What do you all do for car safety?

Curious about if you take precautions when transporting your dogs. I thought the harness attached to a seat belt was a safe option, but someone on another forum said they weren't, so I'm wondering what other people like to do.

So feel free to share what sort of gear you use! And any other travel tips.

I currently use the "GoFer" restraint system with Canadog shorty harnesses.
http://www.cosmoriley.com/

I'm a horrible person who just let's her dogs loose in the backseat. So...I'm no help.

My dogs ride in crates in my car and a trailer when we take DH's truck. I have spare leashes, a first aid kit, a car emergency kit, extra toys, and lots of water (and some treats) in my car and in the trailer always.

Crates. Very rarely is anybody loose in the car. My car is small so I crate the boys together and then Georgie goes in a crate by herself. If I have to take all four, it's boys in one and girls in the other. I would prefer to not have to put the boys in together in case P randomly decides to be a dick to Auggie, but can't afford a new car so that's how it is.

ETA: Forgot to add, I use soft crates primarily, I feel like if I were in an accident and they were going to be thrown against the side of their crate, the soft crate is a little better (softer) and also no wires to collapse, break, and puncture. One soft-crate is belted in, the second is just wedged in as snugly as it can be.

Roxie is crated when in the car. Aside from being safer, she is an idiot and will get twisted in a harness, or just be an ass when she's loose. When she's in her car crate, she actually chills out and just enjoys the ride.

One time recently though, I couldn't take the crate along (we were moving, no room at all) and just had Roxie between my legs in the front passenger seat. She did okay, aside from shaking anxiously and scratching the crap out of my legs when I tried to get out!

Hudson used to have a Roadie harness, but outgrew it. Now he is loose in the back seat with one of those car hammock things. The hammock is for 2 reasons 1) to keep him from sliding down between the front seat & back seat & 2) to keep the seat clean-ish

I crate my dogs 99% of the time. If I weren't crating them, I would leave them loose. I don't like harnesses one bit, personally. I feel there is too much chance for dog's legs to get stuck/tangled and snap in a collision with force.

Loose. Bloo is sometimes crated.

http://www.amazon.com/Solvit-Sta-Pu...?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1402353130&sr=1-8

Something like this? I think I might have to do that with Duncan, he's pretty big so a crate isn't an option with him. Hmmn...

I'm bad and let my dog loose so he can bark in our ears.

With my FA dog though, she rides muzzled with a short leash that we have in the car attached to her collar.

Yep, here is the link to the one I have. We've had it for a little over a year now and so far it has held up great

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009R80RZE/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They are crated in the cargo area probably 85% of the time in my car. I admit to just letting them ride loose if we are just going to the store or something, but any drives more than 10 minutes or so, and they are in crates. I'd really like to get them Variocages, but I'm holding off because I don't think I will keep this car for more than another year, and I want to get one that will fit whatever I get next.

I do hate that they ride in the crumple zone of the car when they are crated, but my seats don't fold flat, so moving them up to the middle isn't an option.

Yeah...we've always just had the dogs loose in the back, sometimes riding on our laps in front (driver and passenger). Depending on if it's nice out, and if we feel like having windows open, will also be 'window surfing'.

Nothing. They just hang out.

Ruff rider harnesses most of the time. Sometimes Nola's loose, and sometimes Pike is crated.

Roadie harness 95% of the time. Secured crate 5% or less. Never loose. I need to buy Gabby the new All Safe car harness, I just keep forgetting to measure her. No dog rides loose while I'm driving, ever.

Mine ride in my Variocage 95% of the time. If I have all 4 riding (rare), two share one side of the Variocage, and one has a crate secured on the backseat with ratchet straps.



I REALLY want to get a SleepyPod Click-It harness for just in case - it would make me feel much more secure about a dog riding buckled since it was top ranked for pet and passenger safety by the Center for Pet Safety in their independent testing. I do have two Roadies for belting dogs in right now - they came in second in the same testing.

I also have (and now sell because I love them so much) BreezeGuard window guards. They allow me to leave windows down without the risk of people reaching into my car. I supposed they miiight be helpful in a crash, too.

I also keep a couple spare slip leads and dog biscuits in my car, just in case.

I keep telling myself I need to buy those! But with my old car being on her last years, I don't know if they'd fit the next vehicle (or even what I am going to get for the next vehicle!).

I can leave all 4 windows wide open for Cobain and Rigby without them jumping out, but I don't entirely trust them not to bite if someone stuck their hand in...

After having been in a high speed collision only a few months ago with all the dogs in the car. I'm still not sure what in heck the 'safe' option is.

Would depend upon your car, the type of accident and the speed really. As pointed out above wire crates can get smushed.. Crate and doors get smushed and I might lose my mind trying to get the dogs out.

Mine were loose. They have car harnesses.. I was lazy and they weren't in them. While I had a large sedan and got a near identical large sedan.. There isn't really room for three crates the size I already own. I'm not buying expensive soft sided crates for only car purposes. I don't own one already..

If I had an SUV, things might be different for space. We are super lucky.. The dogs and I could have easily died in the crash that I was the third party in and not charged...

Arson flew into the backseat on impact. Cider was held in the front seat between the passenger airbag and the seat.. and Smudge was thrown under the dash onto the floor.. Where he hurt his eye in the impact.. $400 evet bill.. That after threatening to civilly sue was covered. Took from March 13th when it happened till today to get that check actually.

Smudge is surprisingly still okay in the car. And I have harnessed him in ever since. Cider and Arson have PTSD, and are freaking the heck out and we are having to make slow click and treat strides towards dealing with vehicles..

I honestly feel every pet owner should have a 'car kit' of all the things you might need in a crash starting with accessible leashes. People tried to open my doors after the crash before I decided I was relatively okay enough to move.. on a highway where cars were whipping by at 100km/hr still. Thankfully not all my doors would open.. and I was okay enough to tell them not to.. Finding my leashes and dog coats was a huge nightmare.

This reply doesn't really give an answer to the question at hand.. just some extra food for thought. I had given thought to car safety before.. It's why they had harnesses even if I wasn't using them.. but to have been in a crash.. Loose is not okay, but I still do not have a solution for the next time I need to take all three somewhere.