Dogs traveling on the dashboard

[jeanmulder]

I am amazed at the pet owners who see no problem with their dog walking around on the dashboard while the driver is under way. We are pet lovers and own a beautiful Bichon Frise who has traveled with us for eleven years BUT, he travels on his LL Bean comfy large dog pillow located behind the driver seat and butted up against the retracted slideout.

Recently, there was an article in another RV publication where the owners were proud of the fact that their 86# dog travels on the dashboard and at times has his head out of the drivers side window to get fresh air.

I was amazed. Do people not realize just how unsafe this practice is? With a sudden or unexpected stop, that pet becomes a projectile which could cause the driver to lose control resulting in possible accident or loss of life. A driver is going to almost automatically reach for a pet who may be falling off the dash, or worse yet, falling into the driver area of steering wheel, etc. It is just plain unsafe!

I have read no less then three different submissions to several publications by owners who see no problem with this practice.

Yes, I am the main driver of our 38-foot Class A diesel pusher and am a female, but also the owner of Skipper. We want him around for a long time yet but we keep him safe as well as not providing a distraction that could result in an accident.

Jean Mulder

[kalynzoo]

Whatever. Just wave at Pixie and I as you pass. She's the black and white fuzzy thing on the dash, enjoying the view.

[DoggyDaddy]

Any animal on the lap of the driver or moving about on the dashboard can be a dangerous distraction. But a pet on the dashboard can also get seriously burned and dehydrated from the sun's rays intensified by the glass windshield.

These driving habits are dangerous for all, including on coming traffic ... and that is why LEOs give citations for operating a motor vehicle with distractions.

[kingfr]

I assume that my grandchildren would enjoy the view from my dashboard, just as my dogs would! I expect that the same dog owners who believe that it's ok to allow the dogs on the dash would be horrified if they met me going down the road with grandchildren on the dash. They might even call the law on me!

I love my dogs AND my grandchildren too much to allow either of them to do such a risky thing.....

[dervatl]

I travel with one or two dogs all the time. Much of the time it is going to dog shows. They are always in a crate while travelling for their safety. After meeting two different handlers that had vehicles pull out into their path of travel and hearing what happened, it seemd the sensible thing to do for me. In both cases, the car that pulled out was broadsided by the motorhome and the drivers killed. Everthing in the motorhome that wasn't really tied down came crashing towards the front. In one case the overhead cabinets came off the walls and travelled to the front. All the dogs were in crates except one. The dog outside the crate was killed by falling cabinets. The ones inside the crates survived. The crate helps keep them inside the vehicle and keeps large flying objects from striking them. If a dog was on the dash, it would likely have been killed and/or ejected.

Nothing is perfect, but the crates do offer some additional protection. As a comfort, I always use the next larger size crate than normal so they have walking around room if they want to stretch. A lot of people outside of the dog show world consider crates as a jail. I used to be one of them. And, for a dog that's never been in one, this is probably true until they stop being scared of it. But training them as a puppy that a crate is a safe, comfortable place to be and normal while travelling, gives them a security blanket. One of my dogs prefers to sleep in hers even though she could sleep anywhere in the motorhome she likes. I leave the door open while we are parked and she goes in and out as she likes. It's her own space and she feels secure and comfortable in it. If you have large dogs and more than one, the "down" side of this is that something has to go to accomodate two large crates. Most of us either remove a recliner, table, or sofa. I know this isn't for everyone, but it offers some additional safety for loving pets that are part of my family.

[emilyrest@gmail.com]

I think dogs are having fun when their heads out of the window while the wind is gushing through their face, so I also let my dogs do it, too. But I make sure not to drive too fast in order to avoid that kind of accident. . .

[tbutler]

Mikayla,

Welcome to the forum. I know what you are saying about dogs liking to hang out the window and feel the breeze. I'm sure they would ride motorcycles if they could. The fact is that any object inside a moving vehicle that isn't tied down will keep moving at the same rate of speed that the vehicle is moving even if the vehicle stops suddenly as in a collision. At 35 miles per hour you are traveling the same speed as an object falling from a four story building. If the vehicle suddenly stops, any animal not secured in a safe location will hit whatever is in front of them at 35 miles per hour. I wouldn't toss a dog or cat off a four story building. That will be a serious if not fatal injury.

