# Car Car Rides



## CaseysMom (Jun 10, 2008)

My girl, Casey, loves car-car rides, but I don't like having her loose in the car. Does anyone have any ideas (eg. harnesses that work) or other strategies. I love her company, but also am a little overly sensitive about her safety, and am concerned about the potential for choking in a harness if she struggles and fights it. The last thing I want is to be attending to her while I am zooming down the highway at 110 km/h. (!)


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

I think that the safest place for a dog in a car, is in a crate. I personally dont like that, and dont have room in my car for it. Logan will go in a crate if we are going on a long trip, cause he gets sick, but the girls are in lookout seats on harnesses. It takes one or two rides for them to get used to their limitations with the harness and they are fine now. You can adjust the straps to give Casey a longer lead or a shorter one. I sometimes dont put them in their seats, and I agree, it is not a great idea!! Not very safe.


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

I think you may have to try to see what she likes. I have a SUV and a crate in the back and that is where Cicero seems to do the best. I guess he feels safe in his "nite nite". I got a car seat because "I" wanted him to ride up front and be able to see out. He hated it and got sick each time I put him in it -- so not safe for me driving and him throwing up in the seat. Sometimes I just let him lay in the seat and he naps and loves the ride if it's a short trip. When DH is driving he wants to be near him so I hold him in my lap....I know, not safe, but if we have an accident there is no safe place. I pray. I do mostly let him in his crate thinking that if we have an accident "maybe" the crate will not open and he will be in the best place. Maybe try different things because the best place is where your puppy is happy and relaxed -- and the driver doesn't get stressed or distracted trying to deal with the puppy.


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## ginny (Mar 29, 2008)

I wish I had an answer for this question. I am struggling with this myself. Suzy prefers to ride in my lap, screams in the crate and the car harness does not allow her to turn around for getting comfy. I looked at the doggie car seats but I am unsure if she will stay in one. I do place our child booster seat on the passenger front seat and she occasionally will sit in that.

If there is a magic solution I want to hear it! Any of the car seats preferable to another?


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

For Long trips my boys are in their crates. But for short trips around time I let them roam in the back seat (small civic) Cash hated rides in the car and got sick and cried a lot. But we discovered he feels more secure on the floor in back and not the seat. Now he loves to "go for a ride"

How do the look out car seats work? are they strapped in or do they just stay in?


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## Posh's Mom (Dec 20, 2007)

I use my Petflys carrier with Posh. I just seatbelt her in. I think she now knows "in bag, will travel with mom". Here is a pic of Posh in her carrier.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

I do the same as Amy using my Celltei backpack. It has seatbelt straps and straps right into the car.


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

I use the Snoozer lookout car seat and it works great for us. Only problem is that I started Brady in the front seat (my airbag turns off) and he will not sit in it in the back alone. So, I am not sure DH is going to be happy sitting in the back while Brady rides upfront on our upcoming vacation. He is really good about staying in his carseat when we ride. He used to love sitting on my lap, but this seems to have solved that problem.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

I have a travel crate/car carrier that is soft sided. I got it at either Wal-Mart or Target and it was inexpensive. I put Scooter in, zip it up, put it on the car seat and run the seatbelt through the carrier loop on top. He rides in the passenger seat but I only do this if I'm alone with him. Otherwise he sits with whoever is riding in the passenger seat and he falls asleep almost instantly. On our 7 hour trip to the beach we brought one of his soft beds and set it on the floor, he slept in that or my lap most of the way.


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Some sort of restraint system is best. Some friends have the look out seat which their two love. Another uses a belt clip that attaches to their harnesses that they wear with their leashes.

I prefer a crate and luckily MeMe's really good in hers.


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## ginny (Mar 29, 2008)

The crate with the place for the seat belt does not work for us although I am sure if I was insistent and kept at it we would adjust. I will look into the Look Out seat, there is a store near by that sells it. I know Suzy would be a lot safer (as would everyone else on the road) if she was not sitting with me. I know it is wrong to allow this and I am just being silly not making her stay in her crate. My four year old tries every argument to get out of her booster seat, not a lot different from Suzy's whines and complaints!


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Gucci loves "Car-rides" too. In fact, she get SOOOO excited when she hears those two words, she spins in circles and whimpers out of excitement. lol

I've been using the sherpa and strapping it in, it was hard to break her of my 'lap' habit, but I was persistent. I just strap it in, and I do think its safe and secure. I'd just hate myself if she ever got hurt because she was loose in the car 

I'll probably buy the look out car-seat here in the near future.

Kara


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

For long rides, Lincoln will go in a wire crate in the back of my SUV.
For shorter rides, he likes to sit on the back seat. I can tether him to the seatbelt buckle.

For Scout, he get very carsick, so I've got him in the Lookout II carseat in the front seat now. He still uke:, but less. If you have a larger Hav, I'd recommend the Oversized Lookout II vs. the Lookout (smaller).


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## CaseysMom (Jun 10, 2008)

Wow, what great advice (as well as some vindication as I was feeling guilty that I have been allowing her to ride on my lap). I will be checking out all of the products mentioned. Thank you all for your advice!


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## michi715 (Apr 8, 2008)

Living in the city, we don't drive anywhere very often, but when we took a trip this weekend we put Guapo in his sherpa, which serves as his "house" when we're home so he doesn't mind being in at all. I put the leave on him so he can be tethered to it and I can open the "sunroof" so he can check out what's going on outside if he wants.


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

I use Oversized Look Out car seats for both Benji and Lizzie. Benji is prone to motionsickness and he does well with the Look Out seat. Everytime he was in the crate, he puked. I think he needs the fresh air and to look outside.


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

I have tried harnesses, and look-out seats, etc.
I just ordered the pet travel tunnel, which is posted in the general discussion area.
I will let you know how it works out. I should have it in about a week.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Rufus loved the lookout car seat for awhile, but now he prefers to ride right on the seat without a booster. I use the Guardian seat belt clip with a harness. It clips right into a seat belt buckle and the other end will clip to any harness, not just the Guardian one.

http://www.baxterboo.com/dogs/travel_gear/guardian_gear_dog_safety_harness_car.cfm


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Neither one of mine are too happy about car rides, but they tolerate them. Shelby will just lay on the back seat and go to sleep. I use a strap that attaches to her harness and then thru the seatbelt.

Kodi is a nervous rider. He doesn't get sick, but is not happy unless he is on my lap with his head sticking out the window. We are working on this and I will probably get another Lookout car seat for him. I gave my other one to my daughter, because Kodi would scream when I put him in it.


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Oh do let us know about that pet travel tunnel - it just looks so neat!


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

I bought Jackson a car seat from Petsmart that hooks into his regular harness. I really liked it because you could take off the wooly pad and wash it and it also has two heights. I used Benadryl the first time we took a long trip and he cried, but kind of konked out. The next time he got sick, so I put him down on the floor in the front last time with the A/C and the seat pulled up to kind of pen him in. This past weekend was another longer trip and so I tried the crate and he still got sick. Darn! Guess it's back to the Benadryl and I'll try the car seat again, but it is a mess when they get sick in it. Does anyone know anything other than Benadryl or Dramamine that can calm their tummies?


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