Crate or harness

[Sally Huff]

We'll be adding our second doodle to our family and I am wondering what is the safest way to travel in a car.  Would it be in a secure mounted crate or a harness clipped into the seatbelt?  Maybe something better.  I know people who do one or the other.  Thanks for your advise.

[Amy and Annabelle]

We always travel with her in the crate strapped into a seatbelt. But I am a big worry wort about car accidents and 80% of my travel with her is on a highway going at least 55mph since we live in the country.

[Sally Huff]

We live in the same situation,thanks, this makes sense

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

With a puppy, I'd start in a crate. Once your sure of motion sickness, (easier to clean a crate) and he's big enough to use a harness and seatbelt, I'd go with that. Harnesses are fine early on, except you will probably need to keep buying new ones as he outgrows them and good ones aren't cheap. If you already have the crate, then it's a win-win.

[Sally Huff]

Great point about motion sickness, thanks

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

I think a harness strapped in, may be unsafe for a young pup. I would go with a strapped in crate and save the harness for when he/she is a bit bigger.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I would think a harness would be unsafe too for a puppy, although not sure why. They make small ones and very small adult dogs use them.  I just worry about the force of impact should the puppy/dog be tossed around a crate in a collision so we went with the harness, besides I like seeing them in the back seat. Can't see them in the back of the SUV. But really, anything is better than them being loose and hopping all around the car. 

[Sally Huff]

I know, I'm trying to imagines all types of collision. Thanks

[Lynda Kamrath]

I would say a crate when she is a puppy.  It is just so much easier to keep track of them when they are secured in their crate.  However, we made an enclosure in the back of our car for the dogs and have a plastic bedliner (for a pick-up truck) in the back of the car.  We go to the beach frequently so it is easy to keep clean.  The dogs are not free or attached in the back seat of the car and we feel more comfortable with that.

[Sally Huff]

Now you've have thinking outside the box.  Thanks, all good suggestions.

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

If you search back for an Oct. 23, 2014, discussion titled, "Easy Car Ride Solution," you will see my reply which includes detailed photos of our carseat setup for Charlotte. We still use the same booster seat and harness setup for her. For Wally, who is much larger, I use a body harness that's tethered to the car.