Pet Auto Safety

Which dog seat belt is right for your pet?

Since we have now added the Ruff Rider Roadie and are phasing out the Guardian Gear / Cruising Companion brand dog seat belts, we are doing a new comparison. We now have four quality brands of dog car harnesses to choose from:  Bergan, Kurgo Tru-Fit, Pet Buckle, and Roadie. Which one is best? They are all great, but each has a different style and feature. Compare them below:

Quality
Quality is hard to quantify. All of these four brands are well-made with strong materials. While some or all parts may have been constructed outside the United States, each of the companies that make these brands has strict quality control measures in place to ensure that each and every dog seat belt meets the same high standards.

Safety
Since each of these brands has been tested by a different strength and crash test specialist, it is difficult to determine which dog seat belt brand is the safest. We are confident in the safety and crash testing of each of these brands.
* Bergan was tested using the V9DT Pet Safety Durability standard.
* Kurgo Tru-Fit enhanced version was tested by the New Hampshire Materials Laboratory, Inc.
* Pet Buckle was tested by the Center for Advanced Product Evaluation (CAPE).
* Roadie Ruff Rider was tested by both the Commercial Test Labs and the Allianz Insurance Crash Research Center.

Fit
Can dogs get out of them? Yes to all. A determined dog can get out of any pet travel harness. Keeping the seat belt harness too tight will not prevent this and will likely only make a dog more determined to get out of it. So when we look at how it fits, we are looking for any loose spots or any place that doesn’t adjust well.
* Bergan – Fits well and adjustable at both the neck and sides, although the chest piece may be a little long for some dogs.
* Kurgo Tru-Fit – Fits well and is adjustable at both the neck and sides.
* Pet Buckle – Fits well on small dogs or large dogs. It does not fit medium-sized dogs.
* Ruff Rider Roadie – Fits well, and all except the smaller sizes are adjustable at both the neck and sides.

How it Works
* Bergan – Uses an adjustable length tether with a carabiner clip to attach directly to the seat belt webbing of the car.
* Kurgo Tru-Fit – Uses a loop that the seat belt of the car goes through.
* Pet Buckle – Uses a loop tether for the seat belt of the car to go through. An adjustable length Kwik Connect tether may be included. This tether clips directly onto the latchbar between the seat cushions of vehicles 2001 and later.
* Ruff Rider Roadie – Uses a loop tether for the seat belt of the car to go through.

How the carabiner clip on the Bergan tether works with the seat belt in your car.

How the Kurgo Tru-Fit tether loop works with the seat belt of your car. The Ruff Rider and Pet Buckle works in a similar way.

How the Kwik-Connect tether of the Pet Buckle works in your car.

Ease of Use
In trying out each of these brands, we have not found one that is particularly easier to put on than the others. All take a little thought when putting them on for the first time, but once you get a hang of it all of them are easy.

Distinguishing Features
* Bergan – Padded chest piece; since no loop tether, tangling is less likely.
* Kurgo Tru-Fit – Slightly padded; enhanced version has steel buckles; allows for harness to also be used as a walking harness.
* Pet Buckle – Metal buckles; if the Kwik-Connect tether is used, tangling is less likely.
* Ruff Rider Roadie – No plastic parts; tested to ensure there is no pressure on dog’s throat; pleated design on straps under dog’s legs to prevent irritation; tether and harness is one piece and tether can be used as a short walking leash.

Price
Listed from least expensive to most expensive:
* Bergan
* Kurgo Tru-Fit
* Pet Buckle
* Roadie Ruff Rider

If you have any questions regarding any other differences in these pet travel harness brands, please email us at naturebydawn@aol.com. We have had the opportunity to use these on our own dogs, including my own:  Sephi wore the Kurgo, Maya wears the Kurgo with a Bergan tether (to prevent tangling), and Pierson wears the Bergan.

My dogs love to ride in the car! Whenever I go someplace where my dogs are allowed to go too (since I won’t leave them in the car by themselves) I take them with me. So, bank drivethrough, fast food drivethrough, let’s go Maya & Pierson! Even better, let’s go to the dog park or the pet supply store to buy some toys!!!

Speaking of riding in the car, I absolutely love all the hilarious Subaru dog commercials. Did you see the new ones when you watched the Puppy Bowl? I had a teaser for one of the commercials last week. Here is another teaser. Then below that is one of the full commercials. Seriously funny.

I like this one, except the dog should not be sitting in the lap! Where’s your seat belt, miss/mr puppy? At least Grant Weber, the Subaru Salesman, isn’t actually driving with the dog in his lap.

