The only other thread I found was 3 years old....

We are planning on getting a new dog soon, and since this is my first year with a cabrio I'd like any advice on training my new dog to ride in my convertible. The dog I have my eye on is a puppy (shelter dog) and I don't know what people are using as far as seatbelts/harnesses.

 

There are specific harnesses made that connect to the seat belts. Make sure the one you get will fit properly.

Something like this with some padding in the front is what you need.

Start slow. Get the puppy used to the harness. Don't even get in the car. Once the puppy is used to the harness you can put the dog in the car (BACK SEAT ONLY) and attach to the seat belt. Sit up front for a little bit and then take the dog out.

Once you can get the puppy to not try to get out of the harness you'll be good to go. Start with short rides around the block and gradually work up to that road trip.

Always, always, always give lots of praise. You don't want your puppy to associate anything negative with you.

Most of all... have fun!

p.s. if you have to put the dog in the front for some reason make sure the airbag is off.

 

I have my 05 cabrio & a full sized Doberman & Rottweiler. The Dobie rides with me as often as I will let him, the Rottie is an old girl & she can't get into the car anymore I drive like a grandmother when I have my dogs with me. I still don't know what would be better if I ever get into an accident.

Would it be safer for him to be thrown from the car or flung around in the car by his neck. I can't imagine either senario being good. So as of right now, he gets nice slow rides with the top down & no harness.

If anyone has suggestions & pictures of the devices. Maybe I would be swayed to purchase something, but as of right now, it is all caution & high alert driving when my pups are with me.

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Thanx STLMINI...that one looks much better than others I have seen. Lots of coverage on the dog & less about holding onto their neck for safety. Also, I never put my pups up front.

 

No problem Not4no1.

There are lot's of options for harnesses. Never attach anything to the car that restrains the dog if it wasn't designed for it specifically.

At the risk of being redundant... FIT FIT FIT! Make sure it fits properly. Most good pet stores have someone that can help you make sure it fits properly. Puppies especially will be able to wiggle out of a ill-fitting harness.

 

Sorry for posting again, but with all due respect, I just have to say out of concern that no matter how much you trust your dog he/she is still a dog. While you are on your slow ride driving like a grandmother your dog may see another dog or a small animal and decide he wants to go for it.

 

We have two medium size dogs that refuse to get in my MCS and always stand next to my wife's MCSc. We use a collar and leash from Booda. The leash has an actual seatbelt plug on it and has adjustable length. It works well for us and we are very happy with it.

We've used the harness type in the past and liked it a lot we just use the leash out of laziness (no need to remove the harness for the dog park, etc.)

 

This is Ms Jackie. We bought a harness thingy that attached to the seatbelt (because I would NEVER trust that she would stay in the car). Anyway, she was terrified! She backed up into the corner and got herself all twisted up in the belt. We never even left the driveway. So we just flipped her ears back to try and make it LOOK like she was having a fun time... wind in her ears.... Ended up that she rode on the husband's lap (attached to his seat belt) instead and was much happier.

 

LOL, it is a process. We stopped using the harness b/c our dog would "chase" the passing cars (spin in the seat having a blast) and get all tangled up.

We started our process with just sitting in the car with the engine running, then some short rides..... this was with a very nervous high strung Keeshond... our mutts love the car and never needed the acclimation

 

I have had a convertible for going on 14 years now and have always had dogs. I regularly drive about 100 miles to the beach many weekends year round.

With the collie mix we just put to sleep in April (she was 15!), I use the harness (she acclimated immediately, she was a good dog) and she mostly just laid down in the car and you hardly knew she was there. She would sit up and look out when we got close to the beach!

In June I got a shelter dog, a higher energy pit billmix. Took her a while to get used to the harness. At first, she got frustrated that she couldn't see out the window easily (the harness retrained her a bit) and she had to struggle to stand up, then she would try and walk over to the other window, then she would get tangled. One time, she got so twisted that her butt was in the air and front feet off the edge of the seat and half lying on one shoulder. I had to pull over I was laughing so hard.

In just a few weeks she got better about staying un-tangled. With the MINI, she can actually sit and still look out the window (she's only about 18" tall/35 pounds).

I also buy cheap bath mats with a rubber backing which serves 2 purposes when you have leather seats: Keeps them from burning their paws (old dog did a dance one day when she hopped on the back seat the poor thing) and keeps them from sliding around too much.