The best you can do is to secure them in a crate which is anchored with a seat belt. I notice in your picture that you are wearing a seat belt. Good for you, everyone should wear seat belts when in any vehicle. Your dog doesn't have the ability to put on a seat belt or even know that it should be wearing one so it is up to us marginally smarter critters to take care of them. I would secure any animal in a vehicle for this reason. Keeping them in a crate also keeps them from becoming excited about something and interfering with the driver of the vehicle. I have heard of accidents caused when a dog jumped on the lap of the driver blocking their view or interfering with their ability to maneuver the vehicle. For your own safety and the safety of the pet you love, have them in a crate when traveling!

As dervati says: "Training them as a puppy that a crate is a safe, comfortable place to be and normal while traveling, gives them a security blanket."

[mapleskoff@gmail.com]

We have traveled for years in car, van or a motorhome, with as many as three dogs, all exceeding 60 pounds each. They travel in a crate or, at worst, tethered with a belt. We don't allow our dogs to stick their heads out any windows, as we know that there is much debris blowing about and their eyes are just as vulnerable as ours are, and the "breeze" can also cause serious eye damage. Nor do we allow them untethered in the bed of a pickup. We also don't want for them to get so excited at something they percieve and want to jump out.

The bottom line is this: To treat a dog as anything less than you would a person, and expose them to danger or possible injury is, in my opinion, foolish, dangerous and uncaring. It may be "cute," but please remember this; if you are in a collision, or have to avoid one quickly, that pet, like anything else loose in your vehicle, is a missile. It can be injured or killed, and can cause injury or death.

Wind at your backs and smooth sailing.

Doc Mike

[Guest Wayne77590]

Have you ever noticed how much a dog enjoys sticking their nose out the window.

But, if you try blowing in their face they get upset.

Actually when a dog sticks their nose out the window it is not to get a good breeze. Their smell is very acute and they are sampling all the wonderful smells that are outside the vehicle.

We do not crate or tether Miya, our 70-pound Husky. She loves seeing cows, horses(horsies) and other forms of animals on the sides of the road or in pastures. She gets excited but she is trained not to come on my side of the coach when we are under way. She stays on Earlene's side, and she will put her paws up on the dash, but never her whole body -- we never allowed it and now she knows. I know it's dangerous, but that is what we do with our dog and dogs we have had in the past. Thank you, Lord, for keeping us safe.

In Galveston County, TX, it is unlawful to have a dog in the back of a pickup truck that is not properly tethered. The tether is to allow them side to side motion without being able to go over the side. That requires a tether from both sides of the vehicle. When I was working as an administrator for a short period of time in a veterinary clinic I saw dogs come in that were tethered improperly, fell over the side, and had their hind feet raw to the muscle.

Yes, crating or tethering would be a better choice for a motorhome, but it is not our choice.

[Chunkybeastracin@aol.com]

I am amazed at the pet owners who see no problem with their dog walking around on the dashboard while the driver is under way. We are pet lovers and own a beautiful Bichon Frise who has traveled with us for eleven years BUT, he travels on his LL Bean comfy large dog pillow located behind the driver seat and butted up against the retracted slideout.

Recently, there was an article in another RV publication where the owners were proud of the fact that their 86# dog travels on the dashboard and at times has his head out of the drivers side window to get fresh air.

I was amazed. Do people not realize just how unsafe this practice is? With a sudden or unexpected stop, that pet becomes a projectile which could cause the driver to lose control resulting in possible accident or loss of life. A driver is going to almost automatically reach for a pet who may be falling off the dash, or worse yet, falling into the driver area of steering wheel, etc. It is just plain unsafe!

I have read no less then three different submissions to several publications by owners who see no problem with this practice.

Yes, I am the main driver of our 38-foot Class A diesel pusher and am a female, but also the owner of Skipper. We want him around for a long time yet but we keep him safe as well as not providing a distraction that could result in an accident.

Jean Mulder

While I see good points to both sides of letting dogs ride in RV it realy comes down to personal choice and letting people enjoy life. What I don't understand is using this subject to try and impress people that you are a female driving a diesel pusher; who cares. There are many females who drive their own RVs but are not tooting their own horns trying to impress others with that fact.

