Do you leave your dogs in the car?

[slleipnir]

If you have your dog with you, will you go into a store and leave him/her in the car? If so, how long is the longest you're gone?

I know people who come into my work for a couple hours and leave their dogs in their cars...I may go into a store for like 5 minutes tops...Then again, I won't take them with me if I know I'm going shopping or whatever..

[animal_rescue]

We hardly ever take our dogs anywhere, mainly because we know we'd have to leave them in the car if we do...

[sammy101]

no.Its way to hot here,and i'm afraid of dog-nappings.It doesnt take long for a dog to overheat in a car,even with the windows open.If we take them out,we go somewhere where they can come with us. They love car rides

[Alysser]

WHEN IM IN THE CAR WITH HER! I am afriad of Dog nappers and overheating. Sometimes in the winter it gets TO COLD! So no, I don't unless someone is with her.

[CagneyDog]

It rarely gets too hot to have a dog in the car here so we usually bring Cagney. He is usually in there for under an hour but he's been in the car up to 2.5 hours before. He loves car rides.

[BC_MoM]

Rarely.. mostly because of all the dog nappers around here.

[cali]

it depends on the temp. if its to hot we wont, nor if its too cold but if it is in between we will take sometimes Happy or Misty. Happy has waited in the van for a couple of hours before, we never leave Misty for to long just because she gets into trouble, Happy just sits on the front seat or she will curl up in the back which has coated windows so its cooler. we are very very careful about the temps though to ensure they dont overheat or freeze

[ParNone]

When the sun's not shining and the temperature's okay, most definitely. I took Oz with me just the other night, when I went to Sears, then to the Grocery Store. I feel a lil' safer at nighttime with him in the car. He stayed alone in the car for less then 30 mins at each stop. If I was gonna be hours shopping, I probably wouldn't take him, but I think he enjoys going on short errands with me.

I can't imagine anybody dognapping him. The level of noise he can make, could wake the dead. Breaking a window to get to him, would trigger quite a ruckus from him, I think. I can just see him drowning out the car alarm.

Par...

[chocolatepuppy]

I rarely take the pups anywhere with me anymore, but I did leave Lacey in my locked truck for about 5 minutes once. I could see her the whole time though.

[RobiLee]

Not very often. Every once in awhile I take one or both of the girls with me when I'm running over to the store real quick but thats about it.

I had a friend that I worked with that always took her little terrier with her everywhere. Even on very hot days! I was so mad when I found this out. She actually thought since she left the windows open some that she was ok. I had to lecture her forever before I felt like I got through to her.

[senorita02]

I live in Detroit, so the weather is only real hot in like July/Aug, i take them with me a lot , the main reason is for protection, i dont leave them unattended in the car though if i know i will be longer than like 5 minutes.
I dont really fear dog nappers with my two, there very well behaved but people are always backing away from my car, like there going to bust through the window LOL

[Miss Z]

Over here, you can get fined for leaving a dog in a car in summer months, even if you leave the window down and have a bowl of water in there, it really isn't enough to keep them cool for long periods of time. Sometimes, we take our neighbour's lancashire heeler, Bonnie, for trips out, and if we ever stop anywhere i stay in the car with her. She's just too hyper and fun too leave alone!!!!

[BitsyNaceyDog]

One time we left Nacey in the truck for a couple of minutes while Justin and I ran into the store. We don't usually take the dogs anywhere with us. However Nacey took a training class at PetSmart, which is about an hour from our house. On our way home we needed to stop at a store. Her class was late so when we got out is was dark. It wasn't hot out and with the sun down I wasn't worried about it getting too warm in the truck. Nacey was exhausted from her class and was passed out on the floor of the truck. I ran in, got what I needed, gave it to Justin, and while he got what he needed and paid for everything I went back to the truck. I was back to the truck within a matter of minutes, I was freaking the whole time I was in the store though. That was the only time I ever left any of the dogs alone in the car.

[elizabethann]

I'll leave Fenway in the car only if I can see the car at all times. So if I go out to eat, I have to park my car and sit by the window where I can watch him. If I can't, then I don't eat there. This of course is when it's nice out (not hot - not cold) and I can leave the windows open a crack. He usually will watch for me about 5 minutes and then he goes to sleep in his little cubby.

[ramanth]

Depends on the weather conditions. If it's not too hot or cold, I feel comfortable running a 5 minute errand (ie, into the bank to use an ATM).

For the most part, if I know it's going to take me awhile, I leave her home or go shopping right after work.