Dog seat belts

[Bella and Beau]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a dog seat belt?  Most I see out there picture the smaller dogs and my doodles are not small :).  My dogs love to walk around from window to window so I never had them in one but recent events have made me reconsider that decision.

I'm just in the initial stages of looking into this but I am not sure what to look for...do they all make the dog stay seated? Can the dog lay down with them on? Do they have different sizes for the size of your car and the size of your dog?  What is the longest they should stay in them at one time?

Thanks everyone.

Anthony, Beau and Bella

[F, Calla & Luca]

We have had many discussions on this. Here is just one recent one involving a NJ law but where we got into kinds of restraints. You can find more of these discussions if you search.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/pet-restraint-laws-and-a-q...

[Bella and Beau]

Thanks so much.  These were very informative.

[Bella and Beau]

Thanks for the information.  I think something that hooks to the seat belt is probably the best option as well so the seat belts will tighten and hold them in like they do humans.  Thanks for responding.

[Christine & Camus]

Camus wears an Easy Walk harness as a seat belt (with the loop on his back). I went to Home Depot and bought a piece of plastic covered wire, 2 clamps, and 2 swivel hooks, and the rep at Home Depot helped by putting the clamps on with a special tool they have.  The finished product looks identical on both ends, one end attaches to the harness, the other to the clamp in my car (clamp in the car is for securing a child seat)  

Easier to show you then to explain, this is a picture of the connecter (same on both ends and swivel hook eliminates tangles).  What is not in this photo is the stretchy elastic wrap that I cover the clamp with to protect Camus and my leather car seat.  I had this made because it cannot be chewed through, which is what my last dog did to the connecter that was a leash type fabric.  He chewed through it while I was driving! So not much good as a safety device.

And, of course, the Easy Walk harness that can be used for walking with the loop in front as shown or turned around with the loop on the dog's back for a car seat harness. The harness comes in small, medium, medium/large, and large.

[Bella and Beau]

That is great.  So creative.  Great idea.

[Christine & Camus]

Thanks.  One thing I did not mention is to measure the the inside of your car to determine how long you want the connecting line.  I have a sedan, so Camus is secured to the center clamp and the connecting cord allows him movement in the back seat (sit, stand, lay), but is short enough so if I were to stop short he would not be thrown into the back of the front car seats.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I keep my two harnessed in whenever in the car.  They each have a car harness with a strap that actually buckles in to the seat belt.  They can stand up, sit, and lay down but I keep the strap part short enough that they can't do much walking around. 

[Bella and Beau]

Thanks for responding.  I was actually wondering how it would work with 2 dogs.  Alot of what I am reading is a teathering option and for 2 dogs I dont think it could work.  So they are each strapped to their own seat belt on their own end of the car?  I think that is the best option but mine like to sit next to, on top of, each other in the car. I will have to break them of that and keep them on their own sides. Thanks again.