I will have charge of a puppy soon and since I work at home I won't have to leave it alone at all.

However I do have to take my son to school, and wife to work, so the puppy will have to get used to car rides.

My problem is that I will be alone in the car for the 15min return journey and it's a saloon car. She will eventually have to wear a harness in the back seat but what would be best during the first couple of months?

What is best, a small crate, carry box, tiny harness or try to get her used to being alone for half an hour at home from the start?

I would say a cage, as the pup will get used to it and it is handy for longer journeys as you dont have to worry about it getting up to mischief and also it is safer, a number of people have had car accident and their dog walks away unharmed, also safer for you :)

A crate in the car would be safest. But she will also need to learn to be happy on her own for short times, so I would alternate between taking her in the car and leaving her at home.
:)

A crate it will be then:)

She will be a Miniature Poodle so I imagine a Toy size crate under the safety belt would be enough for her?

There will be no problems with leaving her alone  for such short periods.
The problem you may encounter if you take her everywhere with you is she may suffer seperation anxiety on those times she has to be left alone .
Lel

I would agree with lel, i took our dog everywhere, then the kids broke up for summer so she never got to be alone, then come September boy did i have problems.
If you must take it, i stuck mine in the boot lined with a fleecy blanket and a guard so she couldn't jump over to the back seats.

Dunno where you are but I have a small dog box ideal for the car for sale.  It was used to put my Rott pup in until he was 12 weeks, so its quite generous size wise.  Its like the ones used on aircrafts.

My e mail is tina_blackman@blueyonder.co.uk

Argos do a collapsable(sp?) crate at a really good price. I bought it for my cavvies (2 fit in with loads of space to spare) and until they were big enough for a harness on the back seat they travelled in the car in their crate. They now sit on the back seat and the crate folds into the boot - much better as I don't have a very big car! They go to my mums the couple of days I work and although weren't sure of the car at first, they now love it and behave very well.

I have a small crate but it's quite heavy, I think I'll give it a go, It's really just for those first few weeks when a harness might be a bit to much for her back there on her own.

I will try and alternate, letting her stay in her crate at home when I only take my wife the short trip to work.

I did see a sort of collapsable tent thingy for back seets somewhere too.