Pet Auto Safety

My dogs Maya and Pierson in the back seat of my car wearing their pet safety belts for both my safety and theirs.

My dog Pierson is great in the car. He sits so quietly in the back seat that I could almost forget he is there. If he were your dog, you might think, “Well, he doesn’t need a seat belt then.” But I think he still does. He may not be a distraction, but his safety is important to me. There is another reason to consider restraining your dog in the car. The following are three major points I’d like to make about pet safety belts:

REDUCES DRIVER DISTRACTION
Not all dogs behave in the car like my Pierson does. My Labrador Maya is crazy in the car. I do mean CRAZY! She loves it so much that she can hardly control herself. If she wasn’t wearing a dog seat belt, she’d be all over the place. Dogs like my Maya really can be a dangerous distraction and they really can cause car accidents. Don’t believe me? Here are some Real Life Examples.

Also, a study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham who studied drivers 70 and over found that those driving with their dogs were 50% more likely to get into a car accident. That article can be read on SpotNews in Alabama. I bet it is true for other age groups as well.

HELPS PROTECT YOUR DOG
If you consider a safety tested dog seat belt brand, your dog could be better off with their restraint than they would be without. Pet safety belts may prevent your dog from being thrown about the car, into other passengers, onto the floor, or through the windshield. A dog wearing a restraint won’t be able to run from the scene. And it will be easier for medical personnel to help a restrained pet.

THE LAW
New Jersey has made it the law that pets be restrained in the car. I was recently asked about this dog seat belt law in New Jersey. The question was whether a dog had to wear a seat belt or if a pet travel crate was okay for dogs riding in the car. Here is a quote directly from the New Jersey State Legislature regarding the law – “The driver of a passenger automobile shall secure or cause to be secured in an appropriately sized, properly adjusted, and fastened seat belt restraint system, any non-crated domestic dog or cat that is being transported in the vehicle.”

Trying to interpret laws can sometimes be difficult, but the wording ‘any non-crated domestic dog or cat’ tells me that if your pet is crated in the car, the law doesn’t apply. But if the pet is not crated, he must wear a dog seat belt.

It may not be law in your state yet, but you can be ticketed for unsafe driving in any state. So if your dog is acting crazy in the car or if your driving seems to be affected by the fact that you have a dog in your lap, you could be fined.

If your dog won’t wear a dog seat belt, then consider securing them in a pet travel crate. Or try some of our training tips to get your dog used to wearing the car restraint. Our training tips can be found on an article we wrote – Getting Your Dog Used to a Dog Car Harness.

I know our dogs love to stick their heads out the car window and they may even seem depressed when they suddenly find themselves confined in a dog seat belt. But it is important that we do what is best for them, and for ourselves. Protect your best friend, just as you do for yourself and your children.

I want to share a short tale about a cute GoldenDoodle named Spud. Spud’s mom had purchased a dog car harness from another company and had a scary experience with it. The tether broke when she stopped suddenly. Poor Spud could have been hurt. Obviously, Spud needed a better pet seat belt so we sent Spud’s mom the safety tested Bergan brand. Here is the photo she took of Spud wearing it. Isn’t he adorable!

Spud is a regular at www.DoodleKisses.com. Here is a direct link to the article that Spud’s mom wrote on Doodle Kisses about her pet seat belt experience – DoodleKisses.

Here is Spud running around with a ball. I just love how cute his ears are when they’re airborne like that.

Spud’s floppy ears are so cute!

Not all dog car harness brands are created equally. A few have not even had testing. For tested brands, consider the Bergan brand like the one Spud is wearing. Also consider PetBuckle, Kurgo Tru-Fit with enhanced strength, and the Roadie Ruff Rider. We have these available on the Dog Seat Belts page of our retail site. Spud’s new Bergan harness and tether has been safety tested to withstand 2,500 pounds of force.

