Video of unrestrained dog?

[tjham]

in a car crash.

I know I've seen one (with a dummy dog, not a real one ;) ) but I can't find it.
Any one have a link to it?

[Kalinky]

Oh wow - I'd like to see that too. Now I know what the dog's getting for Christmas!

[murphydog77]

It was on the BC favorite links page, but when I updated it and checked all the links, the link was bad :(. I'll see if I can dig it up now that I have more time.

That was actually pretty easy to find: http://www.immioutdoors.com/petbuckle/sledtest.htm .

[Mama!]

I think that's the first time I've seen a test dog. Pretty scary. I always fastened the seatbelt around my dog's harness so it would catch him.

[LuvBug03]

I need to convince my mom to buy something for our Aussie. She takes her to PetSmart every saturday and I told her to look at their petbuckles but she said they were too much... um whatever, her dog is her child too... no?? Ill show that to her.

[tjham]

Thanks, Heather!

[bearwithmoi]

What's the best way to harness a dog in? My dog is 70 lbs so no latch for her. Afriad that a seatbelt will shred any metal connector in case of an accident.

Also - would it be better to have the dog in the front passenger seat rather than next to my DB who is in a FF Marathon in the middle?

[jen_nah]

I still need to find one that will hook to the cargo hooks in the rear cargo area. Does anyone know of a harness that works with the cargo hooks?

[newDad]

OMG...that is scary. I always thought that I could simply be careful with our pooch in the car. Maybe I'll investigate this doggie harness for the car.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

:)

[joolsplus3]

What's the best way to harness a dog in? My dog is 70 lbs so no latch for her. Afriad that a seatbelt will shred any metal connector in case of an accident.

Also - would it be better to have the dog in the front passenger seat rather than next to my DB who is in a FF Marathon in the middle?

http://www.ruffrider.com/ they have several products.

Most of the products I've seen for transporting dogs in cars highly recommend NOT using them in front of airbags.

What do you mean 'a seatbelt will shred any metal connector in case of an accident', though?

[Kalinky]

Also check out http://www.immioutdoors.com/petbuckle/

[groovymom2000]

So, if I understand from both of those--the IMMI harness is not designed to be used with cargo hooks? The only place that I have for our dog is in our cargo area. I think I may have to give them a call....

[southpawboston]

I still need to find one that will hook to the cargo hooks in the rear cargo area. Does anyone know of a harness that works with the cargo hooks?

why would you trust the cargo hooks?

[papooses]

We have both: IMMI petbuckle & RuffRider....

IMMI is the maker of LATCH so I trust them more + they're easier to get on/off but can only be hooked to LATCH anchors (with LATCH hooks) or by seatbelt -- RuffRider isn't difficult per se, though, & can be attached by seatbelt or with locking Karabiner (sp?) to cargo loops. However, I know some SUVs only allow certain cargo hooks to be used as tether anchors so I'd be wary of using the others unless there isn't any other safe alternative.

When all my tether anchors were being used and/or all my backseat belts were occupied, I have doubled up the doggies in the front seat. Either both to the seatbelt on the seat or 1 to the belt on the seat & the other hooked to a nonmoving part of the seat on the floor at the foot area. Not ideal for the doggies, but it kept the rest of my family safe. When the front seat was taken, the doggies were hooked to cargo loops because there was no other safe alternative for us since the crate didn't fit.

[bearwithmoi]

Jools - what I meant by shredding is that our current dog harness attaches to the seatbelt with a carabiner so I believe (or the very good cps told me) that the metal of the carabiner will tear through the seatbelt in the event of a collision.

Does this sound correct to you?

Since we're car shopping (still!) I'm looking into all the options to keep all of us safe (doggie included). Got worried when I realized that a latch anchor with a 40 lb limit is not going to work for a 70 lb dog.

thanks

[jen_nah]

why would you trust the cargo hooks?

This is the only place I can transport a 80lbs German Shepherd. So, I would need a harness that is compatible with the cargo hooks. At this time he doesn't ride in my vehicle. Thank goodness our vet is 2 blocks from our house and we just walk. But, It would be nice to be able to take him to the dog park or on family outings. But, I want him to be safe b/c he is part of our family.

[jen_nah]

We have both: IMMI petbuckle & RuffRider....

