Comments on: NO Dogs ALLOWED in the car

By: Sharon Mullins

Sharon Mullins — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:12:08 +0000

Poor Mackie. He can come live with me. My dogs (2
10 month old Shi Tzu puppies, Annabelle & Bailey) and Molli(my 18 yr. old) & Spueaks(cat) live with me,go with me, we all keep each other company. I don’t expect all people to love them like I do but they are my “children” and I love being with them.Why do people have dogs and/or cats if they don’t want to be with them? I bring mine to work quite often. Guess I’m lucky. People miss out on alot when they don’t consider their animals family. Ilove getting your emails. I may soon be able to afford your books. Thank You for sharing.
………………..Sharon Mullins

By: walela

walela — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:38:52 +0000

Like Mother…Like Daughter ! You really can’t be that surprised !! If you haven’t done it over the past 10 years… you’re not going to change either of these womens’ “hearts” … now. Like I said before… you either have a compassionate and loving heart..or you don’t ! How did a Vet end up in such a family ? Too Bad !
Blessings,
Walela

By: Molly Sargent

Molly Sargent — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:23:22 +0000

Having been a dog groomer for over 42 years I can make a couple of reccomendations. First of all WHY does your mother-in-law not want Mackie in the car? Because the dog’s is dirty? Doesn’t smell good? Sheds? If the dog were groomed at reasonable intervals at a reputable grooming shop and smelled and looked clean and beautiful I doubt there would be an objection. Why not take the dog in and have her spiffed up and then show her to your mother-in-law? She may not be able to refuse such a clean smelling dog. For myself, I would never put a car or any material object above the happiness of my animals. That’s why my car is covered in blankets and I have no room to sleep on my bed.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:21:41 +0000

My husband surprised me with a new car (small SUV) as our large SUV has almost 200k miles, holds 45 gallons and only gets about 9 miles per gallon. The final “decision maker” on the new car (small suv) is that the rear seats fold down so that the dogs can have the entire back area. I went to Home Depot and purchased a piece of carpet and velcroed it to the back area to help protect it from sand/mud (although they would still be allowed in even if I didn’t have this). I have two dogs (shepherd mix and a lab mix) and I will take my dogs everywhere that is possible. These dogs are more than pets to me and I would not let anyone else tell me that I couldn’t take them. I feel very strongly on this issue, as do lots of others here. Take care & good luck to Mackie! He deserves to be with his family!!!!

By: Mandy

Mandy — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:16:58 +0000

Hello
As a big German shepherd with just as big a son if not bigger, my Mammy has a lovely dog trailer which we travel in, we go for long walks in the forest and lots of trips and you know something we would even settle for a drive in the trailer without getting out its so comfy and no problems with staying quiet or anything we can move around freely and we can see out as the door has a nice griddy part where we can see through. We love our trailer and would never want to travel in the car so my suggestion is for this man to get a nice little trailer for Mackie and all will be happy and he will have this trailer for any more doggy friends he may meet in the future.
Love Mandy & Eccle.

By: Roxanne

Roxanne — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:32:24 +0000

Well i think most people can be a little protective with the new fresh clean smelling car it does wear off some, most will say no eating in my new car wipe your feet before you enter no dogs allowed. How would the dog get to the vet if he needed one?. Perhaps he could offer to vacume it out on a regular basis for her and put in a new air cleaner from time to time, I think she could give in after some the newness wears off.

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:35:00 +0000

I have two suggestions. One is to purchase a Furminator to get the loose hair off of the dog. This product is great! I got one for my Siamese/Tabby mix cat and my Golden Retriever mix dog. I can actually pet both of them without hair flying all over and the floors are staying clean! I have hardly any more “Hair Bunnies!” And they both love being combed with it! Check it out at http://www.furminator.com. Be prepared to have a bucket nearby to dispose of all of the hair! After one day, you will notice the difference! The second suggestion is one of those car seat covers by Guardian Gear. It hooks onto the head rest of the front seats and over the back of the rear seat, creating an area that will contain the dog hair. Of course a pet carrier would work, too. I also agree with the answers that Elaine (#65) gave. It is good advice! Good luck to your father-in-law!

By: brenda

brenda — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:49:18 +0000

Maybe a clever compromise could be made…..A gift to his wife and Mackie free car wash passes with interior detailing. You can also purchase a very cool back seat cover from Walgreens for about $10.00. Good luck Mackie

