# Car rides: Crate or harness?



## Holly

I've been wondering how, as our pup grows, we can transport her safely with no destructive behaviour. She is quickly outgrowing her small crate, which is easily carried to and from the van with her in it. We tried a short trip with her loose in the van and she was all over the place, chewed the gear shift, was at my feet (dangerous!) and just generally a major distraction for me. 

I guess a crate would be ideal, but the big crate we have for when she's bigger is way too unwieldy to move to and fro with every ride in the car. So I'm wondering how most people let their Vizslas travel by vehicle. Does anyone use a harness made for car trips? A friend of mine had all the seat belts in her new SUV chewed to pieces by her young lab, at great cost to replace them. Hoping to avoid a similar situation!


----------



## Kafka

As a puppy I had Kafka in a small crate or with a harness that attached to the seat belt. You might have to wait until your pup is a bit older so that she doesn't want to chew everything.
Now I put a blanket on the back seat and she is there off leash. I know it is dangerous in case of an accident but I like it that she can lay down (all stretched out if it s warm or in a little bundle after swimming ) or sit up and stick her head out of the window. She doesn't try to come to the front. She immediately was so much calmer off leash than being in a harness. She would get herself tangled and become restless.
Maybe in the beginning you can make sure to give her something to chew on that she absolutely loves so that she will leave other things alone. Have someone else in the car who can grab her in case she wants to wander around: safety first!
If she is crawling all over the place, it will be a lot safer to keep her in a harness or try to secure a bigger crate.
Good luck!


----------



## Nelly

We started off with Nelly on a seat belt slip that attached to her regular harness and now she just 'leans' on the seat freely in my partner's van 8)

In my car however! Different story - more places to climb and investigate (van only has 3 front seats and nowhere else to go). For safety in my car I use a little soft crate - face-licking + driving = no no!


----------



## Angie NG

We tried a few ways with Bella in the car 

I would sit in the back with Bella, absolute nightmare as I would have many bruises afterwards.

We tried a seat belt/restraint, couldn't get on with that at all and Bella hated it.

We now have a truck with a crate left in it at all times, much safer and Bella is happy in it for as long as the journey takes. We have a crate for the house and one for the truck


----------



## datacan

Crate is the professional bit, but takes place. 
Harness, whole back bench, where we're at when we ride.


----------



## luv2laugh

I'm still not super satisfied with what we decided to do with the car. Most doggy seatbelts and harnesses don't have a safety rating and those that have been rated have been rated unsafe (from what I remember of our research at the time). We were mainly concerned with what would happen in a minor accident though, not in a major. Poor Oso stays in the backseat, but has to lean back and brace himself even if we stop slowly and sharply, if we stop quickly he has fallen partially to the floor (pre-seat belt). 

We have him wear his ruffdog harness (which has better support) and then buckle him in with this guy. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0056V9Y7I/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

He can still lay down or stand up and the seat belt buckles into your car's seatbelt slot (make sure it fits your car before purchasing) instead of attaching to the band that goes across your waist. We tried one that just attached to the band and it stretched out and would have ruined the car's seatbelts. We also like his ruffdog harness for this because the leash attaches at the top (can't seem to remember where regular harnesses attach). On his easy walk, it attaches at the front and may pull on his trachea differently in an accident. Also, I wouldn't attach this directly to a collar as it again could hurt his trachea in an accident.

If your little girl is a chewer this won't protect her from chewing. It will keep her in the backseat though. 

You can often find a cheapo medium crate on Craigslist for the now. That would stop the chewing for the time being and when she outgrows that you could decide again.

There are past posts on this as well and there was one other member with a cool hookup. I def. recommend searching the archives for further feedback.


----------



## redbirddog

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2013/06/small-safe-travel-crates-for-vizslas.html

For the first five years we used nothing and the dogs were in the back of the Jeep. This June we bought a couple crates that I am very happy with. 

_Ruff Tough Kennels are made in Tea, South Dakota._
http://www.rufftoughkennels.com/

Small enough to fit in the back, but big enough for the dogs to curl up in and with the crates secured I feel they are safe no matter what non life threatening accident I may be in.

Not all agree, and some completely disagree with using the smaller sized crate, but for me it was the right choice for my dog's safety while travelling. 

Too each their own. Somehow my children survived thousands of miles with just regular seatbelts. 

