Car Talk 11/29: dog on truck roof

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
So, this lady called in explaining how SPCA "approved" some sort of harness for her dog to ride in her truck bed. However, while anchored in, the dog manages to climb up & stands on all fours on top of the roof.... I couldn't resist -- I wrote in to the show for the 1st time ever, linking them to the IMMI Petbuckle, Ruff Rider & also here as proof that we who know better choose these systems :cool:

P.S. also just realized they have a safety page @ http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/safe-zone/ (I'm wondering how I never saw it before?!)
 
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Victorious4

Senior Community Member
Yeah :eek: The lady seemed to really want to do the right thing, though -- "researched" a doggy harness that wouldn't let the dog roam all over towards the back end & potentially off the sides, visited her SPCA for "approval" & help installing it . . . but doesn't want the 100# mutt inside her truck (not sure why, but my impression was that it would be a disctraction to her: not that she isn't distracted by it managing to climb up on the roof) :whistle:

Their automated response said they get about 500 emails per day, but I'm still hopeful that they'll do a follow-up with the info I shared since I've heard them do follow-ups before....
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
Why doesn't she put him in a crate? Seems like the safest, most logical solution. Would prevent him from getting on top of the car!!!!
 

rodentranger

New member
Why doesn't she put him in a crate? Seems like the safest, most logical solution. Would prevent him from getting on top of the car!!!!
Crates will shatter in a severe accident. I saw a crash test video of a 30 lb dog in a plastic crate, and the crate pretty much exploded from the weight of the dog smacking the side of it and the dog still went flying!
Yep -- IMMI makes a dog crate, too :thumbsup:

Really?! I've only seen their crate tether. Off to search.

IMMI/PetBuckle makes a truck tether to go with their PetBuckle harness and if properly installed, it will contain the dog and keep it off the roof. Some dogs are squirrelly enough though that they really just need the PetBuckle harness and a seatbelt. My coonhound is one of them.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
Crates will shatter in a severe accident. I saw a crash test video of a 30 lb dog in a plastic crate, and the crate pretty much exploded from the weight of the dog smacking the side of it and the dog still went flying!
This is true & thanks for pointing it out :thanx!:

I would never want to use the wire style cage I currently have & I worried about the more enclosed hard fiberglass & plastic kenels we used to have, too . . . but, when all the seatbelts are needed for human passengers you can only do what you can do. In most cases I was able to attach their harnesses to a non-moveable part of the seat/floor area. My educated guess is that since we're taught to encourage RF tethering when the carseat & vehicle allows + we teach parents to keep any necessary projectiles under the seats or on the floor, then "tethering" my dogs in a similar fashion with a locking karibiner is better than a cage. Something is probably better than nothing, but my dogs have almost always ridden in their harness according to the instructions :love: The only times I had to bend the rules was when carseat/booster instructions took precedence :twocents: Because as much as I love my doggy, I love my kid more....

IMMI/PetBuckle makes a truck tether to go with their PetBuckle harness and if properly installed, it will contain the dog and keep it off the roof.
Yep :thumbsup:
 
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rodentranger

New member
The *only* type of crate I would be comfortable relying on to contain a dog in an accident would be a properly restrained old style steel shipping crate. However, they are hot, hard to clean, and even harder to find.
My dogs wear their PetBuckles and seatbelts in the 3rd row of my car, or the backseat of DH's car on either side of the carseat. Though even with the harnesses on, I'm not sure they get much protection from spinal injuries. Mostly it's just protecting you from being hit by the flying dog.
 

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