I was having coffee with a friend yesterday. I noticed a chocolate lab in a SUV..windows were open but it was a very steamy morning. My friend and I looked around the place to see who owned the dog. Well, a woman brought some water to the dog and then others milled about. The owners was outside sitting at a table, finally got the point and came over (why, in the hell did she bring her dog to Starbucks if she was going to leave him in the car???) If she was sitting outside, she could have had him sit with her. Some people..
DOGS ROCK!!!
Most people should not own dogs (or have kids)
I have to say that in some instances, I need to leave the dogs in the car briefly and I'm always worried that some Good Samaritan will decide they need to liberate my animals and break out one of my car windows. I'm talking about traveling on a several hour trip by myself where maybe my dogs won't need to get out to pee, but the same isn't true for me. I can't take them into the restrooms at McDonald's so I crank the AC up to chill the interior of the car as much as possible, try to park in some shade, run in and use the bathroom, and then come back out and go through the drive through if I'm getting food. Then we go to a nearby gas station so I can fill up the tank and the pups get their McDoubles and a drink of cold water. I know this isn't exactly the same situation, but sometimes the dog needs to stay in the car for a few minutes. I'm sure there are folks on here who travel to dog shows who have to stop and use a bathroom and leave dogs in the car briefly.
Aside from not stopping to use the restroom, does anyone else have suggestions for long trips where you are alone with your dogs?
Sue
Chase 9/29/2006- 6/30/2017 Always in our hearts
Lark 12/25/2012- 2/2/22
Henry 7/14/18
Joey 5/14/2022
“Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would this world be like without dogs?”
― Mary Oliver, Hidden Content
Sometimes we bring the dogs and have to run in to places where dogs are not allowed. A recent example I can think of is we went to the beach and had to run in to the grocery store on the way. Our car has the capability of removing the key while the engine is running so we locked them in the ac cooled car while we ran in. I don't see it as being a problem if the car is on but I always wonder if someone's going to yell at me.
I think there is a difference in running in and out of store/restroom and chilling out for awhile and having a coffee or doing some shopping.
My truck has remote start so when I have to run in somewhere and I have my dog I crack wind in back for him and then I lock the doors, start the truck with remote start. The A/C auto starts, vehicle is locked, and he is secure. The remote start runs for I think 10 minutes before it turns off. I have never been anywhere long enough for that to happen. With me I usually need it whens topping at gas station or something.
I guess I need to learn to use the remote starter on my vehicle!
Why didn't' someone say something to the dog's owner? What is the point of giving him water and milling about outside of the vehicle when the owner was right there? Someone could have said, "Excuse me, but I think it might be a little too hot to leave the dog in the car. What do you think?"
Not pertaining to this situation, but to what others are saying, my dogs pant in the car with the AC going. Heck, they pretty much pant 24/7 in the summer! If I were to have a really bad bout of say, a stomach "problem" and needed a bathroom STAT, and I was by myself (which I usually am), I would have no other option than to park in the shadiest spot I could find, roll the windows down, and run into a public restroom. I would HOPE that if someone were concerned, they would at least try to find the owner while waiting for the police or animal control. If it were a choice between someone busting my car and handing my keys over to a stranger to get the AC going, I think I would choose the latter. And, I would love it if I were to have that choice!
There have been several times when I needed to head to the bank, a small branch which does not have a drive through, which is on the way to a lake or the beach to take Archie on an outing. It's literally half way there. I have to make two trips, one to the bank, back home, then load up Archie up and off we go. There is no shade in the bank parking lot and I never know how many people may be in line. I've never left any dog in the car, no matter how short a time. People around here watch for that stuff and I know I'll come out to a broken window or the police/AC having been called.
Have made a trip or two when I needed a pee break, that's when I take a gran with me and we take turns. That certainly does not answer the question that Smartrock has. I have not had to consider trips like she makes and the situations she encounters. Be interested in hearing what others do as it could occur to any of us.
I always keep a supply of 6" braided bully sticks in my car for just in case situations. When Ram is chewing on a bully stick he lies down on the back seat, so he's not noticeable. Sometimes I even feel guilty if I'm putting gas in my car and people notice him looking out the window.
Regarding the remote starter, a friend of mine was still warned by police about this, she was also warned about not leaving her car idling, we have a city bylaw of 1 minute.
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