RBD


----------



## Rudy

My problem is so many different seats and rides and as Nelly says

"partners" :-*

One day the V10 Viper and "Bambie" the one who can

Next week its "Candy" and the Pearl white vette

thank lordy for the harness ???

not for the Reds ;D

Then Jenn what are you doing are you driving and changing used cars again

No honey bunny I was making sure all the fluids were good and making sure all tire pressures were current ;D

Partners like Nelly said ;D


----------



## mrmra

Dear Holly,

Had the same issue with my pup and the van just a couple weeks ago. I didn't exactly do it responsibly -- after the pup started working up the gumption to come towards the peddles or jump in my lap, I just clipped on his 4-feet leash and tied it to the seatbelt so he was stuck on the seat.

Started leaving treats down for him while doing that. After a couple week and a bucket load of treats he just decided the passenger seat was cool and I didn't need to tie him anymore.

Once his body got a little bigger (at 12-13 weeks), he decided he'd rather stretch out in back, and now he spends most rides on the floorboards chillin'.

Just how it went with my pup. Hope you work out the situation! If you find a cool product, please let us know!

-mra-


----------



## solefald

Dre happily chills on the front passenger seat with a toy or a bully stick. Most of the time he just passes out in the car within 5 minutes. 
Yes, crates are safer, but its a pain in the ass to keep carrying that thing up and down the stairs all the time, plus its nearly impossible to secure that thing in the back of my X3.... come to think of it, I don't think Germans ever thought of utilizing cargo space for cargo purposes  

Not only we are thinking of getting a bigger bed to accommodate the "long dog" (he, somehow, manages to stretch to nearly 6'), but it looks like we will need a bigger car now too


----------



## redrover

Harness + seat belt thing like luv2laugh posted in the back seat when I'm feeling proper. Free roam when I am very lazy or it is an extremely short trip never going more than about 20mph (such as a quick run to the store down the street, etc.).

There are no crash test requirements for harness and seat belt restraints--their purpose is to prevent driver distraction, not keep the dog safe in event of a crash. That's currently being worked on. If you do see crash tests for harnesses and restraints, from what I understand it needs to have been crash tested at at least 35mph. The shorter the tether the better, because it gives less distance for the dog's body to travel in event of an accident. I use a harness rather than a flat collar because it's not only easier to buckle, but it seems (to me) less likely to cause a neck injury or death than getting jerked around by the flat collar.

I've also done a crate in the past. It has worked alright, but I like being able to see him. I also drive an SUV and was concerned about getting rear-ended with him back there. The front seat is nice for company and keeping him visible, but if something were to happen, I worry about the impact of the airbag, as well as the very short distance to the dash and windshield (see tether length discussion above).

In my ideal, non-lazy world, he would be wearing his harness and a short seat belt tether every time. But there are honestly times when he's roaming free, though I do try to limit them. He is very fond of standing in my blind spot or right in front of my mirrors, so it's not safe for many reasons! But...sometimes I'm just lazy, and the five minute drive to the vet's office down residential streets is one of those times.


----------



## MCD

Top Paw Pet Safety Harness with the tether through the seatbelt in the back seat. Right now it is just Dharma back there but next week my daughter comes home from her summer away and when we travel the 2 cats have carriers. Stack the cats, give Heather a seat, and whatever space is left is Dharma's? We drive a Toyota Matrix.


----------



## Capa

We have both a Honda Fit and a Honda CR-V. I use two 30" wire crates in the CR-V for my girls. Scout is 41 lbs and does not appear cramped in this size crate whatsoever. I like being able to keep all of the windows down and the back window open while having the peace of mind in knowing that they cannot jump out or get into any trouble in the car. I don't leave them closed in the car unattended; only if I'm a few feet away,etc.


----------



## Carolina Blue

Harness!


----------



## Canadian Expy

We use a harness tethered to a seatbelt in the back seat with Aspen. Along with a seat cover /hamock thing between the front and rear (keeps things clean) 
I would never let a dog be free in the car, I had a Lab fly into the front windshield from the back after some idiot cut me off and slamed on the brakes . I never let the dogs free in the car again.


----------



## Duffy

check out the clickit harness on sleepypod.com


----------



## Kevin

Custom box for the Hegster! 8)

He's in it nearly everyday so worth Every penny.

Designed with 2 in mind!


----------



## Beckster

When Zsuska was little I used a seat cover and seatbelt tether attached to a harness. Once she got bigger she got the idea and ever since has just curled up in the backseat, which is how we have carried on since. Now we have little Odin and he goes i. His crate in the backseat of our pickup truck (four door setup with a backseat that folds up, very handy) while Zsuska lays on the foor next to the crate.

For a very short trip to the vet yesterday I tethered Odin to the backseat with his leash and a toy, which worked out fine.

