Don't let your dog hang it's head out of the car window

Lola's mum · #1 10-09-2006, 03:57 PM

Today at work my friend told me that herself and her daughter were driving along yesterday and in the car in front was a german Shepherd with it's head out of the window. She said that more & more of this dog became visible until it actually leapt out of the window.
The driver didn't notice straight away and the poor dog rolled quite a few times down the road. She stopped and spoke to the driver and luckily there was a police car behind her who also got out. The dog got up limping but she thinks he had some abrasions on him and urged the owner to take him to the vet.

I see many dogs with their whole heads out of windows and would urge owners not to let their dogs do this. As well as injuring themselves they could cause a bad accident involving other cars.
My friend and her daughter were quite traumatised seeing this.
Poor dog, hope it's ok.

KCboxer4 · #2 10-09-2006, 04:21 PM

That is so sad.............I hope he'll be ok, poor little guy

We don't let our guys do this but for a different reason, eye ulcers. Very common in dogs that drive down the road with their heads out the window, it can cause abrasions on the eye. Honestly, theres so much for us to worry about...........

harlie'smom · #3 10-09-2006, 04:41 PM

Hope he will be ok.

I barely crack my windows so they can stick there noses out and then i get all freaked out and roll them up. Id die if something were to hit them in the face or they jump out while on the freeway. OMG they terrifies me.

Teagan'smom · #4 10-09-2006, 05:58 PM

There are so many things that can go wrong by letting your dog do that. First of all the eye problems that can arise. Also just think about if heaven forbid the car got in an accident and the dog is not restrained in any way. How horrible! I mean everyone knows what happens to humans when they are not buckled in, the same thing would happen to a poor doggy too

That is why we have a car crate for Teagan, so that at least she is in a confined space and can't go too far. Once she gets older though, she won't fit into her crate anymore.
We are looking into the seat belts for dogs. Has anyone had any success with those or are their dogs driven crazy by them??

tastubbs · #5 10-09-2006, 06:22 PM

Gosh, here in Mississippi, it is not uncommon to see people driving down the highway with dogs in the back of their pick-up trucks (usually labs). I can't stand it, it makes me so nervous for the dogs and the drivers on the highway. Why do people do that?!

Pearlywhirly · #6 10-09-2006, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teagan'smom

We are looking into the seat belts for dogs. Has anyone had any success with those or are their dogs driven crazy by them??

I have a strap that goes from the seatbelt to Pearl's collar. We were in a bad accident in April and I know it kept her from becoming a projectile. I got it at PetsMart.

catcrazy56 · #7 10-09-2006, 10:13 PM

Our dogs don't hang there heads out the window since Foreman lost sight in his eye we didn't want to take a chance of his other eye being injured and even a bug flying into there eyes could cause damage at a high speed.

Harley has a harness for the car he loves it I just can't get it to work in my car though.

There are one that buckle right into your seatbelt they are better

PARIS05 · #8 10-10-2006, 06:02 AM

I hope that doggy is ok. That is so horrifying. I would just die if that happened to Paris. I have always been tempted to open the window more, but I don't just for that reason. I just crack it enough so she can stick her muzzle out, but never could get her whole body out. You may also want to lock your window switches too. You never know how smart they are or what they will push on accident.

Biff · #9 10-10-2006, 06:09 AM

When I was in High School, a boy in our year stuck his head out of the corridor window on a train, and was decapitated when the train went through a tunnel.

I had forgotten all about it until now, and realize this is the reason I would NEVER let anyone, human or animal, stick their head of the car window when I'm driving

pmari3 · #10 10-10-2006, 06:29 AM

How awful. I hope the poor dog is going to be okay.

I was behind a pickup truck once who had a dog leashed in the back. Unfortunately, the leash wasn't short enough and the dog tried to jump out.

The poor dog was dangling over the side of the truck. It was awful. Fortunately, the man was just pulling out of a parking lot and wasn't moving very fast and must have been looking out his mirrors. He noticed right away and stopped. The dog looked to be okay. I was almost in tears