How do you guys take your puppies in the car?

[Buddy'sParents]

Ours have car harnesses by Four Paws...

 

[LhasaLover]

LhasaLover, that story is horrible. Now I have something else to worry about. Yikes!

Isn't it horrible? I'm telling you, it's haunted me since the day I saw it on the news, and that was about 10 yrs ago. Someone (a stranger that read the story) gave her a Bichon a few weeks later, but you know.... how do you get over that?

As far as front seat dangers, I actually worry more about an air bag hitting her than anything else. Those things can do damage to humans - I'm sure it could do damage to dogs, especially hitting them in the face.

The other thing I saw one time was a dog that jumped out the drivers' window with just a collar & leash on - at an intersection. The lady was desparately trying to pull the dog back in, and the dog was hanging & yelping because of the collar. She eventually got it back in, but that's why I keep a harness on Pinkie when she's in the car.

I keep Pinkie on such a short lead when she's riding on my leg that it would be impossible for her to fall under my feet in a sudden braking situation, or go out the window. She has the harness on, and there's only about 5-7 inches between her body & my hand (on the steering wheel) where the leash is intertwined between my fingers and wrapped around my hand.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

As far as front seat dangers, I actually worry more about an air bag hitting her than anything else.

That's why the dog goes in the backseat...secured, just like a child would be.

 

[little liz]

Well Minnie usually goes in the boot part of the car (no I dont mean confined with no windows LOL) it is an estate car. We have bars which fit just behind the back seat. She can see out of the back window or over the seat at us but she usually just lies down. I don't know how safe this is though?

 

[LhasaLover]

Well, so, you have a lot of opinions here. I would say that whatever you do, the animal should be car-trained. I've had both cats & dogs travel with me over the years and they know they're not ever allowed;
- between my body & the steering wheel;
- on the floor on the drivers' side of the car;
- on the dashboard in front of me, or standing up on the other side.

 

[Mac'sMom]

If it's just me and Mac in the car he is always in his travel crate.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Beanie, I'm not perfect, I can be lazy and not bother to put the harness on, but I try hard to make sure she's secured. I trust how I drive, I just don't trust the rest of the world

I drive an 81 mustang. Too old for air bags.. So the front seat while seatbelted in our case is as safe as it gets.

 

[girlbuffalo1]

On short trips around town sometimes they are loose in the backseat. I know most accidents happen nearer to home but the fastest we are going to be going around town is 35 or less. On any longer trips--or trips where we will be driving on the interstate they are both confined together in their pop up crate. There are these bands on all 4 corners used for securing it. So in the crate they go! The back seat shoulder strap seatbelt goes through the upper right corner strap and the lower right strap so they are secure.

 

[dr2little]

Seatbelts for Sophie, Amos and Lola and the crate for Tia and Tinker (they're so small that no seatbelt would fit them)

I had an accident many years ago when Tia was young (she's almost 16 now). It happened about 2 blocks from my house, someone rear ended me and it sent Tia flying into my floor boards. She had a split lip and was really shaken up. I've never had a dog free in the car since.

 

[Herschel]

Herschel is in the Petbuckle for even a 5 minute drive. He gets in the car, goes to his seat, I slip it over his head and buckle him in. It takes 30 seconds--which is time I am willing to sacrifice if it means keeping him safe.

While standard harnesses may help keep your dog in one place during your drive, many of them offer little or no protection in accidents.

 

[Herschel]

I'd like to maybe order something else to try (like the PetBuckle) but I hate to get something else that doesn't fit and have to mess with sending it back, or worse, blowing my cash on something that can't be returned. =/

Try the PetBuckle. It is pretty much infinitely adjustable and basically only requires that your dog has a sternum to be effective. You find a size that you can live with (based on the full-grown size of the dog) and cut off the excess strapping.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

While standard harnesses may help keep your dog in one place during your drive, many of them offer little or no protection in accidents.

Which is why I've been looking at the only 2 that seem to have crash test ratings..

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Actual safety tested ones
http://www.champk-9.com/autosafetygear.htm
http://www.ruffrider.com/what-is-the-roadie-and-how-does-it-work

 

[Lilithdrff]

This is a very interesting read. Our new pup has only gone out in the car twice, and both times he was restricted to the passenger side floor-board. However, we have a very large van, and I think I'm going to invest in a Petbuckle for him once he is a little larger. In the meantime, I think we'll just put him in a carrier from now on.

 

[Herschel]

Actual safety tested ones
http://www.champk-9.com/autosafetygear.htm
http://www.ruffrider.com/what-is-the-roadie-and-how-does-it-work

The PetBuckle is crash tested.

http://www.immioutdoors.com/petbuckle/why_petbuckle.htm

We have tested the PetBuckle products in numerous sled tests to see how it performs in a crash. These sled tests are also used to test restraints found on semi trucks, child car seats, and school buses. Without this type of testing there is no way to prove that a pet restraint will hold up in a crash. That is why our products are stamped " Secure with Confidence". We will continue to strive for ways to test our products to better protect our pets and those traveling with them. For more information about IMMI's testing facilities, please visit CAPE - The Center for Advanced Product Evaluation.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Cool, those were the only two I knew about. So many on the market, not all that many necessarily worth the cost if they aren't tested you know?

 

[krisykris]

I use a snoozer lookout car seat/console seat and a padded harness.

 

[Beanie]

I trust how I drive, I just don't trust the rest of the world

Agreed!! It's like insurance... you don't get insurance because you expect to hit somebody... it's because you expect somebody to hit you!


Thanks for the positive review on the PetBuckle Herschel. I think I will definitely try it and see if we can't get it to work. =>

 

[RD]

Colleen, what kind of harness is that on Sophie? I normally really don't like the seat belt harnesses because the dogs can't stand wearing them, but that one looks comfortable.

For trips into town (I'm the passenger, fyi, as I don't drive) Eve is on my lap or on the floor by my feet. Dakota is in the far back of the SUV. Ripley is in his soft-sided Sherpa bag or in my lap if I am Eve-less. For longer trips, Dakota is crated, Ripley is still in his sherpa bag and Eve is with me.

We are going to be making a 4-day driving trip in a few months with four dogs. Ripley and Dakota are old hats at this, they know to settle down and be good boys, but it should be really interesting with Eve and baby Dawn.

 

[angelzeus]

traveling with pup

i have a few suggestions to get you started
1) you shound not allow her to be in the front seat of your car this can be very dangerous
2) if you are going to keep useing that box move it to the back seat
3) i would try a biger box in the back seat
4) again try a crate and lure her in with a treat she only gets when going for a ride or a toy see if that may work
5) they do make seat belts that attach to your seat belts in the back of the car

hope some of those tips can help you.