[Searcher]

Does anyone have any particular car safety harness they use?
This will be for a small standard (20-22" shoulder height when full grown) & the crate will be too big for our little car.

I think I have narrowed down between the Champion & Bebop car harness but would like to hear some pros & cons. Any other brands, etc.. I have also looked at the Holly Newman reviews but she doesn't review the Bebop & her reviews are from 2009.

Thanks for any help & suggestions.

 

[bigpoodleperson]

I love my dogs Champion car harness!! We have had it for about 7 years, and it is still holding up great. Very comfortable for my dog to wear. It moves with the dog so they dont have to sit facing the front all the time. My dog lays in the back of my hatchback and is very comfortable. We took a 12 hour one way car trip with it, and he was great having it on that long. It looks and feels very well made and very secure. Makes me feel very safe to have it on. I personally wont buy another brand in the future besides this.

 

[flyingduster]

note that there are I think only a couple of brands that are tested as being full saftey belts, the others are all just harness to keep your dog in place in the car; NOT saftey devices for in a crash... Though they'd likely hold up in at least a minor crash, they aren't actually promised to! I can't remember the brands off hand though, but just something to be aware of when looking at them...

 

[bigpoodleperson]

Last i heard Champion and Roadie were the two that were testd and passed.

 

[flufflvr]

I'm right with you bigpoodleperson! We love the Champion. Both of my dogs wear them comfortably.

 

[LEUllman]

What's the secret to getting your dogs comfortable wearing the Champion harness? I ordered one and tried it with Beau for the first time today, and he about went nuts. Wouldn't stop biting it. He cried the whole time in the car, too. It's a size small, and if anything it's a bit too big; the straps are tightened pretty far, and it's still a bit loose. Maybe I should trade it for an extra-small?

 

[bigpoodleperson]

Has he ever worn a harness before? I would bet it is the harness feeling rather then the actual harness thats on him. You want it pretty snug, but comfortable. I have Rileys snug enough were there is no way he could get/back out of it, but still very comfortable and not rubbing.
I would go buy a cheap harness at the petstore and have him wear it around the house for awhile. Let him get used to the feeling.

Also, what does he normally do in the car? Where does he usually ride? Is he used to free roam? If so then he might be having a trantrum about being confined now.
For my dog it was an automatic switch with no problems. He was already used to wearing harnesses, and knew to stay still in one spot in the car.

 

[Bella's Momma]

Wow, after all the car seat research for my kids, I should have known not all harnesses are created alike! I bought the one I thought looked most comfortable. I'd better go check the label. :doh:

 

[LEUllman]

Beau has never worn a harness before, so that's likely what's going on. He rarely wears a collar, for that matter. We'll try, try again and see how it goes. He's either been in a crate or unrestrained in the backseat, which made me very uncomfortable. He's not a big car fan, either way. That's why I though to try the Champion harness.

 

[frostfirestandards]

I normally turn mine loose in the car (I know....) But Kaden Likes to get in the way when I am driving, so I bought him a Puppia harness and a seat belt adapter. I had a hard time finding a harness that I felt was wide enough to not cause damage in the event we wrecked, but also that wouldn't break all his hair off (he is in show coat) The puppia is soft and wide, and I love it!
PuppiaUs.Com !!! (his is the soft harness)

 

[flufflvr]

It was this crashtest video I saw that made me swear to put something on them every time we get in the car. It's in German, but watch till the end, because it's the best one. It isn't on Youtube, so I couldn't embed it. It's pretty obvious what it's showing. The harness they use is pretty crappy though.

crashtest video with dogs

Both the Roadie and the Champion have been crash tested so they aren't going to break like the one in that video. That's motivation for me.

and a few more for good measure:

This one shows the difference between putting the crate vertically and horizontally, as well as having the harness really long and loose, and having it tight.

Liberty and Cosita were both used to wearing harnesses, so this one was no big deal. The straps are pretty big on Cosita, but a bigger surface area means less injury, so I'm good with it. I think if they're used to wearing a harness, this one will be pretty comfortable because it's easy to get on, and the buckle can be adjusted from side to side.