Sage sits politely in the car, now that we use a seat belt.
Where to start – there are so many reasons to buy the Seat Belt Harness. My earliest memory of being motivated to provide safety in the car was a story about our Vizsla’s older relative dying in a car accident. Just like Sage, this dog had enjoyed straddling the front and back of the car, having her back legs on the back seat, and her front paws on the center console. This pose reminds me of a figurehead on the front of a ship, looking forward with a great vantage point. That’s only cute until you hit the brakes…
As if that story wasn’t enough, we then found ourselves with a dog who got nervous and moved around too much in car. It seemed like she was always trying to find the best spot but never did. She would eventually head for the driver’s lap (probably seemed like the strongest position), which was 1 part cute and 9 parts dangerous!
Around the time we were (finally) acknowledging the severity of the issue, we got wind of a new state law requiring dogs to be restrained in the car. We had to commit to one of three options – in a crate, behind a grate (in the way back) or in a seat belt. We tried all three and the harness was by far the best solution for us.
Logan and Rio chillin’ in their seat belts
We’ve tried this particular harness (the “Deluxe Safety Seat Support Harness”) on multiple dogs. Each time there was a period of getting used to the contraption, and then a lightbulb went on and there was calmness. The worst was probably the boxer we fostered, who tangled herself up wildly when I picked her up to bring her home. I remember thinking this will never work!! But then it did. Even though I panicked in my mind, I pulled over calmly, went to the back seat, and calmly repositioned her. The first three times were wild, and then the fourth was calm and it was done. Lesson learned: use a local road (with pull-offs) while your dog is getting used to the seat belt.
As for size, it is somewhat trial and error. Hopefully this will help… our 70-lb German Shorthaired Pointer takes a size Large, and our 40-lb Vizsla takes a size Medium. Be sure to adjust to a snug fit for optimal safety.
With our newest dog, Rio, we were reminded how important fit is. Rio had too much play in a size Medium and twisted himself in it a few times. Luckily I still had an old “Pet Safety Sitter” style I had tried on Logan years ago, and it is SO adjustable, I was able to adjust a Large down to a perfect fit for Rio.
Rio is shown in the front seat, where I coached him initially.
I’d bought an SUV thinking I’d be shoving crates in, but now I know we’ll be fine in any vehicle. The dogs sit perfectly in individual spots; as a result, you can fit multiple dogs easily into the same car. For a long trip, it is good to leave some “elbow” room, as the dogs can easily lie down comfortably while wearing their seat belts.
When I need to leave the car for a little while, I free the dogs from their seat belts. And when I get back, we buckle up for the drive!
