Barkseat Drivers: Lava, Hela and Lajka Battle for the Best Seat

Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.

Having a big car and one dog is a dream come true. There is room for everything. Lava and I used to take long-distance road trips, and we always had enough room for all our supplies. Then Hela joined the pack, and it became a little bit more crowded. Both dogs were sitting on the back seat, with a gate between them, as Lava is an avid barker and whiner in the car. She will produce a variety of sounds, especially if she sees anything interesting outside. And finally, Lajka came as the third dog. Luckily, she is fairly small, but the car seems to have gotten smaller, as well.

Back Seat Drama

For the last year and a half, Lava and Hela have been riding in the back seat of the car. Since they are both big dogs, there is only the boot and very little space in front of the back seats for any stuff. So, slowly, an idea started to form in my head of getting a large crate that can fit in the boot and allow the dogs to be comfortable enough for shorter trips.

A major reason for this change was my worry that Lava, being so vocal and reactive when seeing other dogs outside of the window, may turn to Hela as a way to express her frustration, due to not being able to reach the outside dog. It hasn’t happened yet, but I know Lava well enough to expect that it may. Hela has also taken on the role of barking at random things she sees outside, and occasionally whining, but nowhere near as bad as Lava. By moving them to the boot, they wouldn’t be able to see the outside world as much, and what they can’t see can’t upset them.

Dog Hair Everywhere

Another big reason for the change was also the abundance of dog hair that has started to become ever-present. In reality, it was always present, but it started to bother me a bit more, as it was very inconvenient if I had to drive anyone other than my mum, who is used to the hair. The car is now becoming almost impossible to clean, as there are nooks and crannies that are hard to reach. And dog hair finds its way everywhere and loves to stick to everything. It’s a daily battle, and after a two-hour drive, the car looks as if it has never been cleaned in its working life.

Lajka Has a Special Spot

Lajka, being the smallest, had the most desirable spot in the car. She used to sleep on my lap if I was the passenger, or would get the whole back seat to herself. This way, there is more room for our things, and she would pick a side she wants to sleep on. Being small, she doesn’t really try to look out of the window, and she will rarely bark. To be honest, most of the time, I forget she is even there until she starts to snore.

New Arrangements

And now, finally, after a few weeks of waiting, there is a dog crate in the boot, an improvised one, made by a local handyman. It isn’t perfect, and I already see some faults that I couldn’t anticipate beforehand, but it is serving the purpose. Hela seems to like it, as much as I can tell, while Lava absolutely hates it, with a passion. In general, she just dislikes being in the boot, as she can’t see the world outside so well, which means there is no real reason to bark. And in Lava’s eyes, that’s a disaster. Also, with her being so big, it does get a bit crowded, even though she can lie down. Although the initial idea was for Hela and Lava to be in the crate, for longer trips, Lava still gets her wish and enjoys the back seat, “barking her eyes out,” while Lajka goes in the crate next to Hela. And the two of them love each other, so in a way, it’s a win-win for them all. Who cares what I want?