car harness

[wizard]

Because the question got buried in the "Traveling" thread I thought I'd bring it up separately...
When a previous thread brought up the issue of basenjis in a vehicle, especially the point about what might happen if the car door is opened when you don't expect/want it to be, I reconsidered letting EL D ride loose in my vehicle.
I have a small pickup with extended cab but a crate won't fit in the seat or behind the seat and anyway EL D wont' tolerate crates anyway anytime. So I looked, instead into the dog harnesses.
I bought one from dog.com (not very expensive) called "Therapet Secure Traveler Harness". It's easy to put on EL D (works with those snap backpack type buckles), fits well (S/M size) but is also adjustable, and is made of the heavy cordura type nylon. There's two buckles to snap the harness around the chest (just check to see how it goes before you try to put it one because it's easy to turn it inside out). The seat belt part snaps onto a ring on the back and there's enough slack that EL D can turn around and stand etc. without getting caught up in the belt part or without causing him issues so he hasn't tried to chew his way out of it. The times I run into the gas station or store or whatever I always unhook him so he can move more freely while waiting and then buckle (the seat belt part is just like a seat belt buckle) him in again when I return. I definitely recommend it.

[Congo]

I have one but my b always manages to slide out of it. After that I have kind of given up on it. Maybe there is a more secure one I can use.

[Alex]

Thanks for the tip wizard, I think I will give this one a try. I had a pretty good experience with using a harness in the car until the day we had to leave Chance in the car for a couple of minutes.

We saw a boston terrier running loose on the street by our house, so I stopped the car and went to rescue her before she got hit by another car.

While we were trying to capture the boston terrier, Chance was getty impatient in the car, so he chewed through the seatbelt first and then the harness, because I think he somehow got tangled in it while trying to see whats going on outside. Now I only have one seatbelt left to try a new harness on.

For long trips he rides in the crate.

[kristink]

I have been debating a harness for Sol. He would probably tolerate it well, because he is an amazingly adaptable basenji, but he spends most of any drive curled up on the seat, asleep-- and I assume he can't do that in a harness. I have a tiny regular cab Tacoma, so a crate is out of the question-- When I visit my mom and she drives us to visit relatives he always travels in a crate in the back of her SUV.

Kris

[Ninabeana26]

See in my car I have enough room in the backseat for his crate but the crate ends up on a slant & he is constantly sliding about the crate which really is annoying if he happens to pee during transit! He's done this a few times...

I have been using a harness that attaches to the buckle & it works alright but he gets himself tangeled up very frequently so I have to keep trying to untangle him en route. It's more annoying than anything.

I don't strap him in if we're only going to the store or dog park, both within 5 miles of where we live. He has gotten to the point where he just sits in the back seat looking outside :)

[etzbseder]

I have found it easier to just run the seatbelt through the loop on the martingale harness. Although I only did that a few times, and he loves to sit in the front seat. Now I have a dog guard in the back, and he just gets his normal leash hooked in the hatch of my car so he doesn't run out when I open the door.

[LiveWWSD]

Oh wow I feel really lucky now. I have a Subaru station wagon, so I just bought a gate for the back area when I first got charlie. That way the whole back of the car belongs to the dogs <G>

[etzbseder]

That's what i have. He gets his own toys just for the car, and a high sided bed for the back as well (but he's usually looking out the windows). The bigest problem I have come across is that he leaves nice sized smudges on the inside of the rear window that annoy me.

[LiveWWSD]

That's what i have. He gets his own toys just for the car, and a high sided bed for the back as well (but he's usually looking out the windows). The bigest problem I have come across is that he leaves nice sized smudges on the inside of the rear window that annoy me.