When you watched the Puppy Bowl, did you get a chance to use the IntoNow app which presented Subaru content in conjunction with the show? I did and I liked it a lot, although I did have a bit of trouble figuring out how to use it. Also, because of my phone some of the links on the app did not allow me to use them… like the one for making a dog driver’s license. Fortunately, these are available on Subaru’s Facebook page. I will give it a try soon, then will let you know what I think.

We seldom do paid posts, but when we do it is because we like the content we are being asked to present… in this case, the funny Subaru dog commercials. We’ve posted these commercials a number of times in the past, unpaid, so it isn’t that much of a stretch to have a paid post. This is a paid post, although the text content associated with these videos is all our own.

Sephi is wearing the Kurgo Tru-Fit Smart dog seat belt.

My dogs are a very important part of my family and I love them dearly. So I show them how much I care by protecting them in the car. You can do the same. If you’re concerned your dog won’t want to wear a dog seat belt or if you are skeptical about their use, enter to win one. You have nothing to lose!

In this month of love, we are giving away one Kurgo Tru-Fit dog car harness or one Bergan dog car harness in any size.  To enter, put your entries in the Rafflecopter below. You can enter by commenting on this blog post about why your dog needs a dog seat belt. Also enter by liking our Facebook page and by following us on Twitter. Increase your chances further by liking our YouTube video and pinning our photo of Maya wearing her dog seat belt on Pinterest.

* Delivery to the continental US residents only, so please US entrants only.
* Contest ends on Thursday, February 28th at 11:59pm.
* One winner will be chosen at random by the Rafflecopter on March 1st and announced on our blog on March 2nd or 3rd.
* The winner can select from the available sizes of either a Kurgo Tru-Fit brand or Bergan brand dog seat belt.
* If you are a winner by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter, you must still be liking us and following us by the end of the contest.

Both the Kurgo and the Bergan brands have been safety tested. For details on testing, visit our PetAutoSafety.com site.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pierson wears the Bergan brand and Maya wears the Kurgo brand dog safety seat belt.

Maya and Pierson are very special to me. They may not be children, but they are more than just my pets. I don’t just feed them, play with them, and take them to the vet annually or as needed. I also take on other responsible roles such as making sure they eat healthy food, get enough exercise, train them, brush their teeth, clip their toenails, brush out their coat, etc. And I have them wear a dog safety seat belt when they ride in the car.

Some people think this is over-the-top for “just a dog”. But if you’re reading this, then you know that your dog is an integral part of the family. If your four-legged family member doesn’t currently buckle up in the car or isn’t safely restrained in the vehicle in any way, here are some reasons to consider it:

Reduce Driver Distractions
When I brought Maya home for the first time, she didn’t have a dog seatbelt yet. So, on the ride home she kept trying to climb in my lap. It was a big distraction which caused me to run a red light. I got honked at but thankfully did not get into or cause a car accident. But it taught me to always be prepared. Perhaps your dog paces in the car or keeps trying to climb from the back to the front seat or tries to stick his face in your face while you’re driving. 

Protect Your Pet
Perhaps your dog rides well in the car and doesn’t distract you in any way. My dog Pierson is like that. He just sits there quietly the whole ride. But what if I have to stop suddenly or swerve out of the way of another car or something in the road? Or worse, what if I get in a car accident? Car accidents or even simple emergency vehicle maneuvers can cause a dog to be ejected from the vehicle or cause serious injury to your dog if they hit the dash or the windshield. A dog isn’t going to understand why your car suddenly went crazy on the road. They are going to be terrified and may try to escape. What then? More often than not, the dog will run as fast as they can to get away from what caused their fear. They could run into traffic or run away and get lost.

Other Dangers
I don’t know about you, but if I get in a car accident I prefer not to be struck by a 50+ pound flying projectile (i.e. my dog). I also do not want my dogs to stick their head out the window. Before I realized the danger of this, my dog Sephi did it all the time. But then my vet told me about one of his client’s dog that had to have his eye removed because of flying road debris. When your dog wears a dog safety seat belt, it is more difficult for them to put their head out the window. They can still get the nice breeze, but at least they can’t be hurt from things on the road and they can’t jump or get thrown out of the car.

The Law?
It’s not yet a law in my state but New Jersey has a law stating that animals inside the vehicle must be restrained. I have no doubt that other states will soon follow. Even states that hesitate to make such a law will have or may already have laws that allow police officers to issue a ticket to anyone who is driving unsafely due to a distraction.

