UK Model 3 and Dog Owners

[interbear]

Hi all - still loving my Model 3 since taking delivery in September. However, it now looks like we have decided to welcome a rescue dog into the family sometime soon, so I’m pondering just how practical the Model 3 is for this purpose.

Any tips from fellow UK dog owners? Any “must have” things I should buy in preparation as part of my lockdown internet shopping frenzy? Things to protect both the car and dog. Dog will be medium to large sized, think lab or GSD.

Or should I insist that the dog only ever travels in Mrs interbears Renault Clio?

Or, should I seriously think about trading in my Model 3 for a Model Y when it arrives in the UK? I much prefer the sleek shape of the 3 but I know that hatchback practicality of the Y may be useful for a dog.

Interested in your thoughts.

 

[mswlogo]

We had two 30 lbs shelties in the 3 and they were fine. Seat cover and barrier to the front.

A lab sized dog is pretty big for a 3. Even a Y. We now have an X. And they stay behind 2nd row. That would be even tight for a lab sized dog.

Now if you keep 2nd row folded there is plenty of space for a lab. But that is a lot space that can get trashed over time.

It all depends how trashed you want your car and how well behaved the dog is. And how much space you want to share. Ours are very well behaved. Except for barking.

 

[interbear]

We had two 30 lbs shelties in the 3 and they were fine. Seat cover and barrier to the front.

A lab sized dog is pretty big for a 3. Even a Y. We now have an X. And they stay behind 2nd row. That would be even tight for a lab sized dog.

Now if you keep 2nd row folded there is plenty of space for a lab. But that is a lot space that can get trashed over time.

It all depends how trashed you want your car and how well behaved the dog is. And how much space you want to share. Ours are very well behaved. Except for barking.

Thanks.

I’d rather not trash the car but dogs will be dogs. Hence exploring protective covers and the like. A Model X is too big and too expensive for me. A Y is a more realistic option and I think would be big enough based on things I’ve read so far. I’d rather keep the 3 but practicality may win. Although I’ve just read about 3 owners putting the rear seats down and giving the dogs plenty of space. That would work but not when travelling with other family passengers. Usually we are max 3 in the car as older son is off to Uni now.

As for the dog behaviour itself, imponderable until we adopt one and learn about it’s character. I think I’ll use the wife’s car until it’s out of puppy behaviour stage

 

[DaveyJ2019]

I have had my M3 since Dec i have 2 labs. The 3 is far too small IMHO and unless it was an emergency vet trip or such like my dogs will never be in the 3. I opted to have a second car for the dogs an old mondeo estate. Not an option for everyone i know but the 3 is far too nice/expensive a car to allow it to be trashed by the dogs.

 

[Adopado]

Not an option for everyone i know but the 3 is far too nice/expensive a car to allow it to be trashed by the dogs.

...or children, teenagers, careless wives/husbands, incontinent elderly relatives ...

 

[mswlogo]

Thanks.

I’d rather not trash the car but dogs will be dogs. Hence exploring protective covers and the like. A Model X is too big and too expensive for me. A Y is a more realistic option and I think would be big enough based on things I’ve read so far. I’d rather keep the 3 but practicality may win. Although I’ve just read about 3 owners putting the rear seats down and giving the dogs plenty of space. That would work but not when travelling with other family passengers. Usually we are max 3 in the car as older son is off to Uni now.

As for the dog behaviour itself, imponderable until we adopt one and learn about it’s character. I think I’ll use the wife’s car until it’s out of puppy behaviour stage

A Y with seats down would probably work. But with rear passengers and putting lab in the back I think is to small. That would be like the emergency Vet trip. My pups have just enough space in the back of the X. But they are not nearly as tall. I think a Lab would be Ok behind send row in X but not Y. Unless Y is bigger than I thought. Lab would be fine seats down in Y or X.

 

[interbear]

I have had my M3 since Dec i have 2 labs. The 3 is far too small IMHO and unless it was an emergency vet trip or such like my dogs will never be in the 3. I opted to have a second car for the dogs an old mondeo estate. Not an option for everyone i know but the 3 is far too nice/expensive a car to allow it to be trashed by the dogs.