By: Martha

Martha — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:05:19 +0000

Dear Dr. AJ
!/2 my email disappeared before my hints were typed on it-who knows where ity is now.
I feel sad that both your wife and her mother are so anti-dog for the sake of what they percieve as a clean house or car.
Who is going to judge what type of person they are by the cleanliness of their abode or transport, who do they want to impress?
It could also go against them for having pets that are restricted to special spots where they can only act like animals. If I was visiting I wouldn’t feel comfortable seeing the dogs restricted to a boot room.
My dogs usually sleep on the couch while I lie on the floor with my bad back while we all watch TV together with the cats lying on top of and draped across the dogs.
Why would you want a pet if they were not considered part of the family?
I think that neither your wife or her mother are pet people.
It’s a shame your father-in-law and his dog have had to live with the same issues that you are experiencing now.
Being an animal person, we have had all sorts of animals from domestic cats and dogs; to red/grey/flying squirrels who used to hide their nuts in the springs of the couch or the potted plants; a baby racoon whgo shared the litter box with the cats and would race up the hallway in rapid pursuit; we brought up baby great horned owls on the shower rod in the bathroom while they were still in down feathers in the dead chill of January; a French Alpine goat who started in my dad’s lap in the house like a puppy until she was too big to stay in the house all the time (she was still OK visiting). She walked everyday with my dad and dogs to the beach. My dad took the seat out of the VW bug he had at the time so that she could go to NH to ski, snowshoe and hike the Appalchian trail with him and we could go on and on.
The last 2 examples show the other side of the coin where humans are willing to accomodate their pets so that the pets could also enjoy whatever their humans were doing.
At this point in time I have 2 dogs who go everywhere with me, they expect to go and always have.
I can’t guarantee an odorless car if the dogs are in it and wet, because wet dog smell does seep into the blankets or what you let the dogs sit on (however those can be washed).
What I do first is think of the dogs’ comfort and in the back of my estate (station wagon) car, I have a dog guard plus 4 couch cushions so that their elbows and hips don’t get banged on bumpy roads.
I am not car-proud, but in case I want to sell it in 10 years time, I figure it could look clean so I have first put plastic over the seats, then seat covers, (they do make super clear vinyl seat covers to order for your make and model car which ensures water resistance) and in the back seat and in the back of the estate I have the hammock bench seat covers that attach to your head rests and collect sand and grass seeds etc.
Of course the dogs like to be comfy so they have a polyester duvet, old sleeping bag or the equivalent so they can make a nest if napping during a long ride or a wait in the car.
They also have their toys and perhaps a chew or bone.
I suppose neither your wife or mother in law would ride in such a car, but I was well chuffed the other day when I opened the back of the car and an unknown dog walker stuck their head inside and said what a proper dog car it was.
‘Proper’ here in England is a good word meaning suits to a ‘T’ so the dogs and I were pleased.

By: Martha

Martha — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:36:12 +0000

Dear Dr. AJ
I feel sad that both your wife and her mother are so anti-dog for the sake of what they percieve as a clean house or car.
Who is going to judge what type of person they are by the cleanliness of their abode or transport, who do they want to impress?
It could also go against them for having pets that are restricted to special spots where they can actually act like animals.
Why would you want a pet if they were not considered part of the family, I think that neither your wife or her mother are pet people.
It’s a shame your father-in-law and his dog have had to live with the same issues that you are experiencing now.
Being an animal person, we have had all sorts of animals from domestic cats and dogs, to red/grey/flying squirrels,brought up baby great horned owls on the shower rod in the bathroom while they were still in down feathers, a French Alpine goat who started in my dad’s lap in the house like a puppy until she was too big to stay in the house all the time (she was still OK visiting). She walked everyday with my dad and dogs to the beach. My dad took the seat out of the VW bug he had at the time so that she could go to NH to ski and hike the Appalchian trail with him

By: Betsy

Betsy — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:59:57 +0000

P.S. Your mother in law should consider the good exercise her husband is getting by taking the dog out to the parks even if she isn’t thinking of the little dog. Walking is great for them both.

By: Betsy

Betsy — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:55:59 +0000

Old sheets can protect the seats and be easily washed. A little vinilla can freshen the interior. Or air spray if your so inclined. Your Father law needs to remind her that it is his car too. Take his dog buddy out and have a good time.

Betsy

By: Jeff @ Coolwater4animals

Jeff @ Coolwater4animals — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:45:48 +0000

Rooted in years of Abolitionist Animal Rights research and my transition to a Vegan lifestyle, I have learned much of gross animal cruelty and of it’s causes and effects. I, like thousands of others, have signed many petitions over the years protesting all manner of horrific injustice to animals that continuously fall on deaf ears. As a result, regarding companion animals, I have come to hold these firm beliefs that some day, hopefully:

1) all breeding should be banned,

2) spay/neutering should be mandatory,

3) the “property” status of (all) animals should be eliminated,

and (for your Mother-in-Law),

4) Guardians of existing companion animals should be made to pass a standardized means test that reflects the lifetime OPTIMUM care requirements of the animal with regular mandatory Government funded follow up investigations after adoption… so that this kind of cruel behaviour just would not happen.

By: Patricia Williams

Patricia Williams — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:22:28 +0000

I agree with you Dr Andrew, and a new car is just a thing, something to get one from A to B. I guess when the car is old she will allow the dog in the car.
People do a lot to keep the peace at times, but I think in this case your father-in-law should go ahead and keep doing what he was doing before the new car. It’s something he likes doing with Mackie
If the dog was a child, it would be allowed in the car. I have always thought there was something wrong with anyone who did not love animals.
As you have said, and I have the same opinion, our pets are a significant part of the family.
As I have noted above, there are car seat covers for animals or he can buy a cheap old car.

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:11:32 +0000

I wish I could remember the website but don’t. There are these canvas type, waterproof covers, sling type that go over the seat, goes from the back of the seat, can’t get to the floor or the back of the front seat. If not, dad in law should get a car for him and the dog.