Pet Auto Safety

Check out Maya in the car with the Breeze Guard Window Barrier in place. I use the Breeze Guard Window Barrier so that my dogs can get a good breeze without having to stick their heads out the car window. While many dogs love to stick their head out the car window, there is a small danger of them being injured by flying debris.

The Breeze Guard Window Barrier also keeps your dog from jumping out of or being thrown out of the car window. Since my dogs wear their dog car harnesses, I don’t need to worry about this. But flying debris is a real issue. Next time you visit your vet, ask them if they have ever had a dog brought in who had their eyes, nose, or mouth damaged because flying debris hit them when their head was out the car window. I bet most vets will have a story to tell.

I love the Breeze Guard Window Barrier because my dogs can enjoy the fresh air without the danger of flying debris. But I also love it because it is easy to install and use. I can roll up the windows all the way if I want so I can leave the Breeze Guard Window Barrier in all the time. If for some reason I want to take them out, it is very simple. But not so simple that my dogs can get through them. The Breeze Guard Window Barrier is strapped very securely to the car. Very strong velcro straps wrap around the door frame of your car without damaging the car and without any hindrance to being able to fully close the door of your car. I have used the Breeze Guard Window Barrier for a few years now and it is still in as good of shape as it was when I first got it.

Please note that while the windows in the car are only halfway down, the Breeze Guard Window Barrier can be used with the windows all the way down. (Unfortunately, my car doesn’t allow for my windows to go all the way down.) Please also note that just because you can keep your windows down and have the Breeze Guard Window Barrier in place, it does not mean that you can leave your dog unattended in the car. Never leave your dog alone in the car, even if the windows are rolled down. Windows down or not, a car traps heat - even in mild weather.

All our dog car hammocks cost the same to ship. All of them have a zipper hole which allows the seat belt buckles to come through. And all our dog car hammocks set up by hanging off the headrests of the front and back seats. So if you do not have headrests in the back seat, then dog car hammocks are not for you. Pet Auto Safety.com has four different dog car hammocks to choose from with one to two color choices (black or tan). The four brands of our dog car hammocks include Cruising Companion/Guardian Gear (same company, sometimes a different brand name used), Kurgo, and Outward Hound. The differences in the dog car hammocks are outlined from lowest cost to highest cost below. Cost does not include shipping.

1) Back Seat Dog Car Travel Hammocks
Made by - Outward Hound
Size - 56” L x 59” W
Material - 600 denier nylon.
Cost - $24.99
Color - Black only
Care - Scrub stains with mild detergent, hand wash with cool water, line dry.
Special Features:
* Water resistant
* Cover unzips down the middle to allow passenger to sit alongside the pet.
The quality of these dog car hammocks (in our opinion) are decent as compared to the cost. They are good for average use by an average dog. However, we do not recommend them for constant use by multiple high-energy dogs.

2) Khaki or Black Dog Car Hammocks
Made by - Cruising Companion/Guardian Gear
Size - 63” L x 57” W
Material - Nylon
Cost - $44.99
Color - Black or tan
Care - Machine washable
Special Features:
* Includes covers to protect the front seat headrests.
* Heavy-duty nylon
* Scratch-resistant
* Cover unzips to allow passenger to sit alongside the pet.
The quality of these dog car hammocks (in our opinion) are good as compared to the cost. They are very good for any dog.

3) Pet Travel Wander Dog Car Hammocks
Made by - Kurgo
Size - 60” L x 56” W
Material - PVC backed coated 600d polyester.
Cost - $52.99
Color - Black or tan with orange details.
Care - Machine washable
Special Features:
* Waterproof
* Stain resistant
* Anti-microbial fabric which repels dirt and moisture.
* Heavy-duty material.
* Comes with a travel bag.
* Cover unzips down the middle to allow passenger to sit alongside the pet.
The quality of these dog car hammocks (in our opinion) are far superior to all our other hammocks. The material and make is very durable and we highly recommend them for use by any dog.

1) All Season Car Seat Covers (Dog Car Hammocks)
Made by - Cruising Companion/Guardian Gear
Size - 63” L x 57” W
Material - Teflon-coated nylon on one side, warm fleece (100% polyester) on the other.
Cost - $59.99
Color - Black on one side, gray fleece on the other.
Care - For nylon side, wipe clean with a damp cloth. For fleece side, unzip fleece cover and remove from car seat cover. Machine wash fleece cover cold on gentle cycle. Line dry.
Special Features:
*Water-resistant
*Two sided
The quality of these dog car hammocks (in our opinion) are very good. Although not as durable as the Wander Dog Car Hammocks, it is well made and can be used for any dog.

Jeffrey from the state of Washington likes to go hiking and camping. He takes his three big dogs with him and they all have a great time. While the hiking and camping are fun, the trips there and back are not. His three dogs used to have free range all throughout his SUV while he was driving. And it was a big distraction. All three dogs were constantly going from window to window and from front to back seats.

The situation was not at all safe. In fact, Jeffrey almost got into a car accident when two of his dogs started scuffling in the front seat. That was when he decided he had had enough. But he didn’t want to give up taking his dogs on these trips so he contacted us instead. Our recommendation was the Euro 6-Bar Pet Car Barrier. Jeffrey measured the inside of his SUV and determined that this pet car barrier would best fit his needs.

Once he received the pet car barrier, he says it was fairly easy for him to set up. And it kept his dogs from getting into the front. Jeffrey expected his dogs to try to get through the pet car barrier, but Rocky and Beaux could care less. Sasha was a bit upset at first. But soon she settled down and all was well. Jeffrey now has a safe ride with his dogs kept securely in the back with the Euro Pet Car Barrier.