Yes I can see how the 3 would struggle with 2 labs but I’m hopeful it may cope with a single lab sized dog. We also have a 2nd car, a Clio, also small. So perhaps the right answer is that I keep the Model 3 as a dog free zone and replace the Clio with a slightly bigger second hand SUV ish car. If the wife approves, she loves her wee Clio.

The only challenge with that is that for longer road trips up to Scotland or France to visit family, we’d likely want the dog to come with us and the Model 3 is our preferred car for those journeys. Would seem counter intuitive NOT to use the Model 3 for these Which thinking also propels me close to thinking that the Y might be a more appropriate option as the dog could go into the hatch. I think, depends on size. The other challenge is that with a rescue dog of unsure origins, how big it’ll get is a bit of a lottery

 

[DaddyCool]

Treat them as working dogs when on the road?
Dog Trailers For Sale Northern Ireland | David Murphy Towing

 

[interbear]

Treat them as working dogs when on the road?
Dog Trailers For Sale Northern Ireland | David Murphy Towing

Ha. No chance of that. Would also need a towbar and my Model 3 doesn’t have one. So I’m already having to sell my rather pricey bike carrier. Didn’t think that one through

 

[Dilly]

We used to have one car between the wife and I
Her first dog ate part of the headlining in our Landrover Discovery. Several years later, it ate through the rear seatbelt attached to its travel harness in a Subaru Outback.
Thereafter she got a dog car (Which never got trashed at all) and all subsequent dogs have travelled in cages.
Her current two now travel Happily in a really good quality cage In an Outlander.
The cage keeps the dogs and the car safe but the car always smells of damp dog. We just chuck a febreeze grenade in every so often
Unless anaesthetised, they’ll never set paw in the 3!!

 

[stonecoldrmw]

I have a rescue dog and he rides up front with me. Put his bed on the car seat and in he comes. I think it depends on the dogs temperament and general behaviour, along with their size. Mine is a poodle cross/mix. He's a small/medium sized dog, approx 10-11kgs.

 

[Jonslatt]

@stonecoldrmw. See this quite a lot in my profession as a veterinarian. Have seen two now where dog on front car seat, owner not concentrating and run into back of another car. Airbag deployed and hit pooch at 300mph. Not pleasant. I appreciate this scenario is far less likely to happen in a Tesla due to active safety features but even so.


Also heard from a fire brigade friend who got called to an RTA where elderly owner had dog on lap. Dog and owner merged on their way to heaven in very nasty mess.

Front foot well is a far more appropriate place if you can train your pooch to jump in there and stay.

Jon

 

[interbear]

@stonecoldrmw. See this quite a lot in my profession as a veterinarian. Have seen two now where dog on front car seat, owner not concentrating and run into back of another car. Airbag deployed and hit pooch at 300mph. Not pleasant. I appreciate this scenario is far less likely to happen in a Tesla due to active safety features but even so.


Also heard from a fire brigade friend who got called to an RTA where elderly owner had dog on lap. Dog and owner merged on their way to heaven in very nasty mess.

Front foot well is a far more appropriate place if you can train your pooch to jump in there and stay.

Jon

Ouch. On all counts.

I’ve seen many dog owning pals transport their dogs in the front footwell, works to a degree although a higher risk of the dog deciding to jump on the driver to play. Which would not be fun. I think I’d always have a dog in the rear seats or hatchback. A cage may work but no chance of fitting one of those in a Model 3.

The more I read the more I’m convinced that the 2nd car should be upgraded (in size) to cope with the majority of doggy trips, with the rear seats of the Model 3 being an occasional or long road trip necessity.

 

[Ticked]

@stonecoldrmw. See this quite a lot in my profession as a veterinarian. Have seen two now where dog on front car seat, owner not concentrating and run into back of another car. Airbag deployed and hit pooch at 300mph. Not pleasant. I appreciate this scenario is far less likely to happen in a Tesla due to active safety features but even so.


Also heard from a fire brigade friend who got called to an RTA where elderly owner had dog on lap. Dog and owner merged on their way to heaven in very nasty mess.

