What's your opinion on car seats, car harnesses, etc.?

I have been having a big mental debate about what to get for Ruby to travel in during car rides. I like the idea of the car seats because she'd be able to see out but still lie down and all, but I'm just concerned with the all over safety of them. Also, I'm concerned that if God forbid we actually have a wreck that no emergency worker would want to deal with an animal that is somewhat loose and not kenneled. Then, my debate goes to the harnesses. She could still have a comfy bed to lie on in the backseat, but I'm concerned about how safe these harnesses are in case of accidents. THEN, on to the crate. If I put her in a crate in the car, yes she'd be unable to fly all over the car if there was an accident, but I'm worried about her being slammed into the inside of the crate and still getting injured. I can't seem to find any soft crates that have a way to loop a seatbelt through to secure it. Any ideas about what to do?? Also, I'm leaning toward a soft crate, so if anyone knows of one that secures via seatbelt or something, please let me know. Thanks!!

From what I've gleaned,

A hard crate is the safest, in a crash an emergency person will remove a crated animal and the dog is least likely to be injured in a hard crate.

Soft crates will be crushed in a crash and won't offer a lot of protection.

A harness that attaches to the seat belt protects from whiplash but won't save them in a crash......might hold them in a fender bender.

Being loose in the car, isn't safe. Just convenient.

So.....having all that information, and a doggie who hates her crate.....we use a seatbelt harness for short trips.

Mary Alice can see out the window, sit or lay down.....and is restrained.

For longer trips, we use the hard crate and she howls all the way.

Our beloved Charley (now passed away) sat in the back seat for over 14 years, loved car rides and road trips. He was injured slightly, twice, with whiplash when idiots in front of me slammed on their brakes.

It's a hard decision, a personal decision. For me, convenience plays into it, for others maybe it shouldn't.....but I also find it hard to drive with a howling dog in the back. ;D

completely unrelated...

Sorry --completely unrelated, but I love your new avatar!

Oh, yes, anyway...I like my Celltei carrier because it has an attachment for the seatbelt, and it is more convenient as I don't have to lug my big wire crate into the car. However, again, I'm sure it is some degree of personal preference. -Natalie

I don't use any.:drivecar:

For safety, I think the hard plastic crates are the safest for your dog, especially if you can wedge it really tightly behind your front seat so it can't move. If, god forbid, your car rolled, okay the dog would get tumbled about & frightened, but hopefully would be relatively injury free. If the dog is in a harness during the same situation, I think the dog would either be killed or seriously injured.

Also if you need to be rescued from your car, there is less chance of losing your dog if it is crated.

We can't protected our loved ones (furry & furless) against every event possible. All we can do is minimise the risks. Make a decision and then try not to torment yourself about the "but what ifs" :flwr: :flwr: :flwr:

Oh and yeah we do use harnesses too, for short trips, like to the beach. Also, I can't fit all the Boxers in crates so if we travel with them, they do have to be in a harness.

I use a plastic crate that I leave in the car. I would like to use a seatbeat and harness, but dont feel its safe till about 2 yrs. I usually am driving alone with Kodee and I dont want to be turning around or looking in the rear view mirror to see if my leather seats are todays chew toy :lol: Once a dog hits about 1.5 or 2 I would expect (or at least my experience to date with my previous dogs) that they can be trusted to sit/lie quietly harnessed for short trips to the store but I will continue to use a crate for anything over an hr.

We use hard plastic crates too.

I tried the celtei carrier. It has a chain that hooks onto Maddy's halter and the top can be left open. However, the chain is longer to allow some movement and she wrapped it around the bottom of her leg and was screaming in pain. That was the end of that!
I then got the carseat. It attaches to the car with the seat belt. Then an adapter hooks onto the seatbelt with the other end attaching to Maddy's halter. It is a wide fabric with a hook at the end so no problems with getting it wrapped around her. She loves the carseat. She rests her chin on it and sits up and looks out. I do think I should probably get a stronger halter than her walking halter. I wonder if in a crash the walking halter would just tear. I know there are strong halters specially for the car and I should couple that with the car seat.
I usually have the carseat in the back but can put it in the front because my airbag does not come on until there is a certain amount of weight on the seat.
Pam

We also use plastic crates in the car. I think the general feeling is that they are the safest. Another advantage is that if you have a dog who gets carsick, a plastic crate is easily cleaned up. In fact, if a dog is prone to carsickness, we throw a towel over the crate; that, and not feeding a few hours before a trip, seem to help.

We use a car harness for Murphy, which he hates cause he thinks he should be on his Mummy's lap at ALL times :lol:

He is not to bad when we are travelling, he whines a bit, but on the way back from a walk he's normally happier. I would like to get him a seat so he could see out the window better cause he's dead nosey :roll:

When he was a puppy he travelled in my lap, as O/H normally drives

I bought my 6 mth old pup a RAC car harness. It's really good! I couldnt have him loose in the car as he's too lively and tried to get on my lap. When he gets to the park, he runs about in his harness.

I would like a crate but I only have a small run about town car icon_whistling

mishmosh said:

I bought my 6 mth old pup a RAC car harness. It's really good! I couldnt have him loose in the car as he's too lively and tried to get on my lap. When he gets to the park, he runs about in his harness.

I would like a crate but I only have a small run about town car icon_whistling

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My car is pretty compact - focus and it holds an intermediate petsmate plastic carrier. I dont think Kodee will fit it past 10mths. I got that size because the door can face the front seat so she can see me. If she grows, I will get the next size up and put it sideways because by then she should be sick of looking at me :lol: you can buy straps so they can go in the way and belt into both backseat holders. But I will also use a harness for short trips to the store when she is old enough to not bite my seats!

Kodee said:

I got that size because the door can face the front seat so she can see me. If she grows, I will get the next size up and put it sideways because by then she should be sick of looking at me :lol:

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:rotfl: :rotfl: cl*p