HOWEVER, now that I have two and can't get them both in the mustang (they are not that good of friends yet) I am thinkinh it is time for an suv.

Does anybody have two V's and an suv that you think is a really great fit for hauling two dogs, ideally with crates?


----------



## FLgatorgirl

On a quick trip in town, I let Ellie ride loose which is going to come to an end very soon. She used to be okay, but now she gets too excited and is moving around too much. It is distracting and dangerous. Longer trips, we always use the crate. 

Last week I somehow came across a link for a safety study sponsored by Subaru on dog seatbelt harnesses. The clickit harness by Sleepypod suggested in an earlier post by Duffy happens to be the ONLY one that passed safety tests and was recommended. Here is a link to the information with the full study down at the bottom of the page:
http://centerforpetsafety.org/research/2013-harness-study-results/ Apparently, even the ones that say "crash tested" on the label were not scientifically tested in a consistent manner. Some of them failed terribly. 

The brand I have did not pass the tests. I am going to either order the Sleepypod or get a different crate that stays in the car.


----------



## charliecoyot

Completely agree with RBD - the Ruff Tuff kennels are outstanding. Well worth the extra $.


----------



## R E McCraith

This debate VVill go on 4 EVer - look at the posts - look at your car or truck - check out the replys - go 2 consumer reports - then ask the ? - if I were in the back seat or the back of the truck - would I V safe - I use both - last year PIKE & picked up by a friend 4 a day hunt - 2k custom box in the back of the truck - not tied down the right way - I gave him my tie downs - better safe than sorry -


----------



## Rebelbnkr

Our V is 3 months old and we use a crate in the car. He has one in the car and one for the house. 
In about two months I will try the "hammock". 
It attaches from the front seat head rests to the back seat head rests like a hammock across the entire back seat area. We will see how he will like it.


----------



## tknafox2

We do both, for long trips, we put Fergy in the crate and Pearl (Harnessed) rides on the back seat. For short trips around town, the both have a harness which is attached by the seat belts. They are great!


----------



## FLgatorgirl

We decided to do the same as RBD and I have a Ruff Tough crate on order. We went with the large as we often travel long distances and RBD agreed it would be more comfy for long rides. This crate will get tied down and will stay in the car. 

Ellie gets too overexcited if left loose in the car and hates any kind of harness. It is quicker just to throw a treat in the crate and let her dive in. Also, only one harness (SleepyPod) passed the recent crash tests sponsored by Subaru. 

Our crate collection will be up to 4 when the new one comes!! One for the car, one in the living room, one in the bedroom and a giant fold up soft crate for her bedtime crate when we travel.


----------



## zigzag

Most leisure travel the dog rides shotgun. Or loose in the extra cab. When working and moving from hunting spots or on the ride home with a muddy gun dog. He rides in the crate in the back of the truck. I don't really like traveling this way but I have not found a alternative that works. TAilgate shots rule!


----------



## getsmurfed

Our last dog had a hammock for the back seat of our sedans, after she passed we had Kids, then got our Vizsla. When we picked her up I had to tie her leash down to the corner of my wagon since she was going crazy... but after a few weeks, I got a soft crate, that just always stayed in the back of my wagon. We took the whole family on a trip (3 kids and dog) and she was great in the soft crate...

But recently my wagon was totaled, and I am driving a VW GTI, with not enough trunk space...


----------



## CatK

redbirddog said:


> http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2013/06/small-safe-travel-crates-for-vizslas.html
> 
> Not all agree, and some completely disagree with using the smaller sized crate, but for me it was the right choice for my dog's safety while travelling.


Just wanted to say thanks all for the advise. We've been driving with Morris in the boot and he did well for months but recently had been fussing and getting himself wound up, which in turn stressed my OH out and the whole driving experience was going to get unsafe through distraction. I remembered reading this thread, and we took Morris to a pet shop to see what size crate would fit in the boot that he'd still be comfy in.

Took one off the shelf that looked a bit small, opened the door, and Morris crawled right in, curled up in it, and looked at us as if to say 'yep lovely job, i'll take it'. Bought it, drove him to a nearby reservoir and he was silent in the crate, had a great walk, jumped back in the crate in the boot happily (he had started to battle not to be put in the boot), curled straight up, quiet all the way home, out the other end lovely and calm! Like RBD says, I think it would really keep him safe in a collision too, as he was always standing up and corners made him stagger so I kept worrying. Best money ever spent! I'll be interested to see how long he's happy in it if we head south to see family (around 4 hours, usually with one stop).

Thanks all!


----------

