A dog and a kid in the back?

[badlydrawnboy]

We recently bought a MS 90D, and we have a 5-year old daughter. Next weekend we're going to pick up a 9-week old Labrador Retriever puppy. I'm starting to think ahead to what road trips and even trips around town will look like.

I've done some research on the forums on various solutions for transporting dogs while protecting the car. Seems like the most popular options are a hammock/seat protector with a dog in the back seat, or a liner with the dog in the trunk. The hammock won't work because our 5-year old will be in a booster seat in the back seat. We could have the dog in the trunk with a liner, but I have a couple of concerns about that: 1) will it be too hot/cold and not enough air flow?, and 2) where will our luggage go on road trips (I guess we could get a roof luggage carrier)?

Another option I considered was putting one of the back seats down, and then putting the dog in a soft crate so that she is riding on the seat that is down in the back seat area. That would free up the trunk for luggage, and also protect the car because the dog would be in a contained area.

Just wondering how others with a kid(s) and a dog have approached this. Thanks.

 

[msnow]

Some of the hammock style covers have zippers in the middle so you can have a child on one side and the puppy in the other. For that to work you'd have to have a calm or well trained lab pup.
I've never put ours in the way back under the hatch but I'm sure it could get hot. Your seat down soft crate would work too.
As an aside, we've found we have to feather the go pedal to limit the effects of regen making our dog nauseous.

 

[MGMDaware]

A crate is the way to go. The puppy WILL ABSOLUTELY use your car as a toilet AND possibly vomit from the motion. Limit the space in which the dog can f*#k things up. When the puppy is larger, car happy and able to hold it's bladder, then it's safe(r) to let them roam in the back.

 

[alexvirital]

Soft crate until the pup is car-broken, then see how their temperament is. Don't forget you've got the trunk, too.

...for your bags, jeez people.