How do you have your dog in the car? Do you let them roam around freely? Place them in a kennel in the back? There are a couple different options for owners when it comes to how their dogs are placed in the car while they are going somewhere. Lets look over some ways owners have found to transport their dogs in cars.
1. Free Roam
Letting the dog have free access to all parts of the car, moving as they please. The window is just cracked down enough for their face to make it out of the window, and the window button locked so they can't accidently move the window for themselves. Most well behaved dogs will be fine this way, though the safety factor is a concern. Free roam allows the dog to become a distraction to the driver, who may pet the dog or pay more attention to them than the road. Dogs could also demand attention from the driver and try to climb into their laps or nudge them as their are steering causing a crash. If a crash were to happen, a dog with free roam around the car can seriously hurt the passengers of the car, and themselves.
2. Seat Belt Harness
With a harness on your dog, you now have a few way to attach a seat belt to that harness for the safety of everyone in the car. There are different harnesses that have loops for seat belts to go through so they are attached to the car, and the only difficulty with these is making sure your dog doesn't chew their way out of the harness, get caught up in the seat belt, or slip out of the harness.
3. Center Counsel Barrier
Maybe even with a seat belt your dog still can reach you as the driver, and their nudges and paws can be dangerous when your supposed to be focused on the road. They can pull your attention to them, or physically move you as your driving, leading to an accident. A barrier over the center counsel could prevent this - as it prevents your dog from physically being able to reach the driver. There are a few different styles of barriers but they almost all just hang from the two front seats sealing the front off from the back.
4. Crate or Kennel
If your dog is to energetic for a seat belt harness, even with the center counsel barrier, then a crate or kennel may be the best option. It can be placed in the very back of the car, or on the back seat, and while your dog may not be able to have the wind in their face during the drive you get the comfort of knowing that there is no way for your dog to hurt themselves, you, or passengers if anything were to happen to the car.
5. Carry Box
Suitable for smaller dogs, strapping them into a carry box could prevent them from roaming around and adds a protective barrier for them. Dog car carrier boxes can be strapped into the car like a child's seat, and have attachments that go to your dogs collar. This creates a safe place for your dog to lay down in and still be safe even if an accident were to happen. Bonus - this is great for younger or older dogs who have problems with holding their bladder as the bottom of the carrier box can be lined with a doggie pad for easy clean up.
6. Backseat hammock
A securely placed backseat hammock prevents most dogs from having access to the driver, covers the gap between the seat where our feet go, and protects the car's seats as well. While most seatbelts are not no longer available, the option of a leash's handle being feed around the seat heads allows for the dog to still be secured during travel.
Which way do you use? Or which way will you now use? We would love to hear from you!