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So where does your Hav ride in the car???

3K views 23 replies 20 participants last post by  ClaireVoyant 
#1 ·
Lucky is now almost a year old (11 months) and he's done with crates in his life except for the one on the back seat of our car. He's reluctant to enter but fine curled up there even for 2 hour plus rides, BUT he's so happy on the short jaunts when I hold him on my lap and he can see out the window. I think it's time to treat him like a grown up dog and have a blanket on the back seat for him - when it's just he and me in the car, I'd even love him to sit in the passenger seat up front. My husband thinks the crate is essential for his safety and we should leave him there. I don't think I agree. What do you all do? Are Havs too small (and Lucky is now 22 pounds) for freedom in the car? Our labs just jumped in and rode looking out the window. Can Havs enjoy freedom in the car as well? Thanks for your input.
 
#2 ·
My three ride in crates in the back of my TrailBlazer. I would not let them ride free in the car-in an accident a free roaming dog could be Very Hurt-or worse killed. The passenger seat's air bag could kill or seriously injury a dog sitting there. Another line of thought-if there is an accident and the Police or EMT's open your doors to assist you-then in fright the dogs would bold-then since everyone is working with the accident no one takes the time to try and catch the Very Frighten dog/dogs. So worse case-you now have a very scared dog running in traffic or lost in an unknown area to it. These are just my opinions but it might make you rethink an uncrated or unseat belted dog.
 
#3 ·
I have a car seat for Quincy and it is held in place by the seatbelt (in front when it's just me, in back when it's me and hubby). I also got him a car safety harness (Solvit) so he doesn't get thrown forward if I have to brake suddenly or there's an accident. That would also prevent him from running off if he got scared in an accident. I can't remember the name of the car seat right at the moment, but I got it from Amazon and several people had mentioned it a few months ago.
 
#5 · (Edited)
There are lots of other threads on this, but it doesn't matter what size the dog is, a loose dog inside a car is a danger to himself and people in the car in an accident. All the serious dog people I know use some kind of restraint system in the car, whether its a crate or harness of some sort.

Kodi has a donut dog bed to sit in, in the front seat if I'm alone with him, or in the back seat, if there are more people in the car. He is then securely buckled into the seatbelt with a well-made car harness. The brand I use is Vestharness.

While "dog car seats" seem like a nice idea, the ones I have seen all have weak connections between the seat and whatever the dog is wearing. These have been proven to be the weak point, breaking when even a small dog is hurled against them at force in an accident. So if you use a car seat, MAKE SURE that you replace or reinforce that strap with something with really heavy duty webbing AND connections to both the dog and the seat. (or, better yet, the seatbelt)

Also, I've seen people attaching the clip from the car seat to a dog's collar or regular walking harness. Neither is adequate protection, and can cause serious injuries. Even in a dog car seat, use a specially designed car harness that has a padded chest, and spreads the impact over as large an area as possible.

Oh, and if you DO let your dog sit in the front seat, make sure that your passenger seat air bag is disabled the impact of the airbag can crush a small dog... another reason not to let them ride in your lap. (if you're in the seat with them, you can't (or shouldn't) disable the airbag)
 
#6 ·
Beau is miserable in the car without a booster seat! He just doesn't settle down unless he can look out the window! We invested in a good car seat (after dealing with the hassle and uncertainty of a cheapie when he was a puppy) so that he is secure and comfortable. He has a soft harness (puppia) that has 2 D-rings that I use when he's in the car that the tether clips onto very securely.
 
#16 ·
It's not the harness I'd worry about, (though those can be a problem too) but the tether itself. Those, especially the hardware, are what have been breaking in test crashes.
 
#7 ·
I agree with your husband . . .not just for his safety, but all inside the passenger compartment and travelers in your vicinity. I would prefer to see neither, but given the choice, I'd rather encounter a texting driver over one with a lap dog. Sorry, they're just too much of a distraction and become a projectile traveling at the same speed as the car in an abrupt stop.

Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com App
 
#11 ·
I ride motorcycles, and here in CA, cell phones in use are supposed to be hands free.

I don't want to see any of that. no talking on your cell, texting (the worst), putting your lipstick or mascara on, or lap dogs. one time, on the freeway, I saw a lady driving and eating cereal, with milk. yup, in a bowl.
 
#13 · (Edited)
ppl actually ask me that, and I would never take my dog or a passenger on a bike. just not worth it if anything happened.


I will say though, as for my little guy and driving in cars, he's always ridden in my lap. I know I'm a bad mommy. the reality is, due to his sideways growth, and the fact that I drive a miata, he might be riding in the passenger seat very soon (with a harness of course).
 
#14 ·
I have the solvit jumbo booster seat that buckles in with a seat belt (mostly I have it so 1. he can see out the window and 2. he doesn't get my car seats dirty). I have it in my back seat where I think it's safer. I don't use the restraint in it as it seemed flimsy, instead I use the solvit safety harness that consists of a pretty sturdy harness along with a seat belt type of attachment that is nice and strong firmly connects to the seat belt.
 
#18 ·
I have 3 lookout car seats across the back seat of my car. My guys wear a harness and are strapped in. Some of the clips on the straps open on impact, so I replaced them with a steel carabiner.

It's very dangerous to let any dog ride free in a car. If you get in an accident, they can go flying through the window....If they survive the crash, they can get hit by a car or run away out of fear.
 
#21 ·
Regardless, all pets should be restrained in some way EVERY time they are in the car. I was recently in an accident a few blocks from my home with both dogs in the car with me. It was in a residential neighborhood at an intersection and we all got quite a jolt. Both dogs were in the backseat in their car harnesses and impact was on the front passenger door. Maddux was on that side in the back and seemed to be the most affected by the whole thing. Both were quite shaken up and acted very spooked for the reamainder of the day. Maddux did vomit several times and both had diahreah for several days. I think it was just the trauma (emotionally more than physically). They were checked by the vet and found to be fine.

I hate to think if this had happened out on the highway at higher speeds, especially if they had not been restrained in any way.

I know its a hassle to buckle up everytime but so worth it when you think of what could happen.
 
#24 ·
Wow, if that's not a great testimony for why our precious pets belong restrained, I don't know what is. Poor little guys, of course they were shaken up . . .but considering, unrestrained, if you were even going only 40 mph, their little bodies would have continued traveling at that speed through the car and right out the windshield. Aside from being something of a missile, posing a danger to all car passengers . . .these precious dogs could have been seriously injured or killed.

It's inconvenient, I know . . .but their safety and yours is more important and its always time well spent. Thanks for sharing your story and thank God you're hear to tell about it.

Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com App
 
#23 ·
I have a Jeta wagon and their travel create is in the back end. They love going in the car because they know we going for a run somewhere. When I turn off the motor Zoey barks and barks to let her out. Its funny because the create is small for the two of them.
 

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