Wednesday, August 3, 2011

DoggyStyle: Riding in Cars with Dogs

 We have a lot of complicated systems that, we think, make our lives easier in the end. Like our car. We have concocted an elaborate dog system in the back to ensure safety, cleanliness, and comfort for all.

Dog Seat Belts
Our dogs always wear seat belts while in the car. A lot of craziness goes on in the city, and we want to make sure our dogs are protected if we have to stop short. We've also learned that untethered dogs can become a dangerous projectile and if they hit the back of our seats it could be deadly. So, we play it safe.
We use the Petbuckle Pet Harness with Kwik Connect Tether. E did the research and made sure to choose a seatbelt that had been safety tested. The seatbelt goes around them like a harness, and clips to tether attached to the latch bar  which is the device that holds baby seats. It does take a bit longer for us to go anywhere, but I do think it's worth it. I think it makes them look like they're about to take flight. And it's still comfortable enough for them to move around and lay down:

Dog Seat Cover:
I like taking preventative measures so it's less effort to clean later. We picked up this Duragear Semi-Custom Rear Seat Cover at Petsmart. We like that it blends in with our car, and it fits nicely over the entire seats. Here's the back view:
It's easy to take off and just throw into the washer for cleaning. Though it must be comfortable because Mr. B never wants to leave the car and he must be forcibly removed like a little puppy:
How else do you accommodate your dog in your car?

 P.S. We posted this on our Facebook page last night, but our rescuer friend, who wrote the How to Be a Tourist with Your Dog in Nashville post, has been involved with a courageous pup that has been fighting for her life. Would you give up your daily coffee or bring lunch to work one day to save a life? We were thinking if we got enough people to do this, and all these people donated just $5 to her ChipIn page, they could raise the funds needed.  It's just a little bit, but if a lot of people do it, this could make a huge difference. Could you post this to help spread the word?

19 comments:

Unknown said...

I am in love with that very frist picture. Just when I think your two can't get any cuter, they do! We definitely need to do a better job about using the duo's seat belts.

Anonymous said...

These two could hardly be cuter. We are total slackers and just let the dogs free range in the back with no seat covers or anything. If we ever get a newer car (our cars are 13 and 17!) we will get one of those covers for sure, and I'm thinking maybe some seatbelts are in order too, since we love our dogs more than anything else in the world.

Kate said...

We tether/seatbelt in our dogs when they're in the car too. It's scary to think what could happen to them (or us) if there was an accident.

Two Pugs in a Pod said...

Hahaha, that picture of Mr. B being "forcibly removed" is priceless! :)

HoundDogMom said...

With getting the BUV in January I looked and looked for covers. I found a really nice one that attaches to the back of the front seats and lays all the way out to cover the entire back area of the BUV (back seats down). We do have latches in the BUV and I have thought about adding a harness to secure them, but I wonder if they would be a tangled mess with 3 in there all the time. I also purchased some door covers that are awesome. These just slide in through the slats on the window and hang down. They protect your doors and also keeps the fur-babies from accidently rolling down the windows, if you can't lock them. I will have to take some pictures and post on the blog so you can see. All our items are very easy to remove and wash in snap. :) Sniffs, The HoundDogs

P.S. - Thanks for good wishes for Cleo today. She too is a little overweight but she has lost 8 pounds in the last month so we are trying to maintain that.

Kristine said...

We usually have a barrier up between the backseat and the front but our dog has been known to leap over it and into drive-thru windows. I think your system sounds smart. It's something we should probably look into. Especially when driving in the city. You can never be too safe, right?

I am also amazed by how clean you car is! It makes me feel kinda lazy. ;-)

Kari in Alaska said...

I think it should be a requirement for Mr B to wear that costume any time he is in the car :)

Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com

Road Dog Tales said...

LOVE the frog pic! LOVE Miss B in her tutu! You are awesome pet parents!

Looking forward to posts about your vacay!

The Road Dogs

Sarah said...

I can't wait to get a new car just to get a seat cover. My car has definitely gone to the dogs! Thanks for posting about these great harnesses - I am such a slacker about securing the dogs while in the car. We do have similar harnesses for the Jeep when the top's down. Must remember to use them in the car!

brooke said...

hehehe I love the eyes on Mr B's head. hehehe
Darwin doesnt like to ride in the back seat. We have a Toyota Matrix and she prefers being the in the back/trunk/hatch area. I think the back keeps her more secure as well.

Two French Bulldogs said...

O do we love the car! We have our own car seats. It's great cause we get to see out the window
Benny & Lily

emily said...

thanks for the info on the seat belt you use. i need to get another one and i like that the pups have freedom to move. also, thanks for all the effort you put into showcasing dogs in need. charlotte is a gorgeous puppy that i wouldn't have known about if it weren't for your blog. ya'll are great!

orange sugar said...

I have one seatbelt from when we only had one husky. I should get another. Sabe is an awesome car rider, he just sits down like a person and moves with the turns. Shadow, not so much. I tried one of those harnesses initially where the seatbelt loops through but they just get all tangled up, I need one with an actual seatbelt connector.

houndstooth said...

I just want to know where you got Miss M's tutu! Oh, the fun I could have with that!

We do pretty much the same things you do. Morgan does have a crate; it just makes life easier for everyone. We also have a couple of no spill bowls that we keep in there so they always have access to water.

Two Pitties in the City said...

Houndstooth--Miss M shops in the little girls section, and that tutu was from Target (toy aisle). I actually had a woman tell us her daughter had the same exact tutu.

The Daily Pip said...

I love that picture of Miss M asleep in the backseat all buckled up!

Your pal, Pip

Corbin said...

Love the pictures! Mom has been on the fence about getting a seat cover... right now she's just using a sheet, but that's a pain in the butt! BOL!
-Corbin

goosie mama said...

That picture of Ms. M asleep on Mr. B's hip is so cute! I think the tutu really sets it off! :)

Annie & Pauls Mom said...

I'm just impressed that they don't go nuts in the seat belts. My pit mix ate his way out of the seat belt set up we bought for him by eating part of our car to escape. We've also tried using their leashes to belt them in, but that lead to us returning 5 leashes in a 2 hour time span. Congratulations on having 2 well behaved dogs who work with your seat belt system!

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