I only have a small car). Could anyone suggest something I could use?

I've thought of using puppy pads but they don't often hold all the liquid!! I'm looking for something not too expensive. Any ideas?

skivenov

Is she in the boot or on a seat?

ollow

Sorry forgot to say she will be hopefully on the seat between 2 car seats (boosters), maybe in footwell if harness stretches that far!! I would have her in the front but I don't want her used to that as I might want to carry a passenger.

krlyr

Try incontinence bed or chair pads made for humans, very similar to puppy pads but larger in size. You could use a waterproof sheet underneath for general protection too - they're not cheap but Hatchbag make custom-fit boot liners for cars, or you could use rubber matting or similar.

As for where she travels, consider her safety in a crash. If her harness strap is long enough to reach the footwell then she is at risk of flying around the car and not just injuring herself but potentially injuring you or a passenger in a crash. Also bear in mind that airbags are designed for the human body, not dogs, so somewhere like the front passenger seat can put the dog at risk of being injured by a front airbag, for example (having been in a crash that set off the airbags, they hit you/you hit them with a fair bit of force - but obviously they are positioned to do a lot less damage than they prevent, whereas a dog is a completely different shape/height to us)

You could perhaps consider a soft crate that you can tether to the seat - therefore eliminating the risk of her being flung around the car but not taking up too much space. There's a product called the Pet Tube which is designed to adjust in length depending on how much spare seat space you have.
http://www.roofbox.co.uk/dog-bag/dogs-pets-carriers-pet-tube.php

ollow

Thank you for that information, the seatbelt hook I have bought is adjustable so on the shortest she can just about get to the footwell. Hopefully when we are all in the car she will settle between the LO's on the back seat.

I would love to continue using the create but it means one of my children will need to travel in the front, and I don't want to put anyone's safety at risk.

Where would you suggest the safest place for her is? I have a matiz if that's any use.

Dollardog

I have an Astra and until he injured his leg, my dog always used to travel in the hatchback. Now he's older, he travels on the back seat as he can't jump into the back.

http://www.overthetop.co.uk/shop/Back_Seat_Covers.html

I have something similar to the hammock in this link, although the one I have isn't quilted, mine was from Aldi but they only have them at certain times.
I think my friend got one from Wilkinson's, the same as the one I have.

There are loads on Ebay and Amazon, or google waterproof dog car seat cover.

HTH

ollow

Dollardog wrote: »

I have an Astra and until he injured his leg, my dog always used to travel in the hatchback. Now he's older, he travels on the back seat as he can't jump into the back.

http://www.overthetop.co.uk/shop/Back_Seat_Covers.html

I have something similar to the hammock in this link, although the one I have isn't quilted, mine was from Aldi but they only have them at certain times.
I think my friend got one from Wilkinson's, the same as the one I have.

There are loads on Ebay and Amazon, or google waterproof dog car seat cover.

HTH

I have looked at a lot of these covers but I still need my children to travel in the back of the car, not a lot of the covers have seatbelt holes, also I don't have rear head rests. Honestly my boot is tiny, I can just about fit a bag for life in it width ways, and about 5 lengthways, I'd be to scared that she'd jump over the seats.

skivenov

Yeah, waterproof seat cover is the way to go. I have one on the passenger seat of the big van for the dog. You can fit headrests and seatbelts. Most have a cut out ready made, worst case, just slice a hole with a stanley knife.

Dollardog

ollow wrote: »

I have looked at a lot of these covers but I still need my children to travel in the back of the car, not a lot of the covers have seatbelt holes, also I don't have rear head rests. Honestly my boot is tiny, I can just about fit a bag for life in it width ways, and about 5 lengthways, I'd be to scared that she'd jump over the seats.

The one I have does have seat belt holes. If you don't have and can't fix rear head rests, you could probably adapt one with elastic. The bit that goes around the headrest holds the seatcover up the back of the seat but if your problem is mainly the dog weeing, they would still protect the seat. What about the children in the back though with the dog having wee'd, you neded to be careful they don't put their fingers in it and suck them.
Didn't know how small the boot part is on your car.

ollow

Thank you, no worries about LO's they are 8 and 5, will have a proper look at the seat covers and maybe I could pop a puppy pad down to catch most of the wee.

krlyr

Personally, I would find a way to confine her - if you're transporting your LOs too and were to ever get into an accident, you have the risk of an injured dog in the midst of lots of scary noises and panicking people and a dog like that could be one likely to bite out of pain or fear. Would one of those Pet Tubes work between your two LOs? Or a small fabric crate (they're no where near as heavy as a metal crate so easily folded away, but just confines the dog for safety) on the middle seat?

I'm not keen on transporting dogs in the boot of a hatchback incase of someone hitting the back of the car but if it was the only other option then you can get guards that would top her jumping over the seats - generic ones are available that fit most cars but custom-made ones tend to be sturdier and safer. Barjo are one of the main names, but you can often find second-hand guards on Ebay or the 'fleamarket' (user for-sale area) of the Agilitynet website.