Should a Dog Be Left in the Car With Windows Rolled Up in Colder Weather?

The best that can be said for leaving a dog in a closed car in cold weather is that it is slightly less dangerous than doing so in hot weather.

  1. Considerations

    • In spite of their fur coat, dogs can get cold, especially in confined spaces such as car interiors, where they can't be active to generate body heat. Small dogs get cold faster than big dogs because they have less body mass.

    Significance

    • The American Kennel Club and the ASPCA say you should not leave a dog in a car in cold weather. In his book, "How to Restore and Customize Auto Upholstery &Interiors," Dennis Parks points out that most cars are poorly insulated, and the interior gets hot quickly in the summer and cold quickly in the winter. A closed car offers protection in the cold as a windbreak, not a thermal barrier.

    Warning

    • If a car were sealed and insulated well enough to stay warm in winter, air quality would become an issue. Dogs need oxygen, and that could run out pretty quickly in such a small space. Carbon dioxide buildup could become lethal. If the car is ventilated well enough to prevent this, then the cold would come in with the air and we're back where we started.