# leaving my pooch alone in my car (cool/cold weather)



## GDOG (Jun 18, 2012)

so what do people do about leaving your dog alone in the car? I understand the dangers of heat of course. what about in the cooler temperatures? do you leave your dog in the car while you run into the store for just a few minutes? what about longer periods of time? is there zero tolerance for this? I've brought her into certain businesses and other places but it would be nice to leave her in the car for short periods of time.


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## akgolden (Jun 18, 2011)

I live in Alaska and have taken my pups with me quite a few times when out running around town. My truck has a remote start so what I usually do is crack a window and then lock the truck and remote start it. That way it stays warm for the few minutes I am in the store doing what I need to do. And since the truck is locked the pups are safe and sound


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## Bellazmum (Oct 22, 2012)

I am a bit of a freak when it comes to leaving them in the car - my husband says I have OCD - even if I stop to fill the tank up I feel guilty that they are in car! 


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## mudEpawz (Jan 20, 2011)

i dont take my dog in the car in summer however, in the winter I will have her tag along with me provided I am only doing small/quick errands. But I must admit im a little OCD about it. i have park close to the store and be able to check on my car/dog. I probably look like a nut in the store because i am constantly running back to the window to check on chloe, ready to take on anyone who is even looking at my car. heck chloe gives me an odd look "uhh mom... this is the weirdest game of hide and seek ever!" Im never in the store longer then a few minutes since its usually just to pick up something. Chloe likes the car ride and I like the company too.


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## Millie'sMom (Sep 7, 2012)

My 2 girls come with me to work everyday, and occassionally I run some errands on my way home. I do leave them in the car in the cooler weather. I make sure I crack a window, even though it is cool and make sure the car is locked. They watch me until I disappear inside and then lay down and go to sleep. I always keep a dog coat in the car for them in the much colder weather, and put it on them if I am going to be more than a couple of minutes or could get delayed.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I take them with me to many places. I know at what time of day there will be shady parking at all the places I frequent. If I don't know about the parking in advance, they don't go. 

My common routine is to drop DD at school, head to the dog park for an hour, then head to the gym. My YMCA is built next to a freeway and the parking is all shaded. I give them water, crack the windows, and leave for an hour. Recently someone said something to me about the danger of leaving a dog in the car. I appreciated his concern although I'm sure they are fine. Just to be sure, I recently went and bought a tiny thermometer which I keep hanging behind the rear view mirror and I check it frequently. 

Since I live in California, I'm not too worried about winter cold, but I never leave them in the sun even in cold weather.


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

If I'm just running in for a quick stop i leave them in the car when it's cool. I keep an eye on the car as much as possible but when people see an Akita in the car they almost always take the long way around to get to their car so I don't worry about anyone messing with them


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## GinnyinPA (Oct 31, 2010)

We stop at the grocery on the way home from hiking or the park, so Ben stays in the car while we're in the store. When it's warm, one of us will stay with him and sit in the shade outside the store or walk him, but when it gets cool, he's okay alone.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

I don't leave mine in the car in warm weather but I do I cool weather. The yorkies don't like Cold weather so I am sure they are happy at home. Buddy loves to freeze his butt off and so did RIP Lucky! Lucky was a puppy all winter long playing in the cold- You could not keep him inside when there was snow outside. I think Buddy will be the same way .


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

What area of the country do you live? How long? 5 minutes? 5 hours? In some of the southern areas of the US, it can be cool outside (50s) but with the sun's radiant heat it can easily heat up in the car, possibly to uncomfortable levels depending on the conditions that day. That may not be the case in other cooler areas of the country. I believe geography makes a big difference in answering this question during cooler weather times. For example, here in Dallas, I was out a couple of days ago and it was 45 degrees on my car thermometer when I went into an establishment and 65 degrees inside the car an hour later, just from sitting in the parking lot. It was 9 in the morning- no telling what would have happened around noon when the sun would be at a higher angle. I use my AC inside the car almost all year long due to radiant heat building inside the car on sunny days. That's the way it is here in this part of the country.

Also, check your city ordinances. Some cities prohibit this practice and will authorize law and fire officials (and sometimes citizens) to break into the car to rescue the dog, without legal repercussions. 

Personally, living in Dallas I'd never do it, no matter the temperature outside. I'd most likely have my car broken into by a concerned citizen (no matter the temperature). It's the culture here, given we endure some incredibly hot summers and some sunny winter days that get some pretty good radiant heat going inside cars. We also have a good contingent of dog welfare advocates here. They take action. 

In addition, auto and pet theft are problems in many major cities and you run the risk of your car and/or your dog getting stolen. I'll never forget the grief of a man here in Dallas who left his dog in the car at a Home Depot while he went shopping in December. He came back to a car with a broken window an a missing dog. He never found the dog and it was even more tragic because Home Depot allowed dogs in that particular store at that time. They changed their policy a few years later after a dog bite incident inside that store, but that's a different story. There was also a thread here on the forum a couple of years ago about a Golden in San Antonio- the owner went into a store and came out with the truck and Golden missing. If memory serves the Golden was found several days later near a highway, having been dumped by the thief. That story had a better ending at least. 

This is a very heated topic on the forum and if you do a search you will pull up a lot of closed threads about this topic.


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## buzdean (Aug 28, 2012)

Lucy goes in the truck all the time, sleeps comfortably for extended periods, grocery shopping, meals out, whatever---while there maybe some downsides everything has been fine--so far.. There are toys in truck to occupy her time --if she was a chewer it may be a different story though!


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

I've done it at the vet's office or post office if I have to run in for a second to pick up a Rx or something. I actually have a funky car key so I'll leave the car running with the air on and I can either disconnect my remote and lock the car or I can actually pull the key out and then lock the car by remote. I don't do it for anything that will take longer than a couple minutes and I always leave the car running with air on even in the winter because hey, I live in Florida.


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## Aspen's Mom (May 15, 2012)

I take Aspen with me on errands, when weather permits. I don't ever take her on warm/hot days. Living in Seattle...it's overcast most of the year, and not usually too cold. We have a dog bed with a big, fuzzy blanket for Aspen to sleep on while she's in the car. Even when it's chilly, I put the windows down a little bit to allow for fresh air. She absolutely loves getting to come along, and is such a good girl in the car...and I enjoy her company tremendously.


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## akgolden (Jun 18, 2011)

Both mine like mentioned above from a few members just fall asleep as soon as I am out of sight. This is usually the scene when I return.


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## GDOG (Jun 18, 2012)

Thks All. Good input....I think I'm in line with the general thinking. I live in NJ and it's a good point to be aware what part of the country I'm in and what radiant heat can develop whether in the shade or not. I'm extremely careful and extremely concerned when I do leave her alone. Thanks all!


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## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

Remote starts are awesome for this reason among many! I do not leave the dogs in the car generally. However, I have family in Illinois (we live in Ohio) and do visit a few times a year. I usually take the dogs with me and if it's just me, that means they will have to be left in the car for a few minutes at least twice (Mulligan isn't aloud in the ladies restroom, hehe).

In all seriousness though, when I have to go into a gas station or rest stop I just adjust the heat or ac same as it would be with me in it (so usually I just leave it) and lock the doors and hit the remote start. Dogs are safe until I return.


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