Always properly restrain a dog - for their safety and yours. If you rear end something really hard, that dog can come flying over the driver's seat and seriously injure you.

 

What brand of harness do you use?

I have the Wet Okole seat covers so I hope they hold up to dog paws. They do stay cool.

Thanks!

 

I have a poodle that weights about 12 to 14 pounds. When I bought my MINI Cabrio I looked around for a boster seat that would allow him to see out and still keep him safe and secure. The seat is fastened down by the head rest and has a strap that wraps around the entire seat. In addition there is a strap that attaches to his harness which goes around his chest and not just his neck. He can sit up and lay down so he has some room to move around without getting tangled up.

This seat worked out so well that that I bought one for my sister's MINI Cooper, which he also rides in and his "Grandfather's car" (my Dad) who also takes him for rides. He jumps right into booster when he is placed in any of the cars. The picture is from the website. The interior of the booster seat is machine washable and the exterior of the seat has small pockets for treats!

http://www.pets2bed.com/site/1405195...g-booster-seat

 

My dog had a well puppy check-up yesterday and the vet was very supportive of the harness I've bought for her to keep her safe. His assistant told us this story:

A friend of hers had a Chihuahua that she had allowed to run loose in her car. Unfortunately the dog did not stay in her seat and she crawled beneath the brake pedal. Sadly her owner, the assistant's friend, was backing out of a parking spot so when she had to hit the brake, she killed her puppy and backed into someone. A tragic story with an even more tragic ending.

The moral of the story is that regardless of the size of the dog, your dog has got to have a harness. I only wanted to share this story because of the criticism I've received from my own family members. Be careful, I know that it's a pain in the butt to convince your dog to wear the harness but it truly is better to be safe than sorry.

 

+1 to that, lacy

even though I do not have a cabrio I always have Alfie in his harness (or the crate if the seats are folded down in the back.

 

Thanks everyone. We visited our new puppy the other night, but he needs to be neutered before we can bring him home. He's 3.5 hours away and we will need to bring him home in the car (not the MINI; it got smashed and is waiting to get fixed), our Mazdaspeed 3. I am thinking about bringing our smaller crate (cat carrier) as this puppy is smaller than I thought and our larger dog crate is too big.

I suppose I could call the shelter and ask someone to measure him for a harness, but I think asking a 14 week-old puppy not harness trained yet to sit for 3.5 hours in a strange car is a bit much (we will stop often for potty breaks, but in the end it still boils down to 3.5 hours in the car).

 

Just a quick note about harness fit:
when the harness is adjusted, slide it around on your dog with your hand on his breasbone and make sure the harness doesn't ride above the top of the breastbone.
Most harnesses made for cars fit way too high, risking serious injury to the dog's airway if there is an accident.

The best fit I was able to find for any of my dogs was in a harness made for greyhounds which fit borzoi, pit bull, lab mix and border collie all equally well (with adjustments of course). It has an adjustment on each strap including the one that goes between the front legs.

Like a seatbelt, padding isn't necessary but proper positioning of the straps over strong bony areas of the body is very important.

The type I use is called a Sure-fit harness by Premier. They also sell a short coupler to use with your car's seatbelts. They are availabe from a number of online vendors.

 

Please, please, please, those of you who don't use a harness, do so for your dog's sake. Buy one specifically made as a car safety harness. Make sure it fits. And make sure it's attached to the belt in a way that prevents the dog from exiting the car. This last bit is so important. You don't want your dog hanging outside the car, getting chewed up by the wheel or dragged along the road. This means, never, never just fasten the belt and clip them to the shoulder harness. To see what I mean, do so and then lift your dog out and try setting them down outside the car with them still in their harness and attached to the shoulder belt. You'll quickly see how bad that can be. Instead, unclip that restraining strap at the top outside of the seat that keeps the belt going over the seat back. Then, route the shoulder part of the belt back behind the roll bar and then down to the latch in the middle of the seat. This places the shoulder part of the belt much closer to the middle of the car and greatly reduces the chances of your dog falling out while still attached. The other option is to plug in both belts and attach the harness to both so that the harness is effectively attached in the middle.

A couple more tips. Don't extend the harness very much. If you do, use one of those short climbing runners like this: http://www.rei.com/product/751699

Then attach that to a swivel that will help keep the dog from getting all twisted up. (Swivels available at OSH, Home Depot, etc.)

Finally, use a real climbing carabiner to attach the harness to the belt. It's strong and easy to use.

