Seatbelts

[Heather & Brinkley]

So Brinkley is going on a road trip with the hubby in a few weeks.  Once he heard the story of the doodle that was saved because he retrained when they got in an accident, he has been asking that I order a seatbelt.  Two things:

 

1)  How do these work?  Do they still get to move around a bit and stick their head out the window.  I know it's important to keep him safe but Brinkley lives for sticking his head out the window on car rides.

2)  Any suggestions on which one to buy?

 

My hubby will thank you!

Heather

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Heather - my boys ride in their car seats, wearing a harness that keeps them strapped into place.  Stuart will grow too large for the car seat and will be strapped in wearing a harness while setting on the seat.  I know that this is just my opinion but I would never let my dog stick his head out the window of a car.  Too much can go wrong, like other people flicking a cigarette out and it flying into your dogs face or into your car.  Once I had a dog stand on an arm rest and the automatic window closed on its neck - thank goodness I caught this but it could have gone bad.  Wind in their eyes - I've read that this can cause problems.  Just sayin - would you let your toddler hang its head out the window?  My humble opinion.  Good luck and I hope your husband and Brinkley have a great trip!

[Michael Gurley]

Sunny closed the window on her neck once. I had to pull over so I could have a miniature panic attack. Now I keep the child lock on the windows ALL THE TIME no matter if I have friends in the car or not. Sunny comes first!

[Joe R.]

Heather. Check your local PetSmarts and PetCo's or whichever stores are in your area. They have several different types of travel harneses available. Also what type of vehicle will they be traveling in? I have a truck with a full back seat and have a platform built with 2 oval dog beds on it for Gus and lilly to ride in while harnessed in. Here's a picture that gives a idea of how they ride. They both have hernesses and are buckled in, but still can move side to side

 

 Here's a page from PetSmarts website with what they have.

http://www.petsmart.com/family/index.jsp?f=Taxonomy%2FPET%2F2767064...

[Dori & Rua]

My first one was American Tourist ($30), and yes they can still move around a bit.  I like how it went on.  Rua liked it too much, though, and while laying there lookin all cute and innocent in the back seat, was able to chew on harness.  Once it got to a certain point I was afraid it wouldn't hold at the strain of an accident.  So, I replaced it with one I got from PetSmart for $17 dollars http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3951211.  I originally didn't get it because I didn't like how it went on, but now I don't mind it at all (dog has to step into it versus over the head and buckle under their chest).  Rua leaves this one alone.  Rua weighs 17.6lbs and is almost 12" in the shoulder.  She can sit, lay down (does this mostly) and stand up and look out the closed window.  The only way I would let Rua stick her head out the car window was if I got her a cute pair of pink doggles.  I certainly won't want anything to damage her eyes!

[Beverly Wright]

Champion seat belts is a really good one and they can still move around http://usak9outfitters.com/CCSS.htm  I had a really bad car accident last year and ironically and thankfully Millie was not with me as she usually is and after that I ordered a new seatbelt system for her, the older one that I had was cheaper and she would get tangled up.  Good luck!

 

[Adina P]

This is what I've got.

[Julie and Maggie]

I have it too. Maggie at just over 12 pounds fits in the small size. I am super pleased and ordered from the site above. 

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Ditto on the head out the window. Be careful! Petco has one with a zip line that goes across window to window where they are on a harness and they can walk back and forth.

[Michael Gurley]

Sunny has a Petco brand harness that I attached to the seat. I didn't like how it was supposed to attach to the seatbelt because it pulled her down to the buckle instead of allowing her to stand up, so I made my own attachment with a nylon leash wrapped around the seat back and anchored. Sunny can still get up and stick her head out the window.

[Kathy, Harley & Roxie]

an issue I've had with finding the right harness is the one's that snap into the buckle just like a seatbelt.  Harley would step on it and it would release him.  I like the tether that hooks from the harness to the child safety latch.

 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

My girls have these

http://www.csnstores.com/Cruising-Companion-Houndstooth-Car-Harness...

 

 

 

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Cooper has a Kurgo harness - i love the fact that its one of the few that are crash tested.

there are several different kinds, but even just the harness allows Cooper to move around a bit in the car

http://www.kurgostore.com/categories/Dog-Travel/