Easy Walk Harness Works Best for Which Dogs
Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
If you've ever driven a car while your dog skids around in the back seat or tries to climb into your lap, you know how harrowing it can be to get behind the wheel without them strapped in. "Our dogs are distracting, and when driving is involved, their distractions can be downright dangerous, which is why it is so important to keep a dog secured in a car," says Samantha Schwab, a pet expert at Chewy. In such states as New Jersey and New Mexico, back-seat dog restraints are a legal requirement. Aside from minimizing distractions, they keep your best friend safe in the event of an accident. "Dogs are like children," says David Lang, owner of the New York City–based pet-transportation company Pet Chauffeur, who says just as you wouldn't put your child in the car without the proper safety gear, you shouldn't put your dog in the car without it either.
When shopping for a car seat or harness, "it's imperative for pet owners to understand that there are two types of pet-travel products," explains Lindsey A. Wolko, founder of the Center for Pet Safety, an independent organization that does dog-equipment crash tests at 30 mph. The cheaper and more commonly purchased products are primarily designed for comfort. But the safest types of car seats, crates, and harnesses are designed with crashes in mind. We heard about a few that passed the Center for Pet Safety's crash tests, making them the ones to go with if you're looking for something to give your pooch the best possible chance of surviving an accident, should one occur. "If it's not crash-tested, it isn't going to hold out in the event of an accident," says Claire Harris, director of the pet taxi service Pets 2 Places and prominent advocate for pet-transportation safety. "And people don't realize that not only is their dog probably going to die if they're in an accident but the dog would probably do some serious damage to the person in the front seat as well."
Pet parents of bigger animals (or those who might prefer a different type of car seat) may want to use a non-crash-tested seat in tandem with a crash-tested safety harness. Medium and large dogs will be safest in a crash-tested dog crate stowed in the trunk or secured via a tailgate-and-dog-barrier system.
To find the best car seats for dogs, we spoke to Schwab, Lang, Harris, and six other experts — including trainers and pet owners — about the ones they suggest for keeping a dog comfortable, secure, and safe during drives. When transporting an anxious dog, "try taking them in the car without actually going anywhere," advises Harris. "Give them a meal in the car, play a game with them, get them used to being in there for short intervals, then go on short journeys to a fun destination like a park." Crucially: "Don't have their first journey be to the vet."
"In a car collision or a hard-braking stop, an unrestrained pet can become a projectile," says Nicole Ellis, the training and product expert at dog-sitting site Rover. "This can lead to them injuring themselves and people in the car." Her favorite case comes from Sleepypod, which Ellis says "crash-tests its pet-safety restraints at U.S., Canadian, and European child-safety-seat standards." Harris agrees: "Sleepypod really are the absolute best of the best. Although they're expensive, they really are worth the money — if you are going to invest in anything for your dog, and you take them in your car, you want to invest in a Sleepypod." This joint car seat and carrier can accommodate dogs up to 18 pounds and is certified by the Center for Pet Safety as well as TSA approved. Ellis says it has proved super-functional on the road and in the sky: "My dog and I travel a great deal together and crisscross the country by plane and by car." This model can expand to offer dogs a bit more room inside, and it has mesh panels that allow pets to see what's going on (which can help calm them down). For humans, it has a padded, adjustable shoulder strap and a trolley pocket you can slide over the handle of rolling luggage for hands-free transport. It's available in ten different colors.
Ellis told us about this slightly smaller option from Sleepypod that can accommodate dogs (or any pets) up to 15 pounds. It's certified by the Center for Pet Safety, and in addition to functioning as a car seat and a carrier, it can be turned into a bed your dog can use at your final destination by simply unzipping the top. Like our best overall Sleepypod car seat, this one features mesh panels that offer your pet a view (and allow you to easily check in on them). Plus, because of its round shape, this model is especially great for smaller dogs that like to curl up and snuggle. It comes in a variety of colors including baby blue, pink, red, and white.
Away's recently launched Pet Carrier also passed the Center for Pet Safety's testing standards, according to Wolko, who says it's a lovely option for anyone looking for a more stylish car seat. Capable of accommodating dogs up to 18 pounds, the sleek carrier has a fleecy bottom to keep pets extra cozy, mesh panels for visibility, and lots of exterior pockets; it can even be personalized with up to three embroidered letters. While this carrier has an interior clip meant to attach to your dog's collar, Wolko says not to use it — especially if you're in motion. "You don't want your dog to become tangled," she explains. While the Away carrier is currently sold out, the retailer says it will be restocked soon and can alert any prospective buyers via email when it is.
As we noted above, using a harness is critical if you're going to use any of the non-crash-tested car seats our experts recommend. But not all harnesses are created equal. According to Ellis, "A well-designed pet-restraint system needs to absorb the pet's kinetic energy in an accident while controlling rotation and keeping the pet from leaving the seat and accelerating forward." Wolko agrees, adding this important point: "You do not want to connect your pet directly to the car seat." Instead, you should use a harness to connect your dog to your car's seat-belt system before putting it in a seat.
Like the other Sleepypod products on this list, this harness has been certified safe for dogs up to 90 pounds by the Center for Pet Safety. Ellis uses it with her cavapoochon, Rossi, telling us the harness's three-point design is meant to lessen damage in a crash by minimizing movement and distributing any force evenly throughout a dog's torso. Dogs can lie down and sit up comfortably while in it, says Ellis, who strongly cautions against using a tether with the harness (a tether can act as a slingshot in the event of a collision, making it even more dangerous than if the dog had nothing on at all, she explains.) While the harness should work for most dogs under 90 pounds, Sleepypod's website says the harness might not