 

Oh, and you can also get some doggy car seats for smaller dogs to raise them up so they can see out. And remember, it's windier back there and they can get cold easily.

 

Does anyone know of a harness for a tripod dog? My 8-month-old Greyhound pup lost his front left leg two months ago. I always use harnesses on the dogs, but haven't found one for him yet. As Greys have such long, thin necks I use a Martingale collar for him, but sure miss the security of harness.

 

You might try asking a vendor that specializes in dog safety products and see if they have any suggestions. The simplest thing may be to buy a harness, fit it to the dog, and fill in the useless leg opening with a patch. I'm not sure how secure it would be though.

 

Hmmmm.....you may have to rig something up yourself. Maybe some addition to the harness so that it goes around the rear legs or rump or something. You can usually find the same type of connectors and straps and things to add to the harness at outdoor supply stores like REI and climbing/mountaineering shops, etc. And if you need to have something sewn, try taking it to a shoe/luggage repair place where they have heavy duty sewing machines. You're likely on your own. Good luck!

 

Martinb, great advice, especially about the 'biner and swivel.

I would ordinarily leave this alone, but I have to mention that I have yet to see a car harness that could be correctly fitted. Most have padding and come up relatively high on the dog's neck. For the harness to do it's job, it *must* properly fit. There should be no pressure on the neck, even if that area is padded. No part of the back of the harness should go beyond the dog's ribs either. Just like people, dogs have a strong area around the heart and lungs that can safely withstand the forces involved. Neck, waist and other soft areas can't.

I really wish the people who sold these things as car harnesses would do their homework. It would be heartbreaking to have outfitted your dog with a safety harness only to have him asphyxiate after a crash because his airway was crushed by the harness.

Cloud 10, I would suggest a rescue harness for your 3-legger.



This one is also not properly adjusted in the photo, but it can be. I have used this harness and can attest that it will fit Borzoi (the largest size will). This was made for lifting dogs into helicopters and the like so it's safe and sturdy. The flank cinch should hold it in place fairly well despite the missing limb. I'm assuming your problem is the lack of a stump to hold the harness in position.

Again, you will have to do some adjusting and pulling to make sure the harness is properly fitted, but it is surely better than a collar for riding in the car. Since you don't have to get two legs in, you will have just two buckles to deal with.
http://www.altrec.com/ruff-wear/web-master-dog-harness
http://handicappedpets.com/www/index...t-harness.html

Mine is an older model and has a D ring nearer the neck which is a better point to attach a restraint. The new ones don't seem to have this.
Good luck!

 

Could someone post pictures of a properly fitted harness? Now I'm concerned that Piper's doesn't fit her correctly. I guess that I should have asked my vet about it. Any vets on the forum?

 

Thank you all for the help. I'll look into this further. I sold my BMW convertible but hope to live long enough to get the MINI Cabrio.
I don't necessarily want to take Rush out in a convertible, but I would feel a lot better with the security of a harness over a collar.
They removed his shoulder when they took his leg so he has no support on that left front. Tell him that, the dog is amazing.
I bought him some kids small shirts to prevent him from licking his sutures and I found a couple of great ones for my sick sense of humor.

One was orange with an alligator on it and Gator Farm on the front. The other was for Shark Reef. Every time someone asked about his lack of a leg I just told them in dogspeak, "I've been to the Gator Farm this year and I lost my leg," It seemed to take away the serious tones. One couple was very disapproving of his disability and thought he should be put down. No way. This pup is an angel and doesn't think twice about doing everything the other Greyhounds do. He has the sweetest temperament of any dog I've had.
Again. Thanks for the help.

 

That's sad that those people thought that way. I've seen dogs get along fine and thoroughly enjoying life with even less. 'Glad your hound has such a caring provider.

 

Not to thread jack, but this seems like a great place to ask this question and would be useful for other readers of this thread...

A question to all the harness supporters out here... I have one and used one with my old Labrador Retriever. He eventually got the hang of things, even learned to lean into the turns without wrecking seats and came to love motoring...

He passed away, but I hung onto his road harness and am prepared to use it with our new puppy, but... there's one problem. He's a puppy.

He will eventually fit into this harness, but as of this moment there's no way a harness designed for a 95 pound dog will fit a 20 pound puppy. Are there any adjustable models out there that you guys would recommend? I don't need it to be spendy and I only need it to get us through the first year!

Thanks much!