The dog is a member of the family. But his rights do not correspond to those of a human being. That is why we are not allowed to take him everywhere with us. This can cause problems on the road, especially on holiday trips or with strictly timed daily routines, where even dog lovers are forced to juggle as many tasks as possible, such as walking the dog, driving the children and doing the shopping.
Hand on heart - leave the dog in the car?
The safest decision is never to leave your dog alone in the car. This not only protects him from dangerous temperatures, but also from nasty contemporaries who annoy the dog from the outside or, in extreme cases, steal the car and take the dog with them.
So it really makes sense not to take the dog with us in the first place if we know that it would have to stay alone in the car for longer.
How long does "longer" last? In the months of November to March, a few minutes at the jump to the post office or the grocery shop are justifiable if the outside temperature is moderate. It is also possible to drop off the child at the daycare centre or fill up the tank while the four-legged friend waits in the car.
For anything beyond that, we should think carefully about whether we should bring the dog home first!
Here's the limit -> From 20°C outside temperature, 10 minutes in the car can be the difference between life and death!
20°C is reached very quickly. Especially when the sun is shining. After just ten minutes, the temperature inside the car is 27°C, which is already too warm for a dog. After 30 minutes in the car at an outside temperature of 20°C, the temperature inside the car is 36°C, which is life-threatening for the four-legged family member who can neither open the door nor call for help. It is self-explanatory that all outside temperatures above 20°C massively increase the risk.
(We refrain from pointing out that we naturally do not leave children alone in the car either. That should go without saying)
Rule of thumb: Don't leave your dog alone in the car above 20°C outside temperature. (Five minutes are allowed, anything over that is not) This also applies to open windows. Of course, 18°C is not a licence to leave the dog in the car for longer. Moreover, there are cars that heat up even faster because the window fronts are very large.
How do I know what the temperature is?
Tips for anyone travelling with a dog in the car
Put a thermometer in the car!
Read off the temperature before getting out of the car
Think carefully: How quickly can I be back and does that fit the temperature?
Check the outside temperature -> There are apps for smartphones that show the ambient temperature and the outside temperature.
If the temperature is above 20°C, bring the dog home first
Attention: There are breeds that react even more sensitively to higher temperatures than indicated above!
"Well, then I'll just tie the dog up outside. ... ?"
No, that is also a bad idea. Because here the dog is defencelessly at the mercy of other people and, in the worst case, will be stolen. (Unfortunately, this happens more and more often)
If there are teenage children or another adult in the vehicle: Great! Here we have helpers who can wait outside the vehicle in the shade with the dog. By the way, your own perception of heat is a bad advisor, because dogs can withstand high temperatures worse than humans.