For more Wordless Wednesday pet photos, check out the blog hop below:

Dawn with the Notes from Dawn blog has done a review for the Bergan dog seat belt. The Bergan harness was tried on Bobo, a dog in training for Canine Angels. Canine Angels is a great nonprofit organization that rescues dogs from shelters, then trains them to be service dogs for disabled veterans. You must go check out their site and donate! But first, check out these great photos of the handsome Bobo wearing his Bergan dog seat belt:

Bobo is in training to be a service dog. Look at how nicely he holds the Bergan box.

Bobo is being patient as the Bergan dog seat belt is being put on.

Bobo is secured in the car.

Bobo wearing the Bergan dog seat belt. Doesn’t he look handsome!?!

Bobo is going to make a great service dog.

Read the full review at the Notes from Dawn blog. My name is Dawn too, so don’t be confused. This Dawn is a different person and she lives in South Carolina.

Find out more about the great work that Canine Angels does and give them a little donation too.

For more Wordless Wednesday pet photos, check out the blog hop below:

Maya gets her girth measured to see what size of dog seat belt is right for her.

Because dogs can be different sizes even amongst the same dog breed, knowing your dog’s breed may not be enough information to determine which size of dog seat belt to get. Also, each dog can be narrower or thicker in the body so knowing your dog’s weight might not be enough information to determine size either. Take the Whippet dog breed (much smaller version of a Greyhound), for example. His weight may make one think of getting a small size. But the Whippet has a very deep chest. He may need a medium. The only way to know which size is best is to measure your dog. Here’s how:

1. Get a measuring tape.

2. Wrap the measuring tape around the widest part of your dog’s chest just behind his front legs. Put two fingers under the measuring tape to make sure the measured size isn’t too tight.

3. Notate the number of inches. Maya, our 70 pound Labrador, measured 31 inches around.

4. Compare the number of inches to the girth sizes indicated on the product descriptions.

The website may indicate either chest size or girth. These both mean the same thing. If you have any trouble determining which size of dog seat belt to get your dog, please feel free to contact us by email at naturebydawn@aol.com or by phone at (785) 393-2044.

Thanks! And ride safe!!!

Pierson gets measured for a dog car harness too.

We made a friend in Poland and helped him get connected with the Bergan dog car harness. Now dogs in Poland can wear this great product and ride safer in the car! Our friend Adam founded the website is www.BioSante.pl for BioSante Veterinary Solutions in New Tomyśl, Poland. He also has a facebook page – HERE.

Adam’s site promotes pet safety. He wants to make it safer for pets to travel in Poland and really liked the Bergan and Kurgo products. Bergan products are currently available on his site, and hopefully Kurgo ones will be coming soon. Here are some photos of some of his dog customers in Poland wearing the Bergan dog car harness:

This is Hela wearing the Bergan dog car harness in the car.

This is Luna and Hela riding in the car with their Bergan dog seat belt on.

This is Luna, Hela, and Saba from Poland. Luna and Hela are wearing the Bergan dog seat belt.

This is Tequila from Poland wearing his Bergan dog car harness.

For more great photos from the Wordless Wednesday blog hop, check out the link below:

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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.

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.
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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’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!

Sephi is wearing the Kurgo dog car harness.

Pierson is wearing the Bergan dog car harness.

December’s giveaway will be relatively short since the contest ends at 11:59pm, December 16th. We will choose a winner on the 17th because we want the winner to receive their prize before Christmas!

A winner will be chosen at random by our Rafflecopter below. Enter by posting a comment, following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, or tweeting about the giveaway. You can tween multiple times for multiple entries. US residents only, please. Sorry, we don’t ship outside the continental US.

The winner will get to choose from any size of either the Kurgo brand or Began brand dog car harness. We will ship the prize to the winner via USPS Priority Mail in hopes that it will arrive before Christmas.

If you are not a winner, feel free to use discount code holidaypet to receive 15% off your purchase. That is holidaypet, all lowercase and all one word.

Paws up for good luck!
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