Choosing the Right Vehicle Restraint for Your Canine Kid

Our world today is full of dog-friendly places ranging from friend’s homes and dog parks to restaurants with outdoor seating and pet stores that welcome four-footed browsers. I hope you are enriching your canine companion’s life by taking him along on car outings to such canine-convivial establishments.

Safety experts point out a number of reasons to restrain your dog when she is traveling in your vehicle:

• Potential driver distraction -- cell phones aren’t the only culprits!
• Interfering with the car’s operation by bumping the gear lever or blocking the steering wheel
• Becoming a projectile during a sudden stop or accident
• Escaping from the vehicle during a stop or after an accident
• Preventing rescuers from reaching you after an accident

Although restraining an animal is currently the owner’s choice in most states, more states are likely to issue safety legislation about restraining pets in vehicles in the coming years. 

Here’s an overview of devices to control your pet in your vehicle. 

Crates or Kennels

A crate can provide your pooch with a sense of security and do double-duty as his “bed” in a camp site, motel or friend’s house when you are on a road trip. They come in many sizes; make sure get the right size for your dog. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers and WikiHow provide some good guidelines for choosing the right size.

A collapsible wire cage or folding canvas crate provides better ventilation than a hard-sided crate, and folds up for storage -- but is it sturdy enough to protect your dog? And before you install the crate in the cargo area of your vehicle, check that that area is not the “crumple zone” in an accident!

A dog will be thrown against the side of the crate in a quick stop or accident, so injury still may occur. And the crate should be tied down or secured with a seatbelt to keep it from becoming a projectile.

Car Barrier

You can install a barrier to confine your dog to the back seat or the cargo compartment. (Again, make sure you’re not confining your canine kid in the crumple zone!) They come in a variety of materials. A barrier will prevent the dog from getting in your way, and also confine dog-related sand, dirt and fur. A barrier won’t necessarily protect your dog during an accident, and could become another projectile, depending on how it is installed.

Seat Belt Harnesses

A seat belt harness fits the way a dog-walking harness does, but is specially constructed to withstand the forces of an accident. Some come with wide straps and special padding in the chest area to dampen impact. Special tethers tie in to your vehicle’s seat belts. Use it only in the back seat so the dog is not in danger of being injured by an airbag.

There are several types of tethers. One clips directly into the latch of a seatbelt. Another uses a carabiner to attach to the webbing of the seatbelt latch. Yet another has one or two loops through which you guide the seatbelt. This video from e-tailer PetAutoSafety.com shows the basics of putting on the harness, and their site gives a nice comparison of different harness features.

Shop around to figure out which type fits your pet properly and will be easiest for you to use. A search on YouTube will provide more short videos that cover a variety of harnesses and how to use them.

Car Seats

Dog car seats or booster seats are special dog beds that raise small dogs high enough to see through the windows. The seat itself is tethered in place by a seat belt. Make sure the booster seat you choose comes equipped with a tether and harness that keeps your dog in the seat! For a very small dog, you can find a booster seat that straps to the console between the bucket seats of your vehicle.

Car Hammocks

Car hammocks are modified blankets that are suspended from front- and back-seat headrests. Their main objective is to protect the back seat from muddy paws. They will keep your dog from being thrown onto the floor in a sudden stop, and also form a low barrier between the front seats. Choosing a model that has passthroughs for seat belts gives you the option of also using a safety harness.