Car crate for brachycephalic Pekingese

Your vet has given you really sound advice — brachycephalic dogs like Pekingese are at genuine risk in an unrestrained car journey. Any sudden stop or turn can cause impact injuries, and the stress of loose travel can worsen breathing in flat-faced breeds. What you need is a crate that's crash-tested for car use, has excellent ventilation on multiple sides, and is the right size for a Pekingese — snug enough to feel secure but not so tight it restricts airflow. Can you tell me roughly how much your dog weighs, and do you have a sense of whether they prefer an enclosed, den-like feel or tend to get anxious in confined spaces?

That's really helpful — a dog who's comfortable in a cosy den at home usually adapts well to a travel crate, which makes this easier. At 5kg she's in the small-dog bracket, and for a brachycephalic breed in a car, ventilation is the non-negotiable factor. I'd recommend the Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed. It's been crash-tested to the same standards used for child car seats, it attaches to your seatbelt so it stays put in an impact, and it has mesh panels on multiple sides that give much better airflow than most hard-sided crates. For a Pekingese, that airflow matters more than it would for other breeds. The interior is well-padded and enclosed enough that dogs who like a nest feel secure in it. It's available on Amazon UK — search 'Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed' and look for the standard size, which is the right fit for a 5kg dog.

Yes — it opens fully at the top as well as the front, so you can lower her in from above rather than coaxing her through a small door. For a wriggly dog that makes a real difference. Once the zip is done up she can't push her way out, which is exactly what you want. The seatbelt loop on the base threads through your car's belt in seconds, so it's not a faff to set up each journey either.

Absolutely worth doing, especially for a brachycephalic dog where you want every car journey to be as calm as possible — stress raises their breathing rate, which is the last thing you want. Leave the Sleepypod open at home for a few days with a familiar blanket inside. Let her go in and out on her own terms. Once she's napping in it voluntarily, zip it up for short periods while she's relaxed, then progress to the car with the engine off, then short trips. Most dogs who already like an enclosed bed get there within a week or two. The calmer she is in it, the better her breathing will be on the road.