Maya and Pierson do not suffer in the least because they wear a dog seatbelt in the car. They might not be able to move around much or put their heads out the window but trust me when I say they still love to ride. With a little practice and perhaps a little time, your best friend can get used to his safety restraint and love the ride just as much as before.

This post is part of the Pet Blogger Awareness Day for pet travel safety.

We hear a lot from other dog-lovers about how their dogs hate riding in the car. They whine, pant, and want to pace. We want pet auto safety but it can be difficult if the dog is too nervous to sit still in his dog seatbelt. What can we do to help these poor dogs that get nervous in the car? One product we discovered recently is a mist spray called Travel Calm. But there is another product that is even more popular and better known. It is the Thunder shirt.

How Does the Thundershirt Work?
Studies have shown that it improves the behavior of 80% of dogs in stressful situations. This does mean that it might not work for your dog, but the chances are good that it will. For the 20% it doesn’t work for, we offer a 30-day money back guarantee. Shipping refund is not included but for $6, it is worth a try. It has worked for thousands of dogs all over the world. It might help your dog too.

This is a Lab like my Maya, but this photo is not of Maya.

The Thunder shirt for dogs works by putting gentle pressure on your dog. Scientific studies and common applications of pressure for certain situations have shown that this sort of gentle pressure has a good calming effect. They believe pressure works by encouraging the body to release calming endorphins. Consider a baby that calms down after being wrapped in swaddling. Also, some people with autism use pressure techniques to help them through stressful situations.

What About Cats?
We all know cats have to ride in the car sometimes too. And we also know that most cats really really hate the experience. So we have Thunder shirts for cats too!

My Labrador Maya gets excited in the car. She exhibits some of the characteristics of nervousness (panting, pacing, whining), but it is excitement. The Thundershirt did not work to help with Maya’s excitement.

Pierson had to go to the vet yesterday for his annual shots. He is terrified of the vet and the last time he went, he peed on himself. Trust me when I say this is very unusual for him. So this time when he went I had him wear his Thundershirt. He did great in it.

Here is another dog that did well in the Thunder shirt.

We’ve been looking at this dog car harness for some time. The company that makes them has been around for nearly 20 years. And their products have been safety tested, with a new and improved version now available. We’re not sure what took us so long to finally offer this product but the Ruff Rider Roadie is finally here!

Benefits for Your Pet

* Designed to put pressure on your dog’s chest rather than his throat.

* Safety, strength, and crash tested by two auto safety institutions.

* Pleating on the harness part under your dog’s legs to reduce chaffing.

* Design input for both ease of use and safety from a veterinary orthopedic surgeon.

* No plastic parts.

* Tether strap has two length options.

Visit our dog car harness page and click on the picture of the white dog wearing the Ruff Rider Roadie (also pictured above). Compare it to our other safety and crash tested dog car harness brands. If you choose to buy it, use discount code petfriend to get 10% off!

This is Emma, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, in her Lookout pet car seat from Snoozer. The Lookout line from Snoozer includes several sized car seats for dogs. Emma is in the medium sized Lookout but there are also really small sizes such as the console pet car seats, and a larger size, the My Buddy. There are also the bench seats which are designed for larger dogs. Besides the various sizes and styles, here are more reasons to love Snoozer:

Fashionable
These car seats for dogs come in various designer fabrics. There are five vinyl colors. Some people really like the vinyl because they are easy to wipe clean and do not absorb dirt like the fabric colors do. But some people like the fabric ones because the covers can be removed and are easier to wash in a washing machine. Plus the fabric ones come in seven designer colors.

Safety
All the Lookouts, My Buddy, bench seats, and console seats can be strapped into your car and they come with a tether so that you can clip it onto your dog’s harness for security (do not clip onto your dog’s collar as this could cause choking in a sudden stop).

Comfortable
The Snoozer pet car seats are the most comfortable pet seats available. They have a 2.5 inch foam padding. This padding is on the bottom and the sides. The interior of the Snoozer car seats for dogs have lamb wool lining. This is great for both comfort and warmth. So if you are traveling with your dog this winter, help him be comfortable, safe, and warm with one of these fashionable pet car seats.

We have a couple of My Buddys in vinyl design on sale. Plus, you can use discount code petfriend to get an additional 10% off! The discount code is all one word and all lowercase.

Have a safe and happy 2013 with your pet!

Bentley is enjoying the Slumber Pet Couch / Cargo cover he won in our November contest.

Thank you Larrielle for sending us a photo of your dog Bentley on the Slumber Pet couch / cargo cover!

