i post on here a while ago about my dog going loopy in the car! she gets very excited going for walks (we are trying driving round without a walk at the end) and barks all the way there! She also tries her best to get out the boot! We have a dog guard which she has now worked out how to escape from. It has extendable ends and she pushes it back in and climbs though. We have tried having her in the back but she know undoes the seatbelt and lets herself out. I think i am going to have to buy a crate for her. The only thing is I only drive a renault clio! I know the boots are little but she does have plenty of room to move about at the mo (she is a 10 month old weimaraner) however i am pretty sure a cage wont fit! Dont really want to buy a new car, but will if i have to! any ideas anyone?!

I think you can get doggy seatbelts, but not sure

Yeah we have one of them but she has taught herself to press the button and let herself out! its happened far too many times to be a coincidence!!! ta anyway!!!

Hi weezie  when putting the doggy seat belt on do you always put it on the same side giving her time to work it out, I'd swop her over to the other side and cover the button up.

Roni

Hi- I completely understand what you are going through. We have an 8 yr old rescue Patterdale Terrier who goes into overdrive (excuse pun) as soon as he gets near the car. I've tried masses of things (I haven't found the magic key that'll work for him yet - but that's not to say one won't work for you!). Have you tried: lavender oil on paws (dilute in carrier oil as you would for yourself & give her a massage to the pads), Tellington Touch (look on ebay for a second hand copy, I got one for £5 all in), distraction activities (favourite toy in the back with her, or a chewy thing like a kong filled with goodies for her to work out)? We tried a cage but this proved very expensive and achieved nothing as he just run around in small circles going crazy-I hasten to add that the one I have on sale is a different one that Scruff used! Have you tried sitting in the back with her whilst the car is stationary & seeing if she eventually settles down? I did find that if I sat & read my book for a spell & completely ignored him, Scruff would eventually (took an hour) get fed-up & the excited anticipation would subside (My problem was that he has to go to work with us twice a week, so I didn't have the build-up time really required for this to maybe succeed). One of the big key points is to remain calm at all times, however difficult this may be. If you get impatient & loose your temper it definitely has a negative effect on the dog (& you of course). There's times I get completely wound up, but then I remind myself that he's not doing it as a personal vendetta- there's a viable reason in his doggy head for his actions, so I wait till I get home, vent my spleen on my partner instead, sit down & try & crack the enigma. Just don't give up, she's still young. Hope this has been of some use. All the best Liz.

Invest in a proper dog guard and tailgate made by the numerous specialist companies.  These bolt in and cannot be removed. At present your dog is presenting a risk to herself, the occupants of the car and others if she escapes or distracts you (see highway code).

Thanx everyone for your tips. I realise the risk, thats why im trying to get advice, dont want to put her or anyone at risk. will try the ideas and look into a proper dog guard.

Hi Weezie,

I don't know if you are still around, but I know you can get seat belt button guards, for use with children, when they undo their seat belts, I don't know if it would be possible to use with a dog seat belt but it might be worth looking into. I know it won't help your dog settle down, but it might stop him being a danger to you and himself for now.

Natalie

P.S. If you look around at shops like Mothercare, Babies 'r' us (part of toys 'r' us), Halfords, and there are other baby shops on line you can find seat belt guards quite easily.