car harnesses

[Penny Less]

Im going to try travelling my dog in the front seat of the car rather than the boot because Im finding it harder to lift her in the back.
She tends to walk round in the back so I wondering if I get a harness if she will be able to move much in her seat, if the seatbelt has give in it.
Alternatively Im wonderin g about the ones that go over the headrest. Any recommendations?

 

[Birker2020]

You can get the type that the whole seatbelt slips through or you can get one with a clip like this

 

[Birker2020]

This is one of the ones we have for our dog but ours is the RAC one that the seatbelt slips through.
We also have a yellow one for the attachment above, I think it was just a one off from Amazon, it has a 'carry handle' on the top which means I use it to help haul our dog in the car.

 

[Birker2020]

You can also get this type but I think they look quite degrading for dogs, sorry if anyone has one for their dogs, I just find it a bit weird.

 

[Bellasophia]

Hi penny less..
..over here( italy) we are fined heavily if the dog is in the front seat.Also if you should crash ,the airbag can kill or injure a dog..
So,I use the following option..I put both my dogs in the second file..behind the driver,using harnesses ,attached with leather strong leads,by a climbers clip,to the headrest bars.
In addition,the photo below shows a metal bar set up,that fits between the two front seats to completely prevent the dog having access to the driver.
The barrier costs 40 euros ,and is easily attached with canvas straps and clips to the headrest bars on each front seat.
I never will put the dogs in the boot of my car as I fear for their safety with Italian drivers rear ending us!

 

[Penny Less]

Well Ive just tried to get dog into front of car ! SHe wont jump in so I had to lift her(want to avoid due to having a hernia !)
got her into the footwell and she was shivering in fear! Shes really weird when something is different. She even refused a treat which is totally out of character. She doesnt like the car so is reluctant to jump in,Ive tried all sorts in the four years Ive had her. She wont go near a ramp either. She doesnt get sick and every time she goes in the car she gets a walk so you would think she would be keen to get in

 

[Birker2020]

Well Ive just tried to get dog into front of car ! SHe wont jump in so I had to lift her(want to avoid due to having a hernia !)
got her into the footwell and she was shivering in fear! Shes really weird when something is different. She even refused a treat which is totally out of character. She doesnt like the car so is reluctant to jump in,Ive tried all sorts in the four years Ive had her. She wont go near a ramp either. She doesnt get sick and every time she goes in the car she gets a walk so you would think she would be keen to get in

Our dog instantly spreads out and falls asleep, she's a doddle when we go on holiday, she lies on the back seat in her harness and we don't hear a peep out of her for hours.

Partner was most concerned about picking her up from Beagle Welfare in Monmouthshire as a 2 year old rescue because of the long car journey. He was ready for barking, whining and throwing up. She lay down as soon as the car moved and didn't wake until they were home four hours later!

OP it might be that your car is low to the ground. I feel sick each and every time I'm passenger in my partners car which is a Peugeot 207 estate. Its petrol and I can smell it sometimes, and that and the feeling that I'm very low in the car makes me feel incredibly queasy. I'm not like it when I drive it though weirdly.

Would it help if you put her on top of a folded duvet so she's a bit higher off the car seat maybe?

 

[fiwen30]

Might be worth looking into a ramp or steps to get her into the boot? Or a Help’em’up harness makes it far easier to lift a dog, by distributing their wright across 2 harnesses, depending on your capability.

 

[Penny Less]

My old boy was like that immediately settled down, Ive never had a dog that didnt like the car before, I think I need to fit a hoist to the car !

 

[SAujla]

Headrest Dog Car Seat Belt Adjustable with Elastic Bungee Buffer Durable Headrest Pet Seat Belt Dog Car Safety Harness Restraint (Purple) https://amzn.eu/d/1rwDxDW

This is what I use and works well, Clover kept releasing herself from the one that goes in the seat buckle

 

[Birker2020]

Our friends husband told his wife he connected the other end of the dogs harness lanyard to the dogs collar as every time she got in the passenger seat of his car she would find the dogs harness lanyard attached to the seat belt buckle receiver.

