Pet Auto Safety

If your dog sits in the back seat, please remember that sometimes the cool air you get in the front seat just doesn’t reach to the back seat area very well. The summer heat can be very dangerous to your dog, especially in an enclosed area.

So how can you help your dog keep cool when in the back seat? Make sure they have plenty of water. But also check out the Kool Kennel A/C. The Kool Kennel A/C emits more than 20 degrees F cooler air. And you can put Kool Kennel A/C anywhere in the back area of the car just for your hot dog. You can even put the Kool Kennel A/C in the crate for your crated dog.

Remember, we never recommend that you leave your dog in the car unattended. Even if left for only a few minutes with the windows down, the heat can kill your dog. So only use the Kool Kennel A/C when you are traveling. If you have to stop somewhere, take your dog out of the car with you.

A Pet Auto Barrier doesn’t keep your dog in the seat like a dog seat belt would. But it does protect both you and your dog. It keeps your dog in the back so he doesn’t distract the driver. And the pet auto barrier keeps your dog from flying out of the front windshield should a sudden stop or impact occur.

Some people have argued that the pet auto barrier killed their dog because of the impact of the dog hitting the barrier. But it wasn’t the pet barrier which killed the dog, it was the car accident itself. If the pet auto barrier had not been there, your dog would have become a dangerous projectile and could have further harmed the front passengers. Or the dog would have flown out through the glass of the front windshield and onto the road.

No auto safety feature for either you or your pet is guaranteed, but having some sort of safety device, such as a pet auto barrier, is much safer than having none at all.

If your dog is sitting in your lap when you drive, this is not only a danger to you, but also to your dog. Your dog may hold still and simply snuggle up in your lap, but what if you have to stop suddenly? Your dog will most likely get thrown onto the floor under the pedals.

If your dog looks out the window when you drive, your dog may fly out of the window if you stop too quickly. You don’t have to slam on the brakes for your small dog to get thrown.

A dog in your lap is a very real danger. So please keep your pet off your lap when you drive. If your dog insists on trying to sit in your lap, this can be a distraction too. Try putting your dog in a pet car seat or a dog seat belt harness. A pet car seat for a dog can be as safe as a baby seat is for a child. And a dog seat belt harness can be as safe for a dog as it is for a person.

Most dogs appreciate a spin in the family sedan. They show this appreciation by barking and wagging their tails anytime the words “car” and “ride” are mentioned in the same sentence. From the moment they leap into the backseat, dogs are positively fascinated with their surroundings. They want to experience the full gamut of interesting smells that surround them, and often this means sticking their entire head out the window.

For obvious reasons, that practice isn’t safe. Dogs can get carried away and try to jump out of the vehicle to catch an animal that’s wandering along the roadside. Not to mention the risk of serious injury presented by other cars or debris that pass rapidly by the window. Dog booster seats keep canines secure while still offering them a commanding view of the scenery. Dogs shouldn’t be punished for their natural urge to look out the window, but they should be kept safe.

Labrador Retrievers are great dogs, but they can be a bit difficult to handle at times. Someone told me that my dog, Maya, has GLS. “What’s GLS?” I asked in a worried tone. “Goofy Lab Syndrom!”. Goofy Lab Syndrom is the perfect way to explain why Maya acts so crazy sometimes. She gets so excited that she doesn’t hear my commands and just jumps around and whines as though she had won a trip to Camp Snoopy. Maya is a great dog, very smart, and mostly well-behaved. But when she sees people or other dogs, she just goes nuts. There is no cure for GLS. You just have to keep working with your labrador retreiver and hope that someday he or she grows out of it. (in 5 or more years ?). To read more about the greatness of Labrador Retrievers, check out the article, About Labrador Retreivers.

Joni in Pennsylvania ordered a medium Tru-Fit Smart Dog Car Harness from Pet Auto Safety.com. Because we did not have a photo of a dog wearing this size of a dog car harness, Joni was eligible to enter the photo contest. She sent in this cute photo of her Jack Russell Terrier mix wearing the Tru-Fit Smart Dog Car Harness. Upon review of the many photos we received, we determined that this photo was not only the cutest, but the best taken photo. Joni’s dog, Jake, is now on our web site wearing the Tru-Fit Smart Dog Car Harness. Joni says, “Jake is a Jack Russell terrier mix we adopted from the local SPCA. He’s very active in the car and this harness has helped a lot.”

Thank you, Joni!

From the Pet Auto Safety.com Team.

My family holds a biennial reunion in Florida, and ever since I moved to Nebraska I’ve been making the long haul in my SUV. My wife and two daughters normally go along for the ride, and recently we’ve added a black lab to the caravan as well. The dog seems to enjoy car trips, but he gets too excited by the sights and sounds to stay still. I realized it wouldn’t be safe to take him such a long distance without restraint.

The dog’s safety was obviously a priority, but I also wanted to stop his curious streak from impairing my driving abilities. Until that point, I had only seen dog barriers that were meant for home use. It turns out that the car version works in a similar way, keeping the dog corralled and the driver’s mind on the road ahead. Now our dog has his own space to roam safely in the back of the SUV.

As much as we want to take all our loved ones with us when we celebrate our country’s Independence Day, we should really leave our pets at home. Unless we can take them back home before the fireworks, your pet would have a lot less anxiety at home by themselves than they would with the fireworks display.

As spectacular as the big sparkly lights in the sky are, dogs just can’t appreciate the awesomeness of it all. The sounds terrify them and seeing the beautiful resulting display does nothing to appease their fears.

Out of terrifying fear, dogs will try to bolt and run. And if they take you by surprise, you might find your pet’s leash jerked right out of your hand. Hindered by fear, your dog will run far and fast. And they probably won’t pay any attention when crossing streets with oncoming cars.

So please, leave your pet at home this holiday night, and have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Audrey Frederick has the benefit of experience and wisdom when it comes to taking care of pets. She has written a wonderful article which can help you help your dog overcome separation anxiety. Please read this wonderful article below.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs!
By: Audrey Frederick

Also check out her cat and dog website at http://www.cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com.