Does any have or have used a dog trailer?  It is something we are considering but would like to know peoples opinions on them as we dont know anyone who has done this.  Our two hate travelling in the car (constant whining and fidgeting!) but are happy as jay birds in the van so we thought this may be an option as our family is now too big to go out in the van!

A friend of mine had a purpose built dog trailer & he got rid of it after one of his friend's dogs died in their trailer. I wouldn't want my dogs virtually unprotected in a dog trailer.

Hi there

A lot of the working people use them and I've seen them for sale at game fairs etc.,  The thing that worries me about dog trailers is the fact that the dogs are in a completely different "vehicle" to you and if anything happened you wouldn't know until you stopped and opened up the trailer.  I also don't like the idea of trailing my dogs in case somebody hit the trailer with the dogs in them.  These are just my opinions of course.  I'm afraid my car is just a dog-mobile!!

They do look comfortable enough though for the dogs.  I suppose its just personal preference.

Regards
Kingdom

i hate them. I know somne one who had a door go wrong and lost 3 dogs and didnt know it til they arrived at their destination Have to say i would never ever sell a pup to anyone who used one......my own experience is that on ly people who treat their dogs as objects, rather than family members, have them, although no doubt Ill get roasted for saying it!!!

I would never use them, and hate seeing dogs in them, seems to be a lot used in Ireland, I would rather have slobber and hair all over my car!

We have used a trailer for about 20 years now, firstly sharing a friends and now our own. I have'nt had any problems with them, and when taking several large breed dogs to shows the trailer is a must, as a few of us share the traveling, so it is not alway our dogs that we take. Our trailer is a top of the range with air con etc. also the storage in the top of the trailer is fantastic. I carnt see what problems you would have with it if it is used sensibley, we stop on our journeys at regular intervals to check on our dogs, and make sure they have water. The trailer reflecks the sun so they dogs stay cool. We also find when dogs are car sick they dont tend to be in a trailer as they carnt see out like they can through the car windows. If its warm and we are caught in traffic we put the air con on and the dogs are much more cool and comfortible than the dogs in the car.  Vans are also good, but you have alot less people space in a van.

I have seen these parked outside shows and also on passing on motorways. The ones I have seen take about 4 dogs from what I could see and each get very little space. I think dogs would have to be accustomed to being in such cramped conditions from a young age, especially as they would probably be in there for a couple of hours minimum. As far a safety is concerned, so long as you have a competant driver, one used to towing, it should not be a problem. The only way you could lose dogs without knowing would be if the doors had not been closed properly. In this case it is human error and not a fault with the trailer.

im not disputing human error....its just that if your car door came open as you travelled youd notice it! With the trailer, you dont!

I have my misgivings about them, after all people ar not allowed to travel in a caravan whilst it's being towed, so what's the difference with a dog trailer?

Sitting low level in traffic jams.. all those exhaust fumes directly into the dogs.. I couldnt use one of these..

> although no doubt Ill get roasted for saying it!!!

Not from me

Absolutely agree.  Trailers are great for sheep and pigs but Dogs are domesticated and are loved.....surely it's too isolating to have them on the end of a towing hitch?
Dont people talk to their dogs on a journey? - I do - I tell them "it wont be long" and " we're here now"...saddo?....dont care!

Couldn't trailer them myself and cringe when I see others doing it.

Personally I wouldn't use one for much the same reasons as cited by most other posters.  I like to know my dogs are OK and IMO that means they have to be within sight and earshot so they travel in purpose built car crates (if taking an extra one on a harness on the back seat)

If my dogs are over excited they relax with the tone of my voice and I'm aware of their heightened state of arousal if and when necessary.  In what is basically a separate space I would have no idea how they were other than stops regulated by the distance between service stations which is not for me or mine.   Additionally gadgets break down - including air conditioning and I wouldn't know about it which IMO is terrifying.

Were this a problem I had I'd buy a bigger vehicle or find a way of carrying less passengers and/or dogs

regards, Teri

> As far a safety is concerned, so long as you have a competant driver, one used to towing, it should not be a problem. The only way you could lose dogs without knowing would be if the doors had not been closed properly. In this case it is human error and not a fault with the trailer.

The GSDs that died didn't fall out of the trailer they were found dead at a break in the journey, I won't go into details, but it was a fault with the trailer(which wasn't a bog standard one & was in trailer terms "state of the art"top of the range)

> Were this a problem I had I'd buy a bigger vehicle or find a way of carrying less passengers and/or dogs

I only take one passenger as my car is for me & my dogs. As I'm getting another dog next year & another in a year or so I will be looking for a decent sized van to have fitted out to my requirements so I can have more dogs in the vehicle, so I can take at least one friend & their dog(s)to shows

I tell them "it wont be long" and " we're here now"...saddo?....dont care!  so you are also part of the talk to the dogs all the way to the show gang

I cringe also when I see them and my other fear would be them being hit from behind.