The Slumber Pet couch and cargo cover was the prize of our first contest giveaway. It was held a couple of months ago in November. We don’t have any more of these products available but we are now giving away a dog car harness from your choice of either the Bergan brand or Kurgo Tru-Fit brand. Visit http://www.petautosafetyblog.com/pet-auto-travel-safety/1708-win-dog-car-harness-new-year/ for details on the January 2013 giveaway.

For more great pet photos on the Wordless Wednesday blog hop, check out the other great dog bloggers below.

It’s almost time for the new year – 2013! What is your New Year’s resolution? Me, I’m going to try to exercise more and eat healthier. I get plenty of walks with the dogs but I need to do more. My dogs Maya and Pierson want to learn more tricks. Pierson also wants to keep his teeth cleaner so that I will stop brushing them. So what is your New Year’s resolution?

How about keeping your pets safer in the car? Perhaps your dog is good in the car, like my Pierson. Pierson just sits there very quietly. But he is my baby boy and I want to keep him safe for in case I have to stop suddenly or swerve out of the way of something in the road or away from a crazy driver. Pierson wears his Bergan dog car harness and I have the back seat floor covered with the Kurgo Backseat Bridge.

Pierson is wearing the Bergan dog car harness. The Backseat Bridge covers the floor of the car.

Perhaps your dog is crazy in the car like my Labrador Maya. Maya LOVES to ride in the car. Even if I am taking her to the vet, she is super excited both on the ride there and on the ride back. She wears the Kurgo Tru-Fit smart dog seat belt but uses the Bergan replacement tether. I like the Bergan replacement tether because Maya likes to move around a lot and will get herself tangled in the loop tether provided with the Kurgo Tru-Fit.

Maya is wearing a red Kurgo Tru-Fit car harness.

If your dog is crazy in the car like my Maya, consider the Bergan brand dog car harness or even the Pet Buckle brand. For a small dog, make sure to get the one with the Kwik Connect tether included. Otherwise it uses a loop tether similar to the one from Kurgo. For a large dog, our large Pet Buckle travel kit comes with both the harness and the Kwik Connect tether.

The Pet Buckle dog seat belt and Kwik-Connect tether.

If you don’t think your dog will tolerate a dog seat belt, consider a pet travel crate strapped in with the safety tested kennel restraints from Pet Buckle. Or use a pet car barrier. After all, our pets are family. We want to keep them safe like family. And pet travel safety supplies are easier than ever to get and most of them have been safety tested.

A pet crate strapped in with kennel restraints helps to protect your dog or cat in the car.

So practice pet travel safety and have a Happy New Year with your pets!

New Year’s Resolution – Protect your four-legged family member in the car with a dog seat belt. Enter to win a Kurgo Tru-Fit dog car harness or a Bergan dog car harness for your dog by entering the Rafflecopter entries below. Comment, like, and follow your way to a safer pet. Open to US entrants only. The contest ends on Sunday, January 20th at 11:59pm. One winner will be chosen at random on the 21st and announced between the 21st and 23rd. The winner can select from the available sizes of either a Kurgo Tru-Fit brand or Bergan brand dog seat belt.

Sephi is wearing the Kurgo dog car harness.

Maya is wearing a red Kurgo Tru-Fit car harness.

The Kurgo Tru-Fit brand uses a loop system tether. The seat belt of your car goes through the loop on the harness in order to secure your pet in the car. The loop system keeps your dog more secure. It doesn’t allow for your dog to move around much so if your dog will try to move around while wearing the Kurgo brand, he may get tangled in the loop system. This brand is best for dogs that simply like to sit or lay down in the car. The Kurgo harness is slightly padded. Red is shown above with our dog Maya but we only have black available at this time for this contest. BTW, Maya has to use a Bergan tether with her Kurgo harness because she does like to move around a lot in the car.

Pierson is wearing the Bergan dog car harness.

The Bergan tether attaches to the seat belt of your car.

The padded chest piece of the Bergan brand is a little longer than that of the Kurgo brand. The tether of the Bergan brand attaches directly to the seat belt webbing of your car. This allows your dog to move around more. The shorter you keep the tether (which is adjustable in length) the safer your dog. But if your dog likes to move around a lot despite the harness, the Bergan tether may be better for them than the Kurgo loop tether.

Both the Kurgo and the Bergan have been safety tested for strength. Feel free to check out their pages for more information on each brand – Kurgo and Bergan. If you are not a winner but would like to purchase a dog seat belt, feel free to use discount code petfriend for 10% off.

Thanks for entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway