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Post by Lisa on Sept 24, 2011 22:18:25 GMT -5
I need to buy seat belts for my dogs. Do you have any suggestions what really works?
Do I need safety harnesses or safety straps will work?
It's a bit risky to drive with two dogs in the back seat. They behave nice... but I would prefer to protect myself from any surprises. I drive alone with dogs only for the short distance.
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Post by ladydon on Sept 25, 2011 12:53:43 GMT -5
Do you drive an SUV/van? What Kerrie and Barb did when we met up @ High Park was they put Kazi in her crate while Dante was lying on his bed (beside Kazi) at the very back of the car...you didn't have the two dogs bumping into each other as the car moved.
I've seen a harness on a dog in the backseat but not quite sure where you can buy them.
I usually drive slower anyway when I have Diesel in the back seat but at times, I do find that when I do an abrupt stop, he tends to lose his balance. So now, what I do is pull the seats down so he has more leg room ...the back seat extending to the trunk.
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Post by Andreina on Sept 25, 2011 13:23:21 GMT -5
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Post by ladydon on Sept 25, 2011 14:36:39 GMT -5
I would love to have an SUV for Diesel since it'll be easier to drive around with him safely tucked in the back but unfortunately, gas is so expensive!!!
FYI, I drive a civic and with the back seats down, its more than enough room for two dobes I think.
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Post by Lisa on Sept 25, 2011 23:04:54 GMT -5
Thanks Andreina for the link. I will try to get a harness for my dogs for now...we are looking for a new car for me. Oh no... for my dogs Honda Civic is a great city car... but it's a bit small for three of us. Dogs feel more comfortable in my husband truck... lots of room!
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Post by hooligan on Sept 26, 2011 8:54:42 GMT -5
Ooooh. This topic is one I feel strongly about. For safety reasons, I think dogs should always be restrained when in a vehicle. Our current Jackmobile is an SUV, which is big enough to accommodate a good-sized crate. The drawback is that this vehicle (AWD) is definitely a gas guzzler, especially when compared with the little Mazda 323 that I used to drive. My wallet is definitely lighter these days!
In the 323, our previous Dobe was always harnessed in the back seat. When Jack first arrived, I was still driving this car and we tried the same arrangement with him. Goodbye harness and seat belts. Jack made short work of them, and as the 323 was already pretty long in the tooth, we bought a new (to us) vehicle.
A warning about backseat harnesses. Check the plastic snaps and make sure they're sturdy (buckles would be best, if you can find one with them). Some years ago, my sister was driving along the Danforth in Toronto with her GSD harnessed in the backseat. The harness was the kind sold at pet stores, and the snaps were little better than those on the crappy pet-store collars.
Right in front of her, a driver pulled out of a parking spot and tried to make a U-turn. She T-boned him, and the impact broke the snaps on the harness so that her dog hurtled past her and ended up lodged in the front seat against the gear shift, slamming my sister's shoulder and neck on the way by.
This was a low-speed collision, so the injuries weren't serious, but my sister and her dog were pretty sore for a while. But it shows that no matter how carefully you drive, accidents can happen unexpectedly -- and a dog loose in the backseat can become a dangerous missile.
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Post by Lisa on Sept 26, 2011 14:06:08 GMT -5
...and I have two "dangerous missiles" I will shop around to find good reliable harnesses. Thanks!
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Post by Andreina on Sept 26, 2011 15:31:50 GMT -5
Lisa, Let me know when you find a good one! I may copy you just like your dog coats
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