Car shows
A day at the car show with your dog along for it
Updated
Bringing a dog to a car show starts with the event's own rules, since some shows do not allow dogs. If yours does, pack water and a bowl, something for shade, a short leash, a towel and a sealed bag of treats, and keep your dog's nose and paws off other people's paint.
Are dogs allowed at car shows?
It depends on the event and the venue. Some shows welcome dogs, some ask you to leave them home, and some allow them only in certain areas. The listing usually says, and if it does not, the organizer can tell you in a short message.
Check before you load the car, not at the gate. A dog waiting in the driveway while you read the fine print is the easy version. A dog waiting at the entrance is not.
Venue rules count too. A park, a parking lot and a fairground may each have different rules for pets, food and leashes. If dogs are welcome, ask about water and shade, since a lot of asphalt has very little of either.
If the answer is no, that is a fine reason to see the show on your own and have the dog waiting at home with a chew and a nap.
What should you pack for a dog at a show?
Pack for a long day on open ground, not for a short stop. Here is the kit:
- Water, plus a bowl the dog can drink from without tipping it.
- Something for shade, like a small canopy, an umbrella or a folding chair with a cover.
- A short leash, and a spare in case the first one goes missing.
- A towel for the dog, for paws, and for the spot where it lies down.
- Waste bags, more than you think you need.
- A sealed bag or container of treats, kept in your pocket or a pouch.
Put it all in one bag and keep that bag at your spot.
The gifts for car lovers with dogs page has more ideas for what rides along in a car person's trunk.
How do you keep your dog off other people's cars?
Short leash, always. A long one lets a dog reach a bumper, a tire or a freshly waxed door before you can react. At a car show, a few feet of distance from the ropes is worth more than a good apology.
Stand where you can see your dog's face and the car at the same time. Most trouble starts when a nose goes toward a low spoiler or a wheel. Say your dog's name, shift your hand, and step back a pace.
If someone invites you closer to a car, ask the owner first before the dog gets near it. Some owners love dogs and some have spent a winter on that paint. Either answer is fine, and asking is just good manners at an event where people have put in a lot of weekends.
Keep paws off the car, and keep an eye out for jumping, especially with a dog who greets everyone. A treat held at your hip is a better target for those paws than a door panel.
How do treats help through a long show day?
Small pieces give your dog a reason to check in with you while the crowd goes by. Break a treat into bits before you leave, so you are not tearing pieces open in the middle of a row. When your dog settles at your spot, pay it with a piece. When you pause for a break, another.
Count those pieces as part of the day's treats. Like everything in the box, they are for intermittent or supplemental feeding and sit next to meals. Our box holds our own single ingredient treats, freeze dried or air dried and made in small batches in Malvern, Pennsylvania. The contents change by month, and some have Greek yogurt or cheddar cheese bases.
Our Modified Monthly box talks in a car co-pilot voice, and the photos on the page are examples of a month, not a promise of what is in yours.
When is it time to head home?
When your dog stops taking treats, pulls for the exit, or finds shade and stays there. Those are all the same message, and it is not complicated. The show will run until the afternoon without you.
Do not wait for the final trophy. A short day that ends well is better than a long day that ends with a worn out dog on the way home. If you are worried about how your dog is doing, ask your veterinarian.
Pack up the way you came: water, bowl, towel, leash, bags. Take the treat container inside with you and empty it.
For more ideas that fit a car person's household, the guides page has the rest.
Questions
Can I bring my dog to a cars and coffee?
It depends on the host and the venue. Many of these meets happen in a parking lot outside a business, so the property's rules count too. Message the organizer or check the event page before you go.
What does a dog need at an outdoor car show?
Water, a bowl, shade, a short leash, a towel, waste bags and a sealed bag of treats, as laid out in the list above. Bring all of it in one bag so you are not hunting for any piece in the middle of the day.
How do I stop my dog from jumping up on show cars?
Keep the leash short and your dog on the side away from the cars. Hold a treat at your hip so your dog looks at you, not at the paint. Ask the owner before you move closer, and step back when your dog gets too interested.
Can I bring treats to a car show?
Check the event's rules first, since some shows have their own say on outside food. If treats are allowed, keep them sealed in a pouch or a pocket, and take out one small piece at a time.
Is hot asphalt a problem for paws at a show?
Press the back of your hand to the ground for a few seconds. If it is too hot for your hand, it is too hot for the dog, so find grass or shade, or ask the organizer where a cooler spot is.
Can my dog sit in my car while I show it?
That is your call. Lay a towel on the seat, and keep the treats outside the car so crumbs stay out of the upholstery. Our guide to treat crumbs in the car covers how to keep a car clean after a day with a dog.