Dog car harnesses

[Eveadel]

Can someone please advise a good one. Im getting my puppy next month and I want to make sure she is secure when travelling in the car for hers and our safety.

 

[Babylicious]

not sure on the harnesses although i have seen them used, we have a guard and harley goes in the boot

 

[Sherlock]

I'm guessing you don't have a car with boot space for a dog?

TBH I always find a harness a dubious way to restrain a dog in a back seat as a) it goes against the dogs natural instinct to settle itself and get into a comfortable (and what the dog feels to be a safe) position to travel and b) your car can get trashed with dog hair from soggy smelly woofers.

I'd be inclined, if your dog is going to remain reasonably small in size to invest in a metal cage and place this on the back seat and then your dog will be able to travel safely and not trash the car. They fit nicely on back seats and if need be you can secure them, but the one we use is well and truly snugly fitted in the back seat when needed. Also then it can double in the house when you want puppy to settle or you want to go out and leave pup alone for a few hours. They adjust very well to being in it.

 

[Eveadel]

Hi thanks for your advice girls.

How would you secure a cage in the car properly as I can imagine that would do more damage in a RTA then a small dog??

 

[PinkPunch]

Do dog restraints allow them to lie down? Chances are, your puppy will be sick a few times in the car at first so if she can lie down, that will help.

I agree, the boot is the best but maybe you don't have one?

 

[Sherlock]

If you do the go the route of a dog harness there are not that many companies making them in the UK so searching on pet mail order sites will soon find you one. They are much of a muchness IMO. Its more a case of getting the sizing right.

Also your pup will grow so small pup now, big dog later may need more than one harness as they grow.

I used to use Comfy Pet for my online shopping but the UK site seems to have disappeared. You could try this one instead though Pet site

 

[Sherlock]

How would you secure a cage in the car properly as I can imagine that would do more damage in a RTA then a small dog??

The one we have is a snug fit on the back seat on doesn't move at all. It has to go in sideways and then its wedged between front and back seat so it doesn't need fixing in. Otherwise you can get a strap to clip on to the seatbelt, but tbh we never bothered and the cage has never moved out of place. And you can only go up to a small/medium sized one as the larger ones won't fit in and only go in boots.

Most of the times our dogs are in the boot with a dog grill keeping them back there. Easiest and cleanest way for them to travel and they settle well. I've owned one saloon car without hatch back boot space when keeping dogs and swore never again Now its an estate all the way and a cage for the small one when needed.

 

[Sherlock]

Erm I just read your other thread and you say you have two other dogs already? You'll have 3 on a back seat then? Is there room for people or a cage in that case? Or the puppy? Hope your car is a big one

 

[Babylicious]

the cages are fine if you have a small dog but what about when it grows? hence why we use the boot as we have a border collie and she's a med sized dog, we do have a crate for the house but it would be way too big to fit in the car.

 

[Penstraze]

I found a harness useless when my dog was a pup I dont think they're intended for dog to be so little and low (and my dogs a bigger breed then a bichion) he had enough strap to hang himself off the edge of the seat and to climb on my lap whilst I drove - very dangerous, I got a dog crate but was lucky to have room in the boot (hatchback) for it to fit in snuggly now hes bigger he is in boot behind a dog guard

 

[_Rosie_]

My mum got a really good harness for her puppy from pets at home. they come in different sizes and are adjustable and there is like a padded bit on the chest and a strap which you attach to a seatbelt so the dog can stand up and look out the window or lie down and sleep. and you can adjust the straps as they get bigger so there comfy.

i dont like the cages especially for puppies coz even if you put a blanket inside they still slip and slide around and bash into the cage.

 

[Eveadel]

Erm I just read your other thread and you say you have two other dogs already? You'll have 3 on a back seat then? Is there room for people or a cage in that case? Or the puppy? Hope your car is a big one

The other dogs go in the boot they take up all the room only have a small boot, hence why I want to put our new puppy in the actual car.

 

[Eveadel]

My mum got a really good harness for her puppy from pets at home. they come in different sizes and are adjustable and there is like a padded bit on the chest and a strap which you attach to a seatbelt so the dog can stand up and look out the window or lie down and sleep. and you can adjust the straps as they get bigger so there comfy.

i dont like the cages especially for puppies coz even if you put a blanket inside they still slip and slide around and bash into the cage.

Yes didnt think about they slipping and sliding about?? I take my dogs down the stable and it is an umade road??

 

[_Rosie_]

yeah i mean even on normal roads they slip and slide when you brake and stuff coz ive seen it with my nans dog and he's quite big so imagine a small puppy how uncomfortable it would be they wouldn't be able to relax and as your getting a puppy you dont want it to start of being nervous in the car especially if you take your dogs out a lot in the car.

you could have a blanket on the back seat so you dont get a hairy car. lol. and have puppy on top attached to the seatbelt.
obviously its your choice but i would really recommend one as my mum used one since she got her puppy and he's now 14 months and he has always just lay down and slept and not made a fuss in the car at all. whereas my nans dog who goes in a cage will bark and bark until you get to where your going as he cant settle down and you end up with a massive headache by the time you get anywhere lol
good luck with your new pup x x

 

[Sherlock]

obviously its your choice but i would really recommend one as my mum used one since she got her puppy and he's now 14 months and he has always just lay down and slept and not made a fuss in the car at all. whereas my nans dog who goes in a cage will bark and bark until you get to where your going as he cant settle down and you end up with a massive headache by the time you get anywhere lol

I think it really depends on the dog and its owner. We've used a cage and my parents also for their Dachsie and neither of us have ever had problems. The cages are well padded with blankets etc and they settle well and are never a problem. Dogs are quiet and settled even on a long journey. Plus I have room for people in the car rather than having to juggle dogs and kids etc.

I'd personally never have another dog in the car on a back seat, harness or not, unless it was a smaller dog and caged. I can't be doing with messy windows, dirty door trims and mucky car seats (even with a blanket dirt still gets on them). OK, the boot gets mucky but no one is sitting in there and I can rub them off and leave them to it back there then

I think in the end it comes down to what peoples need are. With 3 dogs as I understand it, one of them a puppy, a car with no boot space for dogs from the sounds of it, then choices are limited and its what works best. Back seats are intended to carry people, though harnesses have been designed for dogs, but I'm not convinced its a great long term solution if you have more than one dog and people to fit in.

 

[_Rosie_]

yeah i suppose i didnt really think about that as my mums dog is her baby she doesnt have to worry about kids being in the back lol she just moved down to devon so is looking for a new "country" car and she's looking for one that will suit the dog more then one that will suit her needs

Eveadel it really depends on how often you take the dogs in the car and if your LO is in the back seat coz i dont suppose you want dog hairs on the seats if she is.
i dont know to be honest i hope you find a way lol maybe you should buy a new car and have one for humans and one for dogs.

 

[Eveadel]

Thanks girls.

My 2 beagle donts really go out in the car but my new puppy will be coming out with us to stables, round mums, etc.

Ive ordered a hi-craft dog car harness as I phoned up some friends with dogs and got their advice aswell.