Almost a disaster in the car this morning...

[April S.]

I took Luna to the vet this morning, we were on the interstate going about 60 or so and came around a corner to an accident - the person in front of us slammed their brakes - I slammed mine and Luna came flying into my shoulder from the back seat.  She yelped and got back up on the backseat and was just whimpering a little bit.   She really hit hard because my shoulder and arm were throbbing in pain from it.   We got to the vet and I had them check her out for that they said she is fine.....   While we were there (Banfield inside Petsmart) - I bought a hammock for the backseat so this never happens again.  I guess I never thought about it - until now -about Luna's safety in the car.   It could have been way worse!!  Very thankful it wasn't!

[Vivian & Mojo]

I'm glad your both safe. How does the hammock work, I have hammock but it doesn't keep my doodle safe I use a doggie seat-belt as well so he can't be thrown.

[Tammy and Violet]

Glad you all are safe.. I use a plastic crate for Violet.. always have.. always will ...I may be over protective.. but ....better be safe then sorry :(

[Anita - Thunder, Noodle, Sparky]

Thank you for this. I too use seatbelts, but just recently started. I am so glad she is okay. I sure hope your shoulder is okay too!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Glad to hear a disaster was averted! This kind of drives home the importance of restraining apparatus for our doodles. A hammock will help to prevent him or her from being thrown into the front seat through the console opening and backseat footwell, but it does little to prevent a dog from being thrown through a window in more serious accidents (where a car may flip). We use harnesses (with the ring on the back of the doodle) and seat belts, as well as a hammock.

[pulch21]

Thanks so much for sharing. You're both so lucky! I bought a hammock a few weeks ago at a TJ Maxx to keep the seats clean (Khaleesi is a shedding GD), but now I have a more important reason for installing it!

[Dynamite & Doodle]

We use a seatbelt harness for Darwin. It's safer for everyone, he sits in between the kids in the backseat and he knows when he gets his car harness on to hop into the middle and sit so we can buckle him. He loves having his own spot. Everybody gets buckled in, and he's one of us!

[Dynamite & Doodle]

This is our Darwin, we don't have a van so all three boys have to sit in the back of our VW wagon. It's roomy enough but when the younger boy who is 7.5 outgrows his big car seat we'll have even more room. He does sit there very nicely, but he can also lay down when he wants to. He likes being in the middle so he can see out the front window too. When we buckle the seatbelt through the back of his harness we pull it all the way out and then it ratchets back in so he can't pull to make it longer even though I doubt he would want to climb anywhere. He's super happy being with the kids.

[Camilla and Darwin]

We have a dog seat belt for Darwin. Unfortunately we've recently learned on DK that the effectiveness of these seat belts is unknown. Still, until we do know I will continue buckling him in every time and hope that it helps should something happen.

I am glad that both of you are okay! How scary.

[Tammy and Violet]

How do you guys get your dogs to sit so still in those belts/harnessess??? is the hammock something you put between the front and back seats ?

Violet bounces off the walls

[Camilla and Darwin]

Um, I don't! LOL. Darwin is always switching between standing sitting, laying, and going to window. And when I saw "always" I mean a position change at least every minute. It's a bit maddening. :-)

[Tammy and Violet]

but those belts keep them in that one seat though huh ?

[Dynamite & Doodle]

My husband lets our dood ride in the front seat buckled in. He sits like a gentleman. Gentlemen put their noses in the A/C vents, right?