Haha it's not the way I was brought up either but I carry heaps of random gear in the back that I can't always stop from moving around so it's not really all that safe for the dog. 90% of the time he just sleeps in the footwell, he hops up on the seat to talk to any hot girls we stop next to at the traffic lights. He is a kelpie.
HAHAHA he is well trained then. Thought he maybe a Kelpie actually.