Dog Car Safety Harness:
The Essential Car Safety Accessory

Have you thought about a dog car safety harness for those joy rides with your canine companion?

I know you love your dog. In fact, he’s probably your best friend (I know mine is!). You care about feeding him the most nutritious foods, you buy him the best dog toys so he’ll have lots of fun, and you take good care of him so he won’t get a lot of dog illnesses .

But did you know that you may be putting your furry friend’s life at risk every day, without even thinking about it?

How?

By taking him for rides in the car without buckling him up with a dog car safety harness.

Most of us love taking our dogs for rides, and most of our dogs love it, too. But too many of us are taking huge risks by ignoring the number one safety rule of driving with a dog – using a dog car safety harness.

Whether you’re trekking across the country (as in our article on traveling with a dog ) or across town with your pooch, he should always be safely “buckled up”. After all, you automatically strap on your seatbelt whenever you get into your car, don’t you?

As pointed out in our article on dog car safety , pooches that are left to wander unsecured in a car can pose serious hazards to themselves and the other occupants of the vehicle. And even though you might be an excellent driver (aren’t we all? ;-), you can never predict what other drivers around you will do.

Not convinced that your dog needs a dog car safety harness? Read on.

An Unbuckled Dog can Cause Dangerous Distractions

Even if you are a stellar driver, if you don’t buckle your dog, he can pose a serious distraction, causing you to shift your attention from where it belongs – on the road. An unbuckled dog can jump over the seats, bump into you or even fall onto the floor of the car, obstructing your access to the foot pedals and causing an accident.

An Unbuckled Dog Can Become a Flying Missile

In the event of an accident, a dog can become a flying canine missile that can seriously injure (or even kill) himself, a passenger or the driver. Even in an accident that involves a speed of only 30 mph, a 60-pound dog can cause an impact of 2,700 pounds.

An Unbuckled Dog can Get Seriously Injured if you Stop Short or Swerve Suddenly

If your dog is not wearing a dog car safety harness and you jam on your breaks or swerve the car, he can go flying into the dashboard, the back seat or onto the floor. Even if he doesn’t hit anyone else, he could become seriously injured.

An Unbuckled Dog can Hamper Rescue Efforts

If there were an accident, an unbuckled dog can seriously impede the efforts of those trying to help. If he does survive, he will be frightened and perhaps even injured. Out of fear he could block or even try to bite rescue workers.

An Unbuckled Dog could Run from the Car After an Accident

If your dog did survive the accident, he would be so frightened that his first instinct might be to escape from the car, causing him to get hit by another vehicle. How sad would that be?

The dog car safety harness choices have evolved to the point where there are now many varieties to choose from that are easy to put on your dog, comfortable to wear and that install quickly in any type of car, truck or SUV. There’s also a size to fit any dog: Smaller sizes fit dogs up to 8 pounds, where extra larges sizes can accommodate dogs up to 120 pounds.

Options for Smaller Dogs

If your dog is smaller (up to 25 pounds) you could also safely secure him with a dog booster seat. Dog booster seats comfortably secure your dog in the vehicle, while also lifting them up so they have a great view of their surroundings. Check out this Pet Booster Seat Deluxe offered at Doctors Foster and Smith.

So, what are you waiting for?

Check out some safety harnesses such as this dog Car Safety Harness Fleece-lined Size: Medium at Doctors Foster and Smith (or pet booster seats for smaller dogs) and choose one best suited to meet your dog’s needs.

After all, it’s supposed to be a “joy ride”. Be sure to keep it safe and enjoyable for everyone. Take a few extra minutes to secure your furry traveling companion with a dog car safety harness. Then hit the open road and have fun!

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