Petbuckle, ruffrider, other? people with experience!

[LuvBug03]

My mom got this http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2755231&cp=2767032.2767064&sr=1 for our mama aussie(50lbs? 4y) and I'm looking for options. Is this one good, or should I get her to invest in a different one? If so, which one? We also have puppy aussie(18lbs? 12w?) that we need to get one for. She takes them places weekly and I also take puppy with DS and I to the park. At the moment I have him trained(or scared into staying) to lay in the floor behind the drivers seat.
I figure since IMMI makes the petbuckle it is probably the safest, but since there isn't even a standard(is there?) I don't really know which to get or what is considered ok.
there is also the easy rider (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751798&cp=2767032.2767064&fbx=0&fbn=Type+1%7CSeat+Belts&f=Taxonomy%2FPET%2F2767064&f=PAD%2FType+1%2FSeat+Belts&fbc=1&parentPage=family&keepsr=1) which I haven't heard anything about.

[AdventureMom]

Personally, I like the Petbuckle because it's made by IMMI and crashtested - check out the crashtest video:

http://www.immioutdoors.com/petbuckle/why_petbuckle.htm

:thumbsup:

[joolsplus3]

We have that furry one, too :). It's a bit big for our girl weiner dog, seems like the boy is going to be bigger and it might fit him... I like it, it seems sturdy...

[Judi]

Most of them have plastic buckles. I hate that. The IMMI has a good buckle, but the video bugs me. It looks like a lot of force is going into soft tissue. It looks like they changed their video. It doesn't show it as much now. Walmart has one that has a tether like adjuster. I doubt it is crash tested though.

[LuvBug03]

yeah I didn't like the test video either. More it seems like they are concerned about the passengers and not the safety of the dog. Seems like the restraint is just to make sure the dog doesn't fly across the car and hurt a person, instead of lowering injury for the dog.
Right now it seems like training to lay in the floorboard would be safer for the dog, unless we were in a rollover and then everyone would be at risk.

[UlrikeDG]

Ruff Rider has an option to attach to cargo anchors. Petbuckle is easier to get on and off. I think either is fine. I would *not* use the Petbuckle with LATCH for a dog over 20 lb or so, however.

[Judi]

yeah I didn't like the test video either. More it seems like they are concerned about the passengers and not the safety of the dog. Seems like the restraint is just to make sure the dog doesn't fly across the car and hurt a person, instead of lowering injury for the dog.
Right now it seems like training to lay in the floorboard would be safer for the dog, unless we were in a rollover and then everyone would be at risk.

:yeahthat:

[joolsplus3]

Ruff Rider has an option to attach to cargo anchors. Petbuckle is easier to get on and off. I think either is fine. I would *not* use the Petbuckle with LATCH for a dog over 20 lb or so, however.
Why not?

[LuvBug03]

we won't be using the pet latch because I want to keep them contained as much as possible while driving too. I'm going to lock the seatbelt after I run it though and it seems like the latch would give too much slack.
That is just my idea from the packaging.

[UlrikeDG]

Why not?

LATCH anchors are designed/tested to hold ~60 lb with two anchors. The IMMI harness allows you to LATCH well over 60 lb to ONE anchor. I think it's better to go conservative on half the weight allowed by the vehicle manufacturer.

[HEVY]

We had dogs when I was younger and they always layed on the floor, it would seem safer there. Maybe they could make something for down there, I don't like that harness.

[LuvBug03]

uh oh... I'm starting to get ideas of rigging something up in my car lol!! :duck:

[UlrikeDG]

Honestly, IMO, pet harnesses are there to:
1) Reduce damage to human passengers.
2) Stop the dog from being ejected from the vehicle.
3) Prevent an injured dog from running amuck after the fact.

Vehicles are not designed to transport animals safely, and there's not a harness out there that can change that.

[vamom]

I bought the IMMI one because the other choices had plastic buckles. I have a big, strong terrier that has busted the same type of buckles on his harness, so that worried me.

Now the dog I bought the immi one for is a jack russell, 16# 13". I bought the small dog version - it really pulled in her armpits. So I bought the regular one, only difference was wider web, more to adjust, bigger buckle, still really pulled in her armpits.

She does ride in it, but I wish it were more comfortable for her. She is perfect in the car (well, everywhere really) - she just lays in the floor in her little bed, or now, in the back on her bed.

[UlrikeDG]

Most of them have plastic buckles.

I bought the IMMI one because the other choices had plastic buckles.

These comments confused me, because I hadn't really noticed the plastic buckles on my Ruff Rider (I have both that and the IMMI Petbuckle). The plastic clips on the Ruff Rider are just precrash positioners. They're there to hold the harness in place when the dog is up and walking around and to keep him from wiggling out of it while the car is moving, a lot like the chest clip on a carseat.

[Judi]

OK. Can you take pics? I still need to buy some. Just don't know which to go with.

[jen_nah]

I have a Ruff Rider for our 85lbs (almost 3yr old) German Shepherd. I needed something that allowed me to use my cargo hooks. Since my vehicle is a lease there is no way I am putting him on my 3rd row leather seats to scratch up. He doesn't travel with us often just for the pure fact of his size and he gets car sick.

[vamom]

When I said the other ones had plastic, I should have said other then immi or ruffrider. There are several at the pet store that are simple glorified walking harnesses - regular plastic buckles.

[*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue*]

Stupid me never thought about a carseat for my dog(and I used to be a vet tech).....I am going to have to look into something.
I have a 14 pound 11 year old shihtzu and a 50 pound American bulldog/lab mix(14 months old).
If we go anywhere far(so far never went places far with my american bulldog/lab mix)---I just got my smaller dog's crate and seatbelted it in?(would this be ok)?
Now my bigger dog, I need to find something, because his crate is HUGE!:)

[UlrikeDG]

The problem with a crate is that it can shatter in a crash. It sucks, because crashes aside, a crate is probably the safest option.

[LuvBug03]

we use metal crates, but we only crate them when traveling a long distance and then they are behind the seat in the trunk area.

[*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue*]

Do you think this would be safe? I would take out my back seat of my van(60/40 split)-Kia Sedona(which what we woudl do if we traveled anyways)--and just tie the dogs down with their leash to the floor board where the seats where(by the metal anchor type thing that the seat clicks in)-or not so safe? Or you think bungying a crate would be safer(the metal kind)-I have both-plastic and metal(for the smaller dog) and just a HUGE metal for the bigger dog.

[LuvBug03]

definitely not safe to just use the leash and I would only crate if it went behind a full seat.