Dog seat belts - Paw Talk

ninja_smurtles · #1 04-25-2005, 11:18 AM

Does anyone use dog seat belts?

I bought some for our 2 dogs today and they seemed very good. They come in the car a lot and Indy has fallen over a lot when i brake so i wanted to make him more safer.

**Scarlette** · #2 04-25-2005, 12:29 PM

Yep, I used one for Riley, mainly because she kept trying to jump in my lap while I was driving.

As soon as Mirra gets over being car sick all the time, I'll stop putting her in the crate and let her stay in the back seat with the seat belt on.

Totally off topic, but we've had 3 car rides now with no puking!

damsel911 · #3 04-25-2005, 12:38 PM

Congrats on the no puking!!
I've never used doggie seat belts, but I don't normally transport our dogs. My dad normally does, but our boys are pretty big and calm, unless he gets in a wreck they're ok.

Jodi · #4 04-25-2005, 01:53 PM

I've never used one. My little guys ride in my lap (if I'm not driving!) if we go in the car.

RSbunny · #5 04-25-2005, 02:27 PM

After watching a documentary on what can happen when in an accident if the animal isn't strapped into the car, mine always wear their harnesses (which has a loop for the seat belt to go through) when in the car, even if we're just going down the street.

The dog can hit the back of your seat (if riding in the back) and break their neck, and your back if the dog is big enough, if in the front seat and small, they can hit the dashboard and die of a broken neck and back, if the dog is in the middle seat in the back, they can either come through and hit themselves on the dahsborad, and then land on you (killing you both if the dog is large, but doesn't have to be super large), or go straight through the windscreen. You could have a minor accident and incidently kill your dog (or cat, the cat gets strapped in the car too cause he doesn't have a carry cage just yet). It's just not worth it for me.
They are trying to make it law in Aus that no dog can travel without a harness and being strapped into the car, for these reasons. If they feel strong enough to make a law about it there has to be a good reason for it.
Aside from all those reasons, just breaking suddenly without hitting anything, the dog can still fall and hurt themselves, with the harness on they can lie down, sit or stand, but can't go too far forward.

***Jade*** · #6 04-25-2005, 02:30 PM

Gumbo's always in his crate, which is belted in.

(Same thing applies to my chins if they travel, I'm so worried about an accident!)

Working in the ER, I've seen dogs come in with head trauma from an accident and have to be put to sleep, so I'm very cautious.

Gecko · #7 04-25-2005, 03:10 PM

Zoe always rides in her crate on long trips except the one time we had more people going and she couldnt though she did end up getting sick. If it is just to the vet in town she rides in my lap with my bf driving. but on long car rides she has a tendency to get sick so she rides in the crate. but we had been giving her bendryl which had been helping but we only gave her half but since the vet told us that she has double her weight so we decided it was time to move it up to a whole benedryl and she didnt get sick on the way home. But anytime I am going on a long car ride and there is no one there she will deffinately be in a crate or If she gets over her car sickness I will get her a doggy seat belt.

ninja_smurtles · #8 04-25-2005, 03:50 PM

My dogs have never been sick *touch wood*
I wanted to get them one because I noticed Indy kept falling a bit even when I braked slow because he has got very gangly legs.
I am glad they are gonna be safe now

I will try and get a photo of them in them with their very miserable faces because they do not like them at all.

jcookie1982 · #9 05-04-2005, 04:00 AM

For anyone thats interested, I sell doggie carseats on my website for dogs up to 20 pounds. http://www.naturespaws.com/catalog/p...roducts_id=174

outofstep · #10 05-31-2005, 01:04 PM

Sorry to bring this thread back from the dead, but I have recently started looking into a seat belt for my dog. He initially would just sleep on the seat but lately he's been insistant on sitting on my lap which was okay once or twice, but it's not very safe for him and he's getting too big to be sitting there. But when he's in the back seat he get thrown all over the place (he slips and slides on the leather seats and wont stay on the blankets.

For those of you that have them for larger dogs what brand did you get and have they helped?

Most of the ones I've seen only hook into one side and I don't think it would keep my dog in place too well. Is that how you're work? They have a harness and then buckel into one side of the seat belt? Like this:

Any suggestions? Right now my guy's only 35 pounds, but he's a 4 month old lab pup so he'll be getting bigger.

ninja_smurtles · #11 05-31-2005, 04:14 PM

The 1 I have goes around his body and it is a short lead which clips onto the seat belt when it is plugged in so it works in the same way as on humans. When the seat belt feels pressure on it from braking it locks.

meggs521 · #12 05-31-2005, 05:27 PM

Where did you get yours from?

And gecko- poor Zoe! At least Crunch doesn't get sick in the car. Sometimes when we go places I try to hold him and my bf drives, but he always wants to be sitting in the driver's seat. It's really annoying. And if we put him in the back he barks non-stop (usually right in your ear). He actually "learned" this new trick the last time I was driving with him. I kept making him sit in the passanger seat (instead of on my lap) so he would start licking my ear and then bark with his mouth about 1/2 away from my ear. OWE!

The little boy needs a seat belt. Especially since we're getting ready to go across country with him. I want him (and us) to be safe.

ninja_smurtles · #13 05-31-2005, 05:28 PM

A swedish pet shop...

meggs521 · #14 05-31-2005, 05:32 PM

Lol, I just noticed you were from Sweden. I was wondering why you would go so far away for a seat belt... somedays I'm slow. But thanks! I'll see what they have around here. So far I've just been looking at store websites and it's hard for me to get a feel for them without seeing it in person.

Thanks again!

corgimom · #15 05-31-2005, 10:25 PM

We bought one for Ein when we drove from Louisiana to Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) to New York (Buffalo) and back to Louisiana. It's too small for him now, as he was only 4.5 months old when we took the trip. Before we take another long trip, I need to get him a new one. He has very good car manners, so I'm not worried about it for short trips.