Just noticed in the owner's manual how I can turn off the interior anti-theft alarm in case I have pets. But the chance of me remembering to do this is quite small. :-)<p>Anybody else got a decent sized dog (mine is 55 pounds) and how does the anti-theft react to them? Casey is usually pretty mellow. Otherwise, can you reprogram the anti-theft so that the default for the interior is *off*, and you hit the funky little button to turn it on?<br>

Greyhounds left in car DO set off the alarm if I forget to disable the motion sensor. No workaround I know of. You just have to tie a string around your finger and remember :-)<p>By the way, I don't know about other dogs, but the Greyhounds do NOT like being in a car with the alarm sounding!

I have a 210-pound St. Bernard.... but he does not ride in the A4. However, I do lock my 3-yr old daughter in while I run in to pay for gas or go inside the bank to the ATM and I turn the interior sensors off then. Works well. It doesn't take much to set it off. I once left the sunroof just popped up and didn't turn the sensors off. I was at my dad's and left in another car for about an hour and when I got back he said that the alarm had went off for about 45-min. before it finally shut off. He said it must have finally run the battery down. Luckily it was not dead and the car started with no problem, but it seems that just the wind blowing through, or maybe something came in the sunroof, I don't know, but that's the only time it has been set off.

Why would you need an alarm with your dog in the car? My guess is most people would avoid breaking into that car. Disarm it when you leave dog in the car. I don't even lock mine when the dog is in there. He is a nasty piece of work to people he doesn't know (we nicknamed him "devil dog" as he must have been possessed at birth).

I agree, a break-in is unlikely with a big dog in the car. But I would NEVER take the chance of leaving the doors unlocked. Even if the thief thought better, the dog could be gone in a second. <p>Plus, there is a BIG problem with theft of dogs to be sold to labs for unspeakable "biomedical research," etc. <p>Why invite trouble by leaving the car unlocked. Just lock it and disable the motion detector, problem solved.

I thought this was pretty slick on Audi's part. The alarm only goes off when the dog jumps over the rear seat into the passenger compartment. I trained my 50lb dog to stay in the back area only, so he would never contact the leather. It was pretty easy, I just bought a dog gaurd, used it for the first 2 months I owned the car then gave it to my mom, who just got an A6 avant and also has dogs. I don't like the idea of using one all the time because then your dog cannot protect you or the car if need be. <p>The other day I accidentally left my organizer on top of the car when I parked in Santa Monica. I didn't know it but there was a transient, who saw it there, he was waiting for me to cross the street so he could steal it from the roof. My small pitbull was watching me walk away from the hatch area in the back of the Avant. As I walked away the bum made his move. I was about half way accross the stret when I heard my alarm go off. I spun around and sure enough there was my dog sitting shotgun in the Recaro, barking his ass off while the street crawler was running away. My organizer was sitting on top of the car, where I had left it, right next to the open sunroof. I bought an Avant because I have a dog who goes <i>everywhere</i> with me. Otherwise I'd be rolling an S4 or a CLK 430 on 20s! To all you A4 sedan guys with dogs...."What were you thinking!?" Avant man Avant!<p>Damon<br>98.5 30v Avant QMS, custom programing, Remus, 18s, H&R, Bilstein, Recaro

OH BOY! What a load of wind! <p>Dogs are not stolen to be sold for medical research. The dogs and cats used for cosmetic research purpose are pound strays. Look at how many dogs are euthanized each year because of lack of owners (or responsible owners). Its a shame, I'll agree but I would rather have the animals do some good rather than be killed because they are unwanted. <p>There are breeders of genetically pure dogs which are used in medical research for genetic consistency. These are the most well cared for animals due to FDA and USDA regulations. I worked in such a facility and the red tape is unbelieveable. But cruelty is not allowed. Protocols cover what can and cannot be done. Peer review is a must for approval of any live animal procedure, otherwise the USDA WILL shut the facility down.<p>BTW, I love animals. I also love life and understand that life begets life. We all will die one day and our bodies will be consumed in the ever widening circle of life.<p>Keith