Oh yes Charlie does that all the time. Zaire's nose isn't big enough yet to cause too much damage <G>. It seems like I have an extra 15 min every time I clean the car that goes to cleaning off the back windows. (Ah the things we do for these furbabies)

[wizard]

The harness I bought has an adjustable seat belt strap - I think maximum length is 2 feet. It's plenty long for EL D to curl up on the seat and turn around and around, etc but it keeps him from jumping into the space behind the seats or onto the dash (which he used to like to do). EL D doesn't like to be confined - he chewed through his leash at the vets during the time the assistant filled a syringe - and he has never complained about this harness once. The harness has a pretty decent sized D Ring high on the back so he can twirl around to find just the right spot and not get tangled up - the seat belt strap just flips over his head while he's twirling.

[Ninabeana26]

The harness I bought has an adjustable seat belt strap - I think maximum length is 2 feet. It's plenty long for EL D to curl up on the seat and turn around and around, etc but it keeps him from jumping into the space behind the seats or onto the dash (which he used to like to do). EL D doesn't like to be confined - he chewed through his leash at the vets during the time the assistant filled a syringe - and he has never complained about this harness once. The harness has a pretty decent sized D Ring high on the back so he can twirl around to find just the right spot and not get tangled up - the seat belt strap just flips over his head while he's twirling.

If this is the same one you had previously suggested, I bought it. Somehow Dallas still ends up all tangled up in it. I think it's because he struggles to get out of it but ends up getting his legs out of one hole & in another, etc etc. I've been just leaving his leash on him & pulling my back seat down, attached the loop of the leash to something in my trunk & then shutting the back seat. This has allowed him plenty of room but he isn't able to get into the front seats of the car.

[wizard]

Ninabeana -- No actually its a differnt brand. There was a shipping problem when I ordered that first one and the order got messed up so I went with a different brand - Therapet Secure Traveling Harness from dog.com. I think the trick maybe is to make sure the harness is adjusted properly for snuggle fit so he can't get his legs out. Or maybe your dog is just more rambunctious than EL D :).

[Ninabeana26]

Could be. Allow I would consider Dallas more on the mellow side. I have it as small as it can be but I suppose it's still a little too big on him. Hopefully it won't be such an issue when he fills out a little more since he is still on 5 months old!

[UrbiBasenji]

I just got one of those this weekend. She is learning to be able to sit still. Before I would let her go around in the car but my thighs are now full of pinhole bruises. It took her a while to get used to it but shes doing better now. I a, not sure of the brand that I got but I like it because it is a fleece lined harness and I can also use it when I take her out of the car to walk or hike with her (or when we go to the pet store to pick out a new treat!)

[Ambered]

i bought one, fender slipped it in oh about 10 seconds. i left him in the car while i went inside a gas station to potty and he chewed up a seatbelt. he loves to make me feel like a fool.

[wizard]

EL D doesn't like to be tied up either -- so I make sure to unhook it when I head into the gas station or library or whatever -- but he's fine when we're moving. He can chew through those "tuff" nylon straps in no time - once at the vet, he chewed through the leash before the vet tech could get his vaccine ready. I like the harness though because it keeps him from climbing on the dash (which he liked to do) and keeps him from jumping over me when we stop at the park.

[rnasto]

I use the ruff wear harness and one of those seatbelt leashes Indi doesn't seem to even notice. I make it just long enough that he can get his front paws on the center console and ride there.

http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=14384 - harness

http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=11392 - seat belt

[Natalplum]

We currently use the lease and gentle leader method. I wrap the leash around the head rest of the car so he is totally strapped in and won't escape. The only problem is that he gets tangled if he's restless and sometimes chokes himself which is so NOT what I want. I LOVE taking him with me in the car and he seems to really like the car but those harnesses Mick escapes from. My car is to small for a crate. I'm going to try the harness Wizard suggested. I'll give anything a whirl that will make for a safe and happy car ride.

[tanza]

While a harness can be great... I have to say, for any travel, crates work best... IMO.. (and noted that there are just some B's as with any dog, that will not adjust to crates), but 99% will, especially for travel... I think the best case "study" would be for lvoss's Nicky... who has a crate phobia... but will and does ride in a crate in the car.... cause he knows it is for a good thing... 99% of the time.

[rnasto]

TanZa,

Why do you think crates are better? This is my first pup and I am afraid that when in the crate if we are in an accident he will get slammed up against one of the sides of the crate and get hurt.

