Pet Auto Safety

Imagine your best little friend riding at your side without being a distraction. The window is down, the breeze is flowing in, and your dog’s nose is to the wind. If you have a pet 30 pounds or less, then he can greatly benefit from a pet carseat. Safety is an obvious benefit and there are two aspects of safety to consider. Plus, there are two other benefits of dog car seats.

SAFETY
The first safety aspect of a pet carseat is that your dog is tethered in and can’t distract the driver. The second aspect is that since your dog is tethered in, he won’t fly forward into the dash or onto the floor in a sudden stop.

Most dog car seats come with a tether. The tether is to be attached to your pet’s harness, not his collar. For ultimate safety, use a dog car harness in conjunction with the safety seat instead of a regular walking harness.

The Sleepypods do not have tethers but this is because your dog (or even your cat) is enclosed inside of it. This pet carseat is then secured in the vehicle with the safety belt of the vehicle. Sleepypods have also had crash testing.

Important note regarding pets riding in the front:  Front passenger side airbags are not safe for dogs. Some airbags are designed to always deploy in the event of a front or rear end car accident while others will not deploy if there is not enough weight in the seat. So be sure to check your vehicle specifications regarding how the airbags work.

COMFORT
With all the turning and stopping you have to do, wouldn’t it be a more comfortable ride for your little dog if he didn’t have to continuously brace himself? Imagine making a quick stop, and instead of your pet sliding off onto the floor, he slides forward into the partition of his safety seat instead. The Snoozer and Lookouts have the most cushioning.

GIVE A BOOST
Some pet safety booster seats allow your furry friend to look out the car window. Sometimes, being able to see out the window can help with car sickness. Looking out the window is also a fun activity. Keep your pal entertained so that he doesn’t pester you.

Most dog car seats are for small dogs, 30 pounds and under. But there is at least one for larger dogs and that is the Full Bench Lookout Perch from Snoozer. Snoozer has a number of other different styles for smaller dogs, including the Lookout series and console seats. Sleepypods are for smaller dogs and even cats. There is also the Skybox and other booster seats from Kurgo. Check them all out and keep your best friend safe in the car.

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!

Beloved Jinger.

Bernal purchased the Snoozer pet car seat from us for his new dog Teddy. He was very happy with the car seat and our customer service, and shared his lovely story of Jinger and Teddy with us.

After his dog Jinger passed away in April 2012, Bernal wasn’t sure if he wanted another dog. But after meeting his granddaughter’s new dog Sasha, he decided to look around for a new best friend. He started at PetFinder.com and ended up at the Almost Home Humane Society of North Central Iowa. There he saw a Bichon Frise mix named Koby and knew he was the one. Koby was matted and malnourished from his previous experience before rescue. Bernal took over his care, renamed him Teddy, and gave him a brand new start on life.

Teddy (Koby) before.

Teddy after. Cute, right?

Teddy is a cherished member of the family.

Teddy has made himself right at home.

If you want to know more details on this story, visit Bernal’s article on Skydrive.live.com. We love rescue stories!!!

Thank you Bernal for sharing the beautiful pet photos of Jinger and Teddy. Thank you for sharing Teddy’s story, and thank you for the wonderful compliments!

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

The biggest and best pet car seat we have seen thus far is the My Buddy pet car seat from Snoozer.  Snoozer makes many great pet travel products including the Lookout pet car seat.  The My Buddy pet car seat is different from the Lookout pet car seat in that it is much bigger and it can hold two or more small pets.

As one of the biggest pet car seat brands, the My Buddy pet car seat can hold up to 30 pounds and it is about 30 inches by 17 inches on the outside and about 25 inches by 12 inches on the inside.  It gives pets a boost of about 7 inches and is a total of 19 inches tall.  Compare this to the Kyjen pet car seat which is about 15 x 15 inches square.  This is great for dogs who want to sit or lay down in a curled ball.  For multiple small dogs or a small dog who wants to stretch out, the My Buddy pet car seat may be best.

The My Buddy pet car seat is easily secured with the seat belt of the car.  And it comes with two connector straps so that two dogs can be secured in the pet car seat.  So the My Buddy pet car seat is not just for quality comfort, it is great for superior safety as well.

Snoozer makes very high quality products for pet car travel.  Most of those products include different variations of the Lookout pet car seats such as the Lookout Deluxe, My Buddy, Lookout Perch, and pet console seats.  Snoozer makes another great product as well – The Snoozer SUV Pet Cargo Liner and Pet Bed.

Like all Snoozer products, the Snoozer SUV Pet Cargo Liner and Pet Bed is designed for comfort.  Your dog can ride comfortably in the back cargo area.  Not only is your dog comfortable, but your cargo area is protected from muddy paw prints and such.  The Snoozer SUV Pet Cargo Liner and Pet Bed is made from nylon fabric which is water and hair resistant.  The fabric cover can be removed from the foam padding and washed as needed.  The Snoozer SUV Pet Cargo Liner and Pet Bed can also be used in the house (or hotel room) as a pet bed.

The Snoozer SUV Pet Cargo Liner and Pet Bed does not provide safety like the other Snoozer products do.  For safety, we recommend wither having a pet car net in place or using the Pet Buckle dog car harness with the attached Kwik Connect Tether clipped onto the metal rings which may be located in the cargo area of the SUV.

The Roll-Around Pet Carrier is an all-purpose dog carrier made by Snoozer.  You can easily tote the Roll-Around Pet Carrier like a suitcase.  The handle extends and it has wheels for easy tug-along.  Or you can carry it like a backpack.  Then secure it in your car as you drive to the airport.  With the smaller pet carrier, it will fit under most airline seats for airline travel.  When you get to your hotel, keep the dog in the Roll-Around Pet Carrier for use as a pet bed.

To secure the Roll-Around Pet Carrier in your car, simply slide the seat belt of the car through the straps in the back as pictured above.  Then snap the seat belt into the seat belt receptacle.  Sudden stops or car accidents will keep your pet in the pet carrier and the pet carrier secured to the seat.  Snoozer says that the buckled in Roll-Around Pet Carrier in the car seat position with all zippers closed has been crash tested at 30 pounds at 30 mph.

Putting your small dog in the front seat may not be safe if you have passenger side airbags. But if you don’t want your dog in the back seat (or if he won‘t stay in the back seat), consider a console pet car seat. A pet car seat for the console of your car straps around the console. There is also a strap inside the console pet car seat which you would clip onto the back of your dog’s harness. The strap around the console and the strap to your dog’s harness helps keep your pet secure in his seat. The console pet car seat also allows your dog to visit you in the front without causing a distraction by climbing into your lap.

The Console Pet Car Seat by Snoozer comes in two sizes and various colors. It is also very well padded for comfort. The lamb wool interior liner of the Snoozer Console Pet Car Seat makes it cozy for your dog on those long road trips.

Pet Auto Safety.com has added a new pet car seat from Snoozer. This pet car seat, called the Roll Around Pet Car Seat, has been crash tested in a car seat position (with all zippers closed) for a 30 pound dog at 30 miles per hour. But safety is not its only feature. The Roll Around Pet Car Seat can also be used as a back pack, pet carrier, and pet bed. You can travel with your dog just about anywhere, whether by car or airplane, because the Roll Around Pet Car Seat can fit under most airline seats.