UK Model 3 and Dog Owners

[smeg9]

We've got a GSP, so quite a large dog, he seems fine in the Model 3. Make sure you plug in all seatbelts though, the seatbelt alarm will drive you mad!

Rear seat covers and a seatbelt clip for his harness.

Only used dog mode once whilst we quickly popped to the shops - that's a pretty good feature.

Sure the model Y will probably be better, there's more room in the boot of my Wife's SUV, but carbon emissions and boring drive means we rarely take the dog in that anymore!

 

[interbear]

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.

Thanks. I’m a Scot but now resident down in South Wales so Lesmahagow is a bit far for a puppy search. I searched the website link for Vizslas within a 100 mile radius, nothing. No surprise there. We’ve decided to go down the rescue route now anyway as so many dogs need a home. I fear many more will after this period such is the rush to buy puppies during lockdown. Anyway, off topic.

Interesting you are thinking of taking the dogs to France in the Model 3. We travel to Normandy regularly to visit family and would take the dog with us for certain. The pet friendly cabins on Brittany ferries should be just fine. I know the Tesla has dog mode but I wouldn’t fancy leaving the dog in the car for 6 hours

 

[Dickybeau]

Thanks. I’m a Scot but now resident down in South Wales so Lesmahagow is a bit far for a puppy search. I searched the website link for Vizslas within a 100 mile radius, nothing. No surprise there. We’ve decided to go down the rescue route now anyway as so many dogs need a home. I fear many more will after this period such is the rush to buy puppies during lockdown. Anyway, off topic.

Interesting you are thinking of taking the dogs to France in the Model 3. We travel to Normandy regularly to visit family and would take the dog with us for certain. The pet friendly cabins on Brittany ferries should be just fine. I know the Tesla has dog mode but I wouldn’t fancy leaving the dog in the car for 6 hours

We would cross by the Chunnel and make stops overnight as well as plenty during the day. We currently have a motorhome and use the Amsterdam crossing normally. They stay in the van for 12 hours usually since neither likes to pee on the ferry and they hate the kennels on there. Travelling in the car is a lot easier than the van. Dog mode when parked up is a real blessing though I fancy we will need some of the sun shades for the roof

 

[Fraank]

Thanks. I’m a Scot but now resident down in South Wales so Lesmahagow is a bit far for a puppy search. I searched the website link for Vizslas within a 100 mile radius, nothing. No surprise there. We’ve decided to go down the rescue route now anyway as so many dogs need a home. I fear many more will after this period such is the rush to buy puppies during lockdown. Anyway, off topic.

Interesting you are thinking of taking the dogs to France in the Model 3. We travel to Normandy regularly to visit family and would take the dog with us for certain. The pet friendly cabins on Brittany ferries should be just fine. I know the Tesla has dog mode but I wouldn’t fancy leaving the dog in the car for 6 hours

I've bought some Scottish ancestry to South Wales also - she is a great model 3 passenger too - a Scottish terrier! A smaller dog would certainly save you some logistical hurdles.

 

[interbear]

Well this thread has already helped with one decision. We’ve decided to hold off on the rescue pup we were considering adopting as we were able to delve into his mixed breed lineage yesterday and learned that as an adult dog he’d be on the large side ie. definitely larger than a lab and extremely hairy! Definitely too big for us.

So we’ll focus on short haired, low shedding, small to medium sized dogs. Which should be a better fit for the Model 3. Not ideal I know but better.

 

[Flatchat]

I've got a couple of dogs, both 15kg and I'd have preferred a model Y for it's hatchback but with my model 3 I use an Orvis hammock cover and a couple of Eazydog car straps (not shown in the pic below).

Works ok, been on a couple of long road trips with the dogs and they are comfy enough, can lie down and kip, the straps keep them secure and they can't drop down into the footwell due to the hammock design. I'm often out doing walks in the muddy countryside with them and the cover is good quality and protects the car well. Taking it in/out takes just a couple of minutes and it's washable. I looked into a few different solutions, spoke to a few owners (on facebook) and came to the conclusion this was the best option for my medium size dogs and I'm pretty happy with the set-up. It'll do until the model Y arrives.

 

[Adopado]

So we’ll focus on short haired, low shedding, small to medium sized dogs. Which should be a better fit for the Model 3. Not ideal I know but better.

I think I've found the ideal type. Short hair, no smell ... fits on the parcel shelf...

 

[stonecoldrmw]

@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

Totally accept all these points. Not doing it down but he's not a lively dog and does sit/lay for the majority of journeys. He doesn't ride with me much anyway, probably once a week for a short journey to his auntie's for doggy day care. Been looking in to harnesses too actually. I'd much rather him be strapped in so will def take a look at the recommendation here.

 

[John_L]

We have a 25kg boxer who regularly travelled in the boot of my previous hatchback. I got a rear seat cover from EVAnnex and also a seatbelt adapter to keep the dog in place. The cover fits very well and protects the rear seats nicely. The best bit is that it folds up easily and stows in the boot, when we carry humans.

It took the dog a couple of days to adapt to jumping in through the rear door rather than the more open and spacious tailgate, but she's perfectly happy now.

 

[GP37]

We use a couple of folding dog crates as they are soft you can put them on the back seat or in a boot on a hatchback. We have cocker spaniels and the crates buy you precious time when you open the car door before they leg it into the woods.

 

[Fly.guy]

We first had first a Border Collie and now an Alsatian cross and both have been fine in the back of our Model S. Indeed, having a hatchback suitable for the dogs was an essential factor in choosing the car. The trim and carpets pick up dog hair and are a pain to clean, but the rear seat headrests act as an effective barrier that stops them trying to get into the back seats. And the boot area in a Model S offers plenty of space for them to lie/sit down.

The Model S is now 4 years old and not having the hatchback is why it hasn’t yet been replaced by a Model 3. I guess we’ll just have to hang on until the Model Y makes it to these shores...

 

[interbear]

Right so this **** has got real. Visited and put deposit on a puppy yesterday, he’ll be joining the clan mid September. Medium sized mixed breed, mainly spaniel with a dash of golden retriever. I now need to decide whether or not to buy the back seat protectors for the Model 3 or designate Mrs interbear’s Clio as “the dog car”. I think I’ll have to do the former as I really don’t want to be driving the ICE on a regular basis.

 

[Generator]

Dachshund. Very good traveller.

Plenty of options for seat protectors, just buy them as they’re pretty cheap and you’ll definitely want to use the Tesla and take the dog out at the same time,