Also...the car harness and seatbelt leash method let me gauge when he needs to go outside when on a long car trip.

Interested to hear the low down,
Rachel

[lvoss]

Though the dog may be tossed against the side of its crate during an accident, the chance of serious injury is actually pretty small. The dog may end up a little bruised and sore but otherwise okay. The big advantage to a crate is that they are contained, so after they accident there is no worry about them getting loose and getting injured or killed by another car. Even if the dog is normally fine with their seatbelt harness, if you are injured and perhaps even unconscious, would your dog who will probably be quite fearful at that point stay in the harness?

It is true that my boy Nicky has always had issues with his crate. Even at 10 1/2 years old he still does not like being crated alone. He will happily get in his crate in the car though and sleeps during the ride. He will occassionally whine when we are on surface streets but not too often anymore. Our first few trips with him in the car were quite traumatic for all of us, he would scream and pitch a fit for the whole ride, even the whole 2 hour trip to Dillon's Beach the second weekend we had him. He did pretty quickly learn that 99% of the time we were going someplace really fun and calmed down considerably.

[sloigo]

We have a Bmix & 2 labradors & also find time to foster here & there. We have several kinds of harnesses that we have collected & have found the 3 & 1 vest harness, to be the best & EASIEST to use! I origionally got it for Piglet, our bmix who had never had a collar on or been leash walked. The stationary part around her neck in the "small" (she was still young) has some elastic so she wasnt choking herself till she learned to walk in it & on a leash. They are all easily adjustable. They do tend to run a little big, so if in doubt, go the next size smaller. ;) They have a regular lined chest & a mesh chest which I like for the summer! The seat belt can go through the "handle" on the back.
http://www.inthecompanyofdogs.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=D74032%20BK%20XS&GEN1=Accessories&SKW=%20dog_lovers%20accessories&PageNo=1&ref=sugg

[wizard]

The thing I discovered (and some others too) is that the "handle" style harness can sometimes get tangled because the seat belt can only go one way through it but the dog wants to twirl around before curling up on the seat. The harness I bought from dog.com has the clip part on a swivel so no matter which way the dog turns the strap doesn't normally get wrapped around the dog. And the strap is short enough that he can't travel very far.
[A crate just won't fit in my LRT so the harness is my only choice]

[zanybrave]

Cammie chewed thru hers in less than 1 minute!!! I bought the exact same harness at Complete Petmart for $25, which I feel like I wasted.

Does anyone know of a leash they can't chew thru? We are on our 3rd leash.

[rnasto]

http://www.lupinepet.com/

Not indestructible but they will replace it as many times as your pooch can chew it

[wizard]

I've gone to leather leashes because EL D can blow through the nylon ones (even heavy duty) in no time flat. He still tries to chew the leather but at least it takes him much longer and I have time to stop him.

[jessi76]

Cammie chewed thru hers in less than 1 minute!!! I bought the exact same harness at Complete Petmart for $25, which I feel like I wasted.

Does anyone know of a leash they can't chew thru? We are on our 3rd leash.

my dog did chew his fair share of leashes when he was younger, but now a days it's really a non issue. Have you tried training her to not chew the leash? you can start by spraying it really well w/ Bitter Apple (although I will admit, my own dog thought this was just a condiment). But you could also train a drop it/leave it with regards to the leash.

[Christiane]

I tried a harness too but got too complicated to undo and my dog kept chewing it. Gave that up and she lies in a transport cage that takes all the back of my car. Had no choice after one seat belt has been dammaged as well as whatever was in the car!. When she is in her "car home", she just goes to sleep or sits up and looks at the road, cars and other things she would like to run after (the back of my car has a large rear window so, plenty to look at during a long journey). No room left in my car but a good solution for my Basenji, when I open the door of her "car home", she waits until I have put the leash on and then jumps out, well attached. If I take her with me in a friend's car, she sits on the back seat quietly BUT no way, can I leave her alone in that car, she would destroy everything and pee on the seats !(from past experience, not much fun for my friends)