Dog Mode Improvement Needed

[Pommie]

Thanks for pointing out a problem with the software!!! In my town it is legal for someone to break your car window if they think your dog is in distress in a hot car. I thought about having signs made up that say the a/c is running inside the car and it is cool in there.

Also I use a dog crate--one strong tap on the brakes and your dog could get seriously injured as it careens through the windshield. The crate helps protect the dog, keeps hair out of the car, and solves the window problem until a software update is issued. There are also doggie seatbelts, etc, but I think the crate is better.

 

[riche]

This thread made my day. So many laughs.

I grew up on farms with farm dogs that wondered free and slept in the barn, rode in the back of a pick up truck. They were happy dogs and not once tried to hang themselves.

Ha ha!

Well, some dogs are probably just too dumb to know that hanging themselves is an option. Or, if they're like my dogs, they have such strong neck muscles that they would just hang there until you came back to take them down. One of my dogs tries every day to hang himself from the end of plush toy, or to choke himself with tennis balls, but has never succeeded at either.

For those dogs who are self-aware enough to consider this method of escape, then definitely, absolutely keep them in a kennel, or better in a straight jacket. Either is a good choice, and of course it is only for their own protection.

 

[JHuberman]

We have had the same problem with our dogs rolling down the window. We have seatbelt harnesses that keep them from barking at the windows or jumping out, but they can still reach the window controls so the child locks need to be on. We really love Dog Mode. (The problem is worse in the 3.)

 

[dsvick]

Big piece of cardboard from a fridge or big screen will probably keep the dog in back unless it's urgent for them.

No, that just means he'll eat the cardboard before climbing into the front seat

 

[night0002]

I am not a dog owner, however if I did have a dog, I would be wary of using "dog mode" here in AZ, lest some concerned citizen, not knowing about that feature, would call animal rescue to break the glass and release the pet from the "hot" car. I live where the temperature in the summer can reach 118 outside, and 150 degrees+ in 10-15 minutes in the standard ICE vehicle after parking .

 

[MTSN]

I appreciate your polite inquiry to my harsh reply. Sure I could have chosen my words more carefully but Im dead set against leaving animals/ childeren/ elderly in a car.. for obvious reasons. They can get hurt. They can die. There are so many places dogs can get stuck, caught, trapped, strangled, etc. you THINK you're running in a store for a quick minute, but we can't predict the future. You could have a heart attack, get robbed, kidnapped, ubducted by aliens- seriously, wouldn't you rather your dog be safe in your climate controlled home if you get waylaid-- for any reason?

You took something super awesome and brought it to a really dark place I like to take my buddy with me to a lot of places including Saturday morning errands, but sometimes I can't bring him inside. I rarely leave him outside for more than about 15 minutes, but he has 2 zones of climate control and 8 climate vents pointed at him when I do. He also really likes Bon Iver, so I put that on for him too.

I have a question for you - which of these would be worse for my dog?

(1) I park the car with the dog in it, AC blasting and radio playing, and I go inside a store and keel over. People notice there is a Tesla with a dog in it, and they see a meat wagon picking up my body. (Let's assume I'm not married which I am and of course she would be notified and she'd pick up the car and the dog) People would be standing around realize "huh maybe this is the dead dude's car and dog?" and they figure out a way to get him out.

(2) I go to work and leave my dog at home in his crate. I go to the store and keel over. The dog is locked up in his crate at home, and no one realizes I have a dog with no access to food, water, or the ability to go outside and pee and poop. It could be many days before anyone comes to the house and by then it's no bueno for the dog.

I would argue if you're concerned about the well being of a dog in the extremely small likelihood of the owner dying while they run inside the store, the dog is actually much more likely to be rescued quickly than if he was locked up at home.

This is his very excited face. Pretty sure he said "thanks for not leaving me in the crate at home!"

 

[Brian C M3D]

I would like Dog mode to still have a version of the Sentry mode - without the alarm/music blasting. Once you get used to the security of sentry mode, having it disabled is a bit unnerving. I suppose the dogs moving around in the vehicle will activate it, but there should be some work-arounds for that.

 

[dsvick]

... I would be wary of using "dog mode" here in AZ, lest some concerned citizen, not knowing about that feature, would call animal rescue to break the glass and release the pet from the "hot" car.

Well, if they miss the 15" display in the middle of the dash that displays the temperature and says that everything is ok then they can pay for my new window.

 

[Rich A.]

I might be wrong here, but it's very possible that, for safety (emergency) and perhaps cost management reasons, our cars are not wired or engineered in a manner such that the central computer can disable the window buttons. That would mean that your feature enhancement request cannot be implemented without redesigning the window button hardware and wiring. Model 3 gen 2 perhaps?

 

[mswlogo]

You took something super awesome and brought it to a really dark place I like to take my buddy with me to a lot of places including Saturday morning errands, but sometimes I can't bring him inside. I rarely leave him outside for more than about 15 minutes, but he has 2 zones of climate control and 8 climate vents pointed at him when I do. He also really likes Bon Iver, so I put that on for him too.

I have a question for you - which of these would be worse for my dog?

(1) I park the car with the dog in it, AC blasting and radio playing, and I go inside a store and keel over. People notice there is a Tesla with a dog in it, and they see a meat wagon picking up my body. (Let's assume I'm not married which I am and of course she would be notified and she'd pick up the car and the dog) People would be standing around realize "huh maybe this is the dead dude's car and dog?" and they figure out a way to get him out.