[NWJeeper]

I think the real disturbing issue here is that the original poster is admonishing others for letting their animals roam free in the rig when she herself does it too! I have news for her: Whether the dog is on the dash or a comfy pillow behind the slide room it's still gonna be a missile in an accident. It's a case of "do as I say not as I do."

As others here have pointed out, if you really want to give your pet a fighting chance of life in an accident you had better put them in a crate.

Beyond that I will not make judgement on how others care for their animals.

[Chunkybeastracin@aol.com]

I think the real disturbing issue here is that the original poster is admonishing others for letting their animals roam free in the rig when she herself does it too! I have news for her: Whether the dog is on the dash or a comfy pillow behind the slide room it's still gonna be a missile in an accident. It's a case of "do as I say not as I do."

As others here have pointed out, if you really want to give your pet a fighting chance of life in an accident you had better put them in a crate.

Beyond that I will not make judgement on how others care for their animals.

Hey, Jeeper, that is a very good point. I was so annoyed with her self-righteous comments I completly missed that. I guess she thinks that since her pooch rides on a "LL Bean comfy Pillow" he is protected. Only difference is that her dog will be splattered on her slide vs. the windsheild. Of course, I wish no such thing to happen to anyone and hope everyone can enjoy safe motorhoming.

[Guest Wayne77590]

Let's get back to the topic and not on who is or is not self righteous.

If an animal is riding on the dash, and there is a quick stop, would it not be safe? After all, it is up against the windshield. On the other hand, is an animal safe up against a solid object? Is an animal safe in a crate that is not bolted/strapped down?

It is not the initial sudden stop that is of concern to me. It would be subsequent sudden movement or stops, because after that first initial slamming on of the brakes, all loose objects become missiles, including any passengers that ar not strapped down.

Flying missiles are dangerous not only to the driver, but other passengers, who then can become projectiles, or swinging hands and feet trying to protect themselves, only to be a hindrance to the driver.

I have already stated what i allow our dog to do, right or wrong. It's just the way we do it.

The original poster just raises the awareness level of an important safety situation.

[NWJeeper]

Let's get back to the topic and not on who is or is not self righteous.

If an animal is riding on the dash, and there is a quick stop, would it not be safe? After all, it is up against the windshield. On the other hand, is an animal safe up against a solid object? Is an animal safe in a crate that is not bolted/strapped down?

It is not the initial sudden stop that is of concern to me. It would be subsequent sudden movement or stops, because after that first initial slamming on of the brakes, all loose objects become missiles, including any passengers that ar not strapped down.

Flying missiles are dangerous not only to the driver, but other passengers, who then can become projectiles, or swinging hands and feet trying to protect themselves, only to be a hindrance to the driver.

I have already stated what i allow our dog to do, right or wrong. It's just the way we do it.

The original poster just raises the awareness level of an important safety situation.

Wayne, as some close friends of ours found out when they were forced to take sudden evasive maneuvers in their Class A RV and ended up running off the road and into the ditch, ANYTHING that is loose in the rig will be thrown around like a pingpong ball. NO the animal is NOT safe leaning up against the front window (both of theirs popped right out). Having the animal behind the wall of the slide is NOT any safer. The dynamics and physics involved in a crash are never in a straight line and therefore things go everywhere and cabinets do come loose and things in them that you would never think of come out.

I am also not passing judgement either and as I stated I won't look badly on anyone else for having the animals roam free in the rig as we also have two dogs that are not crated when we travel (actually one is, our Dachshund doesn't like being out of her crate when the vehicle is moving). Like you we know the risks and will accept the consequences.

[Guest Wayne77590]

I think we are agreeably on the safety/non-safety issue.

There is no complete safe way, but there are better ways of protecting all life and property. It is an individual's responsibility to determine how they themselves wish to proceed.

Thanks.

[wolfe10]

Just a quiet reminder.

It is fine to disagree.

It is fine to state your opinion.

It is NOT fine to degrade others or call names.

Said another way, attack their opinions, not them.

I am not sure we will get any new information on this discussion, and with the personal comments that I have had to delete, I am closing it.

LET'S ALL BE NICE OUT THERE.

Brett Wolfe

Moderator