What to do ?

Before getting my gsd we had planned on a harness and her sitting on back seat, when in reality a wet muddy dog isn't going to work!
I only have a normal size hatch back so I am thinking to drop one seat down and put a crate in the back, what do you do?

Other option is a new car!

Thanks in advance

Definitely a new car.. something that the back can be separated from the seats.....think wet muddy dog...shake...wet muddy seat next to crate Ooops. !!!

You could get one of the hammock type covers that attach to the headrests back and front and use that with a harness although rather akward and probably not going to deal with mud etc
I have a gsd who is quite large ( 45kg ) and ime he wont fit in a crate in the hatch bit as he is too tall although he could lay down. One seat down is an option but still would think the crate size width wise might not be large enough. Losing both back seats is another option and have a crate in there as unfortunately moving crates in and out daily is a mission an one that soon wears off. If  a new car isnt an option I think I would go for covering seats and a harness . one of the eat covers that attahes to headrests might work if you can still attach the harness

Hmmm maybe will look for a new car, will try the crate for now while she's still a puppy but long term I think maybe an estate car would be better.
She loves water too so can just imagine her swimming and shaking all over car at least it's not a posh car!

Depending on how big the boot space is you could get a tailgate guard and then get a dog guard for behind your front seats so she has the boot space and back seats which have been put down?

I used a hammock type cover in a small car for a small collie X and a GSD collie mix.  It has openings for seat belt harnesses and you can get short lead type things to clip into the seat belt points.  They loved swimming and mud!

I do think that by the time you've bought all that you are on your way to a new car ;)

We have 4 GSDs and a a hatchback mondeo. We keep a bag tidy in the car and a set of towels. The boot is lined with a boot tidy and then has an old bed sheet draped over the back of the seats.

If our's do go wading/paddling/rolling etc we tend to give them a good rub down before getting them back in the car and then shove the sheets and towels in the washing machine when we get home. Also stops the car from smelling like wet dog as the moisture doesn't soak into the upholstery.

As it is white, the car is washed every 2 weeks and the entire thing gets valeted twice a year.

Before we had the mondeo we had a fusion - 2 in the boot and 2 on the back seat.

Thankfully we have a really old car that has plenty of room in the boot. When we go out with the dogs we just use that. It's helpful having at least two cars - one for dogs (and shopping bags!), and one that's smaller and smarter.

We swapped to a Focus Estate when we got number three. As above it has a boot liner and we always take plenty of towels to dry them off with. It has a nice, low back end that's easy for them to get in/out of.

I'd say a new car too, an estate if possible. Then I'd shlep off to www.hatchbag.co.uk   Believe me, you cannot live without one of these bespoke boot liners. I'm onto my second one, I have a flap which comes down over the rear bumper and a flap that covers the top of the rear seats. Nothing else comes close to these......and no I'm not on the payroll.

Coming from a situation when 'before Basset', we had MG Midgets, I say you have little alternative but to change cars to an Estate/Station Wagon.   And probably yes, a crate.   We knew it was inevitable which it was once we had to do regular trips to the SW with out then one hound and although early on he'd fit behind the seats, once he got bigger and we needed to take his food, and our luggage too, that was an end of our Midget days.

We have had hatches, but with our low-slung breed, having a lip wasn't very easy.

Currently we are on our 4th Peugeot, 2nd 2008X-over.   Obviously the back seats are down, our Whippet's crate is cross-wise behind the front seats and his area back of that - no crate unless we are going on a long trip when his bigger crate goes in.

Thanks everyone

I currently have a focus which after talking to hubby last night we are going to change
Either an estate or maybe a focus c max need to check boot space

Those that have dog loose in the boot/hatch how do you stop hem jumping out before you got hold of them ? Obviously training but before training ?

We have a dog guard fitted now.

> Those that have dog loose in the boot/hatch how do you stop hem jumping out before you got hold of them ?

The first thing I buy for every new car is a tailgate guard, wouldn't be without one, for safety on busy roads and just for being able to leave the boot door open for air when stopped.

I've bought from MMG, Guardsman and Barjo, they're all good and rattle free, just go with the cheapest.

Barnesbrooke are good too

Seat covers, and a 'dog hammock' for back seat travel, that way you can use the harness and dog doesn't fall into footwell or lean on backs of the front seats, and it keeps them from pushing between the front seats which a dog the size of a GSD could do even with seatbelt harness.

I often travel with my Elkhounds three on the back seat and two in the boot of our Polo.  Not had to take all six out in it, but could get a fourth in front footwall if I had to, though have had four on back seat for short local trips.

The beauty of the hammock is that it gives you the rear footwell for your stuff, where with seats down it gives us less dog room with the dogs having to have stuff in with them.

Dogs loose in a boot is not something I would ever recommend. In the event of an accident those dogs are going to be flying around the car with great force. Not only does that risk the dogs being injured but also the human occupants of the car.

I have a crate that was built specifically for my car and is divided into compartments so that each dog has it's own separate space.

Keeping a dog from jumping out of the tailgate when opened can be achieved through training - as you said :-) - but in the event of an accident you would have panicked, distressed or injured dogs and it could well be a stranger who had to get them out of the boot area. A secondary door whether it be a crate door or a tailgate guard is a must in my view.

To stop a dog jumping out? As you say, training, but before then I would leave the lead on the dog and one of us would get into the back seats and hold the lead whilst the other opens the tailgate saying the immortal words 'wait, wait' before taking the lead and letting the dog come out under control. Alternatively if you are on your own, is there a suitable anchor point to attach a lead to?

Another way which needs careful management and practice, is open the tailgate a little bit, if the dog comes forwards and sticks his nose into the gap, gently close the gap saying ' sit and wait'. They soon seems to catch on that the door is not going to open unless they sit and stay put until allowed to come out.

Some great advice thanks

She is only 15 weeks at the moment and her "wait" or "stay" is non existent although we are trying!

Off to look at cars over the weekend and have found some sites with crates, tailgates etc

Many of the crates are fairly heavy and tend to be semi-permenant fixtures but if you want a crate in the car that you can shift fairly easily (on your own) have a look at 'hampster baskets' website. They contain the dog but can be easier if you plan to put it in and out.

> Those that have dog loose in the boot/hatch how do you stop hem jumping out before you got hold of them ? Obviously training but before training ?

I use the word 'wait'!!   And the one we have in the back, unless the crate is in for him, doesn't attempt to jump out (breed!!!).    I do make sure I have a hand in as the tailgate is lifted, just in case he takes it into his head to do the 'unusual'. 

"Many of the crates are fairly heavy and tend to be semi-permenant fixtures but if you want a crate in the car that you can shift fairly easily (on your own) have a look at 'hampster baskets' website. They contain the dog but can be easier if you plan to put it in and out. "

Just to add as my Whippet, who uses a crate put across the back of the front seats, is light, and I am aware of the possibility of her crate, and her, 'flying' in case of an accident, I anchor her crate using our old benching chains through the back seat anchor points.

To add it is actually against the law for a dog to not be restrained in a moving vehicle. Whether that's a harness connecting to the seats, crates,dog guards etc but the dogs must not be able to interfere with the driver and in the case of an accident be safe from harm and not being thrown through the windscreen, most people now secure their children so please do it for your dogs too.
The safety of a tailgate is worth every penny, another added layer of security for your dogs

To add I see a number with soft crates just loose on back.seats, in the event of an accident that could easily catapult through the windscreen,again these need to be secured

Going to look at a c max later today if we go for it I think we will get the barjo tailgate