(2) I go to work and leave my dog at home in his crate. I go to the store and keel over. The dog is locked up in his crate at home, and no one realizes I have a dog with no access to food, water, or the ability to go outside and pee and poop. It could be many days before anyone comes to the house and by then it's no bueno for the dog.

I would argue if you're concerned about the well being of a dog in the extremely small likelihood of the owner dying while they run inside the store, the dog is actually much more likely to be rescued quickly than if he was locked up at home.

This is his very excited face. Pretty sure he said "thanks for not leaving me in the crate at home!"

And don't rely on Dog Mode with 25% battery It shuts down at 20%.

Good post.

 

[mswlogo]

I might be wrong here, but it's very possible that, for safety (emergency) and perhaps cost management reasons, our cars are not wired or engineered in a manner such that the central computer can disable the window buttons. That would mean that your feature enhancement request cannot be implemented without redesigning the window button hardware and wiring. Model 3 gen 2 perhaps?

Good point. But it can probably do rear windows and I'd be happy with that.

I'd be more concerned that the car could get uncomfortably hot with Windows Open (in some situations) more than someone stealing the dog or the dog jumping out.

 

[efusco]

All good points but I will never understand people who leave their dog in a car- even for one minute. My dog is a dog, no certificates, no blue ribbons and I would NEVER leave her alone in a car. NEVER EVER.. EVERRRR

Why? Why would it be any less safe than leaving the dog at home? Power could go out there and overheat. Many more potential dangers in the home. The Tesla Dog mode is highly reliable and as safe or safer than your home.

 

[mkmazer]

Ok tons of "disagrees".. I get it ppl - you all enjoy leaving your dogs alone in cars. I DO NOT- feel free to disagree alllll day long. It's my opinion and it wont change.

Kids, animals, elderly should NEVER be left alone. How do you know you're coming back? Seriously.. we are not invincible!!.. with the crazies in the world today I'd rather leave my dog home than risk injury in a car. To me it's like locking a child in the bathroom. It's pretty much the most dangerous of scenarios.

Did you hear about the dog that HUNG HIMSELF BY HIS COLLAR while waiting for his owner to get his Latte?!!

TRUE STORY!!

A great feature could be to utilize the interior camera on model 3 with the same type of alerts that a nest/canary camera has. Movement/check-in features to help ensure that the dog is ok...

Loki here loves to be in the front seat but also figured out the windows. Living true to his name.

 

[MTOman]

Sounds like the OP's dog is smarter than your wife.

Oh snap, shots fired!

You took something super awesome and brought it to a really dark place I like to take my buddy with me to a lot of places including Saturday morning errands, but sometimes I can't bring him inside. I rarely leave him outside for more than about 15 minutes, but he has 2 zones of climate control and 8 climate vents pointed at him when I do. He also really likes Bon Iver, so I put that on for him too.

I have a question for you - which of these would be worse for my dog?

(1) I park the car with the dog in it, AC blasting and radio playing, and I go inside a store and keel over. People notice there is a Tesla with a dog in it, and they see a meat wagon picking up my body. (Let's assume I'm not married which I am and of course she would be notified and she'd pick up the car and the dog) People would be standing around realize "huh maybe this is the dead dude's car and dog?" and they figure out a way to get him out.

(2) I go to work and leave my dog at home in his crate. I go to the store and keel over. The dog is locked up in his crate at home, and no one realizes I have a dog with no access to food, water, or the ability to go outside and pee and poop. It could be many days before anyone comes to the house and by then it's no bueno for the dog.

I would argue if you're concerned about the well being of a dog in the extremely small likelihood of the owner dying while they run inside the store, the dog is actually much more likely to be rescued quickly than if he was locked up at home.

This is his very excited face. Pretty sure he said "thanks for not leaving me in the crate at home!"

Your post only makes sense if you use, you know, logic...

 

[focher]

Cat mode...

No, that mode already exists. It’s where you leave the climate control completely turned off.

 

[Mac Clark]

Why not just put on the window lock like for kids? Doesn't solve driver door I suppose.

Edit: still a good idea though.

Has anybody thought about a "kid mode" as well as a "dog mode"?

 

[not2smartpa]

Couple of points -

Great to see that folks are finding out things that can be improved, and sharing it. Doubt the other car makers pay any attention to this sort of thing, but Tesla may.

Dogs, cats, other pets and people in cars — everyone with an animal has experienced the unexpected at some point in time. Stuff happens, and the majority of the time it is not predictable. That being said, there are enough stories in the news during the hot ( and cold) months about kids and pets being left and with dire results. A responsible owner and parent will take specific measures to prevent tragedy, but no one is perfect, stuff can still happen.

NET: everyone is entitled to make their own decisions about how they want to handle a situation, whether with pets or children. Equally others are entitled to their own opinions about what THEY believe is the “right” thing to do for THEM in their circumstances. Sharing an opinion is just that — sharing a belief. We are entitled to agree or disagree, and folks should not force their opinions on others one way or the other. State your belief, and why you believe it, and thank you for sharing. Then let it alone. We can simply agree to disagree and stop bashing the others with a different opinion. Move things forward respectfully and constructively, as the negativity and “my way or the highway” approach solve nothing.