Front foot well is a far more appropriate place if you can train your pooch to jump in there and stay.

Jon

If you really need to have a large dog e.g. lab or GSD, then apart from a well secured and well manufactured cage, the only way they can safely travel is in a Sleepypod car harness. They will need training to accept the harness or cage and they may or may not accept it - depending on how good you are at training them and their previous life experience. Our dog did not enjoy travelling in a car cage but tolerates a harness well and I have no worries about her or my safety.

 

[Dilly]

Ouch. On all counts.

I’ve seen many dog owning pals transport their dogs in the front footwell, works to a degree although a higher risk of the dog deciding to jump on the driver to play. Which would not be fun. I think I’d always have a dog in the rear seats or hatchback. A cage may work but no chance of fitting one of those in a Model 3.

The more I read the more I’m convinced that the 2nd car should be upgraded (in size) to cope with the majority of doggy trips, with the rear seats of the Model 3 being an occasional or long road trip necessity.

Our first dog wagon was a Subaru estate which was OK. The current Outlander is OK too but the cage is tight to get in and out.
Best of all was the Peugeot 807 with 3 QD seats taken out. Absolutely masses of room for 3 large cages and easy to fit/remove.
If they start making them again as PHEV’s or EV’s, we’d be first in the queue!

 

[ringi]

The ID.3 may turn out to be a more practical option for dog owners.

 

[pdk42]

A dog in the same cabin as driver and passengers that's not properly secured will become a large and heavy projectile in the event of an accident. I personally think that a Model 3 is not suitable at all for any dog, especially a large one like a Labrador. I'd strongly suggest that you replace the Clio with an estate car. There are lots to choose from that are decent cars that handle and perform well (my last car was a BMW 335i estate ).

 

[Dickybeau]

I have 2 vizslas. I use this fir the back seats Pet Car Seat covers for Dog with Mesh Window Back Seat Protector Dog Hammock | eBay and each has a harness labelled RAC (similar to RAC Car Dog Harness Medium 5028804003756 | eBay)
I need to cover the rear door sills with plastic body covers but my boys, who until now, have been estate dogs have settled rather well to saloons. The dogs harnesses ensure they are fastened by seatbelts. Dogs weigh 25kg each

 

[interbear]

I have 2 vizslas. I use this fir the back seats Pet Car Seat covers for Dog with Mesh Window Back Seat Protector Dog Hammock | eBay and each has a harness labelled RAC (similar to RAC Car Dog Harness Medium 5028804003756 | eBay)
I need to cover the rear door sills with plastic body covers but my boys, who until now, have been estate dogs have settled rather well to saloons. The dogs harnesses ensure they are fastened by seatbelts. Dogs weigh 25kg each

Love Vizslas. Lovely dogs, but like rocking horse **** to get hold of it seems. We’ve looked for months, a friend has one.

Anyway, appreciate the advice and links, will take a look. The harnesses would certainly help deal with the safety issue n

 

[Dickybeau]

Love Vizslas. Lovely dogs, but like rocking horse **** to get hold of it seems. We’ve looked for months, a friend has one.

Anyway, appreciate the advice and links, will take a look. The harnesses would certainly help deal with the safety issue n

A couple of places in Scotland for Vizslas with good reputations. My own dogs cane from John McGurk in Kirkmuirhill near Lesmahagow. Highly recommend him. This was his last litter. Not sure what plans he has as he’s getting old and this virus is a problem. https://www.champdogs.co.uk/litter/53538?classic_site=1 There’s another vizsla specialists nearby but can’t remember the name.

the harnesses are essential imo. I don’t fancy one of my pocket rockets bouncing about my head in the event of an accident. The hammock is just a cheapo. We had a cushioned version but threads gave way so bought this instead. It’s waterproof. The seatbelt clamp fits through a Velcro window in the bottom and the dogs are secure. We need to hoover weekly to remove the fine reddish brown hairs my dogs emit but after a muddy walk. It’s ideal. We throw a couple of old fleece blankets on the bottom and they’re very comfortable. We had planned to go to a gite in France with them this month. They would have been fine for the trip down to the ferry sitting in the back.