We have a new dog car booster seat available at Pet Auto Safety.com! The Designer Elevated Dog Car Booster Seat is much like our Kyjen Dog Car Booster Seat except it is a neutral color and designed for dogs up to 30 pounds. Like the Kyjen Dog Car Booster Seat, the Designer Elevated Dog Car Booster Seat has an inflatable cushion which provides extra comfort for your dog. The Designer Elevated Dog Car Booster Seat hangs from the headrest of the seat of your car and has straps which wrap around the body of the seat of your car. While designed for the front passenger seat, it can also be used in a back seat if the back seat is a bucket seat or is a divided bench seat which can fold forward. The Designer Elevated Dog Car Booster Seat has two important safety features. Because it hangs from the head rest, it does not actually sit on the seat. And because it does not sit on the seat, it will not trigger airbags in the event of an accident. Airbags are not safe for dogs so you do not want to put your dog in the front seat unless they are in an elevated dog car booster seat or the passenger side airbags are disabled. The second safety feature of the Designer Elevated Dog Car Booster Seat is the connecting strap which can be clipped on to the back of your dog’s harness.

Protect your little dog when he rides in the car. And provide him with comfort as well.

Pet Auto Safety.com was recently featured in an article by www.CessnaOwner.org. Cessna Owner is a magazine for owners of private airplanes. When asked if our dog seat belts would work in an airplane, we said, “Yes”. As long as the airline seats have seat belt harnesses for people, then our Tru-Fit Smart Dog Car Harness will work. Our Kennel straps will work in a private airplane as well. And some of our pet car seats will work in a private airplane if the seats are bucket seats. You can check out Cessna Owner at www.CessnaOwner.org. Unfortunately, the article about pet airline safety is not available online. But you can purchase the July 2010 issue to read the informative article.

Sorry, we don’t have parachutes for dogs. 

This spring when it was time for Towser to travel in the car again while on his way to his disc and fetching tournaments, his owners decided it was probably a good idea to have Towser wear a dog car harness. Based on a recommendation from Paw Prints the Magazine, they called Pet Auto Safety.com. After speaking with Towser’s parents about his size and character, we recommended the large Houndstooth Dog Car Harness.

Towser is energetic and likes to move around a lot, we figured that the perfect dog car harness would be a Guardian Gear or Cruising Companion brand, such as the Houndstooth Dog Car Harness (Cruising Companion). The Guardian Gear and Cruising Companion brands of the dog car harness have a tether strap which can be buckled directly into the seat belt receptacle of the car. Because it is buckled directly, rather than a loop system like the Tru-Fit Smart Dog Car Harness, Towser was less likely to get tangled if he decided to move around.

Because Towser is about 45 pounds and has a big chest, we decided that a large dog car harness would be best. It is best to measure a dog’s chest in order to properly gauge which size of dog car harness is needed, but since we have a dog who is about Towser’s build, we were pretty sure a large dog car harness would fit.

According to Towser’s owners, Towser did great with his Houndstooth Dog Car Harness. They were so pleased with it that they gave us a great review at Paw Prints the Magazine. To read this review, visit Paw Prints the Magazine.com. To read more about Towser and his championship success, visit Team Towser.com.  There are lots of photos and even a video of Towser’s success!

Thanks Towser! We are so happy that we could help.

If you have Guardian Gear brand dog seat belt, a Cruising Companion brand dog seat belt, or a Pet Buckle brand dog seat belt, then the answer is YES! Check out our photos of my yellow Labrador Retriever, Maya, wearing her Guardian Gear brand dog seat belt. As you can see, she has no trouble sitting, standing, or laying down. Since she has more freedom to move about, she is less likely to chew on or wiggle out of her dog seat belt.

The Tru-Fit Smart Harness brand of dog seat belt will restrict your dog’s movement, making it difficult for them to stand up and move around. Some dogs (like Maya) will not tolerate holding still. If your dog moves around while wearing the Tru-Fit Smart Harness brand dog seat belt, then they may get tangled. However, if your dog generally only wants to sit or rest quietly in the car, then the Tru-Fit Smart Harness brand dog seat belt is the best thing for them. Restricting your dog’s movement in the car with a dog seat belt is safer, but not if your dog gets tangled in it. The Pet Buckle brand dog seat belt also has the option of restricting your dog’s movement.

This great article on the American Dog Blog has great information on the Bernese Mountain Dog breed and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog breed.  Both dog breeds are from Switzerland and are very similar in many aspects.  A Bernese Mountain Dog breed figurine (pictured above) is available at the Animal Figurine Store.com.

The Animal Figurine Store.com is proud to carry dog key chain figurines from Conversation Concepts. There is a limited supply of these dog key chain figurines, and a limited number of dog breeds. Some of the dog breeds include retrievers and spaniels in the sporting dog breed category, a Basset Hound and Dachshund in the hound dog breed category, and a few toy and non-sporting dog breeds.

Check out the limited supply of the dog key chain figurines by Conversation Concepts at the Animal Figurine Store.com. Other great dog figurines from Conversation Concepts are also available.

The Front Seat Pet Car Barrier is made by Outward Hound. It is made from durable canvas with strong straps which wrap around the front seats of your car. There are two straps which wrap around each headrest and two straps which wrap around the bottom of the front seats. The straps buckle together and are easily tightened so that the Front Seat Pet Car Barrier is snug against back of the front seats.

The Front Seat Pet Car Barrier is ideal for small dogs and most medium sized dogs. A large dog or determined medium sized dog, however, may be able to get over the top. By using the Front Seat Pet Car Barrier to keep your dog in the back seat, the driver has less distraction which makes your drive more safe.