She would shriek at him how stupid he was because if he did that the dog would break his neck in the event of an accident or if he had to do an emergency stop.

After many arguments he finally admitted he was using it to stop the seatbelt alarm going off every five seconds because the dog was sat on the front seat whilst he drove around unsecured by the harness she had bought for it! She wasn't very impressed.

 

[Penny Less]

Headrest Dog Car Seat Belt Adjustable with Elastic Bungee Buffer Durable Headrest Pet Seat Belt Dog Car Safety Harness Restraint (Purple) https://amzn.eu/d/1rwDxDW

This is what I use and works well, Clover kept releasing herself from the one that goes in the seat buckle

thanks Ive ordered one.. cheap enough if it doesnt work for me. Ive found an old harness that fits her so the headrest one will be easier to fit than attaching to the seat belt. Just got to get her to get herself in now!

 

[fetlock]

You can also get this type but I think they look quite degrading for dogs, sorry if anyone has one for their dogs, I just find it a bit weird.

View attachment 101423

poor souls look like they’re strapped into the same thing Hannibal Lecter was when they had to take him anywhere.

 

[SAujla]

thanks Ive ordered one.. cheap enough if it doesnt work for me. Ive found an old harness that fits her so the headrest one will be easier to fit than attaching to the seat belt. Just got to get her to get herself in now!

I just attach it to her collar and it works nicely that way as well.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

We have the headrest one although use it in the back of the car as dog is definitely too big for the front.

I would absolutely not attach to a collar. I don't think this would be safe if I needed to emergency stop, if we were hit, or on occasion she has tried to jump out of the car before being unclipped (yes we do ask her to wait and don't let her leap out as soon as the door opens, there have been just a couple of instances of this).

 

[Birker2020]

poor souls look like they’re strapped into the same thing Hannibal Lecter was when they had to take him anywhere.

Yes I know. For some reason I find it quite disturbing, I think its like seeing dogs in dresses, it humanises them. Dogs aren't built to be propped up like that. I can't think it would do their spine much good.

 

[SAujla]

We have the headrest one although use it in the back of the car as dog is definitely too big for the front.

I would absolutely not attach to a collar. I don't think this would be safe if I needed to emergency stop, if we were hit, or on occasion she has tried to jump out of the car before being unclipped (yes we do ask her to wait and don't let her leap out as soon as the door opens, there have been just a couple of instances of this).

Didn't think about this, might get her harness back out for car journeys only

 

[Barton Bounty]

You can also get this type but I think they look quite degrading for dogs, sorry if anyone has one for their dogs, I just find it a bit weird.

View attachment 101423

My wee woo would not be happy sitting like this lol

 

[Penny Less]

Im looking at folding steps today ! The big problem is she is scared of anything new and the fact she doesnt like the car doesnt help !

 

[stangs]

Im looking at folding steps today ! The big problem is she is scared of anything new and the fact she doesnt like the car doesnt help !

Introduce her to the folding steps away from the car and reinforce heavily?

 

[Boulty]

Please please please always use a harness as a way to secure your dog in the car (obviously if they're secured in a crate in the boot that's fine too.) I know of dogs that have managed to hang themselves with their collars in cars resulting in death. (Not really aimed at OP just at anyone potentially reading this thread in general)

 

[SAujla]

Have found Clovers old harness and will attach it to the seatbelt now, lesson fortunately learned before anything happened. It just didn't occur to me how dangerous it could be.

 

[MyBoyChe]

We use an old garden wooden bench seat to let our old springer step up into the boot. He can hop onto that and then in in two little jump steps. We leave it on the drive and reverse up to it so its like a permanent feature on our drive!

 

[Penny Less]

Well still no progress ! Ive got a harness and a round the head rest tether. Tried to get dog into back seat, she still wont and if I hike her up she goes into the foot well and then I cant get her onto the seat, so its not helping with my lifting ! Stubborn spaniel

 

[SAujla]

Much safer now