Car safety equipment for dogs

Recently, we took a long vacation with our 80+lb Lab, Vance, and I’m sharing tips and tricks about travel with a pet. Today, I want to talk about the products that keep your dog restrained and safe when you take your dog on a road trip.

If you plan on doing any car travel with a dog, it’s crucial that you have a way to restrain your dog in the car. This way, you don’t have to worry about your dog jumping out of the car if a door is opened, about your dog climbing onto your lap and causing an accident, or about your dog getting unceremoniously dumped on the floor should you have to slam on the breaks. A dog safety belt can also help keep your dog safe if you get into a car accident.

The Easy Rider Car Harness is a great price and has some extra padding to make it a bit more comfortable.

The Kurgo Harness pairs nicely with the zip line (below) to let your dog move around in the car while still being safely secured.

The Kurgo Dog Zip Line Restraint lets your dog walk back and forth on the back seat so that he can get comfortable. That’s perfect for long car rides if you have a dog who gets a little restless and likes to change positions. Vance likes to switch sides in the backseat from time to time so that he can check out what’s happening out each of the windows, and this gives him the freedom to do that while still keeping him restrained.

This Pet Lookout is great if you have a small dog who likes to be able to see out the windows. You’ll want to use it with a harness (instead of a collar) to keep your dog secured.

If your dog absolutely will not tolerate a car safety harness, you might want to pick up something like this backseat barrier which will at least prevent your dog from being able to climb into the front seat. It’s not as secure as a harness, but it might be helpful.

Do you use a vehicle dog harness during car travel with your dog? What kind?