IMMI is the maker of LATCH so I trust them more + they're easier to get on/off but can only be hooked to LATCH anchors (with LATCH hooks) or by seatbelt -- RuffRider isn't difficult per se, though, & can be attached by seatbelt or with locking Karabiner (sp?) to cargo loops. However, I know some SUVs only allow certain cargo hooks to be used as tether anchors so I'd be wary of using the others unless there isn't any other safe alternative.

When all my tether anchors were being used and/or all my backseat belts were occupied, I have doubled up the doggies in the front seat. Either both to the seatbelt on the seat or 1 to the belt on the seat & the other hooked to a nonmoving part of the seat on the floor at the foot area. Not ideal for the doggies, but it kept the rest of my family safe. When the front seat was taken, the doggies were hooked to cargo loops because there was no other safe alternative for us since the crate didn't fit.

Tiffany,

I wonder if I could do the same in my 3rd row since we can remove the 3rd row. There are exposed bars that the 3rd row seats attach too. So, These bars are permentally fixed to the frame of the body since they hold the vehicle set in place. I wonder if I could use one of the IMMI or Ruffrider harnesses and attach to that bar on the floor. I would think it could hold a lot more weight then the cargo hooks.

[henrietta]

There is a product (a very good one--I have met the man who manufactures them and he lives where I live) called the Doggy Catcher. It's not made by Immi, but it is repututable. I used to sell them at my training business, and I use them with my dogs. They are a strap, one for seatbelts and one for cargo hooks, that attach to the harness on a dog. I would suggest using a real seatbelt harness with this product for more protection and comfort. Do not hook it to your dog's collar. And definitely, if possible, not dogs in the front seat in front of an active airbag.


hths

henrietta

[papooses]

No, I don't recommend the Doggie Catcher as it only attaches to a regular harness which will very likely not withold the violent forces of a crash -- there's a huge difference between the quality of the Petbuckle or RuffRider harness & other general harnesses....

[groovymom2000]

why would you trust the cargo hooks?

It's the only option that I have to transport the 75 lb. dog that is my first baby. Yes, ideally she would be in a seat with a harness attached to a seatbelt, but that's just not possible with both boys back there. So it's a matter of trying to do the safest thing given what I have--and it's safer than what I do now, I will freely admit. ;)

[keri1292]

Tiffany,

I wonder if I could do the same in my 3rd row since we can remove the 3rd row. There are exposed bars that the 3rd row seats attach too. So, These bars are permentally fixed to the frame of the body since they hold the vehicle set in place. I wonder if I could use one of the IMMI or Ruffrider harnesses and attach to that bar on the floor. I would think it could hold a lot more weight then the cargo hooks.

I've considered doing the same. We have to make a 5 hour drive to my parents every month or so and it's hard for the dog to sit upright on the seat the whole way. He doesn't fit laying down. :( I was hoping to remove the empty 2nd row captains chair and hook him to the bars. But I would need a D-ring type thing to connect him to the bars, so I don't think that it's possible. Their strap doesn't thread thru the ring, it just slips over the seatbelt. I've been putting him on the floor of the front seat and hoping that has a compartment-alizing effect. Other option would be...dog in the cargo area and luggage in the 2nd row. I don't care for that option either. So, I chose the former. The dog is unlikely to survive, but it should keep him from injuring the kids. :(

[henrietta]

"No, I don't recommend the Doggie Catcher as it only attaches to a regular harness which will very likely not withold the violent forces of a crash -- there's a huge difference between the quality of the Petbuckle or RuffRider harness & other general harnesses...."


I understand that there is, however, the company owner has had this product independently crash tested...and it held up. He agreed several years ago that he would like to make a harness to go with it that was also crash tested and not a regular walking harness. I also understand that there are different types of crash testing. He had started on that when I had my son, and I haven't spoken to him since then, b/c I closed my business. There may be a harness to go with it now, and the owner himself recommended other harnesses to go with it. If the Ruff Rider and Immi will not buckle to the cargo hooks and that's the only option a dog owner has, then it is still safer than riding loose.

It's a good product, esp considering that most of the dog owners I deal with every day will not order a Ruff Rider or Immi or spend the money on it, but if I had a $20 product available, they were willing to try it with their dog's harness. Some of them later realized how much safer they all were with the dog restrained and went on to order a Ruff Rider or Immi.

The Doggy Catcher is better than nothing and good for certain situations. I certainly would love to have another carseat system for my dogs, but I can't afford 5-6 Immi's so that we can all ride together at the same time! LOL

henrietta