Does anyone use these? what do you think?

The reason i ask is that Leo has a crate in the car at the moment but we're going away in 2 months time and with luggage in the car there isnt room for the crate.... we are also talking about for when he is older and doesnt need to travel in a crate anymore.

We want him and us to be safe in the car and so don't eactly want him running round the car risking getting injured. When we mentioned this to OH's mum she said "oh god, please no" Now i know she didnt mean that she didnt think they were safe more that they were tacky.

Surely the dogs safety is more important? Just wanted to check they are actually safe and whether its worth getting one?

Hello,
      I have a car harness for Sal for the same reason as you sometimes the hatch is too full for a dog too :)
As far as I know they are safe and secure, hers is padded at the front bit round her chest, it then
clips into to seat belt bit. Seems to work for her and she's about 38lb of Stafford muscle ;)
Karen   
I'd also suggest you do a search on "dog seat belts" and you'll see lots of things already said about this subject too :)

I bought a car harness for Toby, i am disappointed with it, while Toby moves about to get comfortable he managers to unclip the seat belt :(

Heidi

http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/roadie.php

I use one if I have more dogs in the car than I have crate room.  One of my bitches (long gone now) always usee to sit on the front seat beside me and "asked" for it to be put on.

One thing I have wondered about them is can they lay down while attatched.  Kirra loves to sleep in the car, and I think not being able to lay down would drive her nutty.  I am thinking I need to get one, but I'd like to know this first.

Thanks - Drai

Yes they can.

It is worth remembering that if you look in your Highway Code it is against the law to be driving around with distractions which a loose dog is at best.  At worst it can kill passengers in a crash or go through a windscreen and be killed by another car or run away and be lost forever.

Only yesterday I saw some moron driving around with a Jack Russell on his lap!

I have a seat belt for Millie and I won't even let her go on a 2 minute drive without it!  (I wouldn't travel in a car without a seat belt myself so I don't think I should let my dog travel without one either- although this does exclude bringing her home on day one when she was too little and we didn't have one ;-))

Mine came from Pets at Home (seen here: http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product_group.asp?dept_id=15&pg_id=35 ).  I am a bit naughty though, I put Millie on my lap in the front and clip it to my own seat belt as she travels better in the front but I'm slowly getting her used to be clipped in the back - she's getting heavier and coming back from her walks dirtier so its in my own interest as well as hers!

She can lay down comfortably, stand up, turn around etc and now that she's used to it she quite happily lets me put it on, looks forward to it in fact as it means we are going out in the car, yippee!  My sister's dog has travelled 'loosely' on the back seat for 8 years, now I'm pleased to say that since we got Millie and got her a seatbelt, Max is now the proud owner of his very own identical seatbelt and seems quite happy about it too.

Edited to do link, following FAQ instructions, didn't work, gave up, going to bed....;-)

Jessthepest,

Do you have airbags in the front of your car, because if so it could be extremely dangerous if you have Millie on your lap and are in a crash and the airbag deploys.  If Millie is too near to the airbag she could be killed by it and your safety would also be compromised as the proper deployment of the bag would have been interfered with.  Please, please get her travelling in the back as soon as you can :)

Lesley

I'm one of those "morons" who let 1 of my dogs sit on my lap whilst driving,i know it can be distracting but she just sits there with her little head out the window(shih-tzu)
They are trying to bring in a law here in Australia that ALL dogs that travel in the car must be attached to a harness,i agree and disagree,what would happen if you got in an accident and you have to fiddle about trying to unbuckle your dog,to try and get him out quick?
Alot of dogs would probaly go mental being "pinned" down when they are used to having the run of the back seat.like my dogs ;)
But in the end it is for their safety just like wearing seatbelts is for us.

christine

One minor accident could have your poor dog killed between you and the steering wheel quite apart from the damage that can be done to her eyes by allowing her to travel with her head out of the window.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Driving with a dog on your lap with its head out of the window?! Have you not considered the risk that, in case of an emergency stop/accident a) your dog will be crushed between you and the steering wheel (or airbag if you car has one) or b) be seriously injured or even decapitated by the windowframe?

LF - its a good point about airbags - we did have them in the old car which concerned me - I don't know too much about these things, but I kept querying OH about what happened if the airbag opened and was why I felt it was time to start getting her used to the back seat - but we bought a new car about a month or so ago that doesn't have one for the front passenger so its bought me a bit more time regarding travelling in the back.  I'm going with putting her in the back for short journeys, partic. fun journeys like to the woods or if we have another passenger in the back, because otherwise she thinks she's done something wrong to be demoted to the back!
But its a really good point, and I know I am naughty for letting her into the front and I don't recommend other people do it!

Also, regarding the 'Roadie Harness' that tohme posted, I would back up what other people have said since about it being the safest one - it exceeds the safety standards set for human seatbelts and is recommended as the best.  Its not the one I have, admittedly, but I'm still recommending it!

I see someone has posted the Company of Animals web address, the harness they do (the roadie) is the only one, to my knowledge, that has a kite mark so worth the money.

I would tend to agree; we have a harness from - Canac i think - but are off to the Lake District in a few weeks so i am buying  a Roadie from The Company of Animals - the safest one.

I don't like my dog in the back due to several accidents - people coming up the back into me, none of which were my fault (one was at a red light!) and i presume dogs in the back in such circumstances would be squashed :(

So Banya goes in the back passenger seats, complete with hammock and harness :)

Lindsay
X

Edited to add: Wendy on here has some fab  car harnesses from the States for her dogs, they really are safe and comfortable.

I use a dog seat belt on my 9 month old westie, she sits on the front seat and travels very well with it, it gives me peace of mind knowing that if I have to stop quickly she wont fall on to the floor and be hurt.

i got a harness for lily a few months ago and i've pretty much given up on it now - she spins around until she gets all her legs twisted up, then she half falls off the seat...

sarah
x

My dog has one for when she goes in my bf car and she loves it, if there was to be an accident at least shes not going to be smashed into the back of the seats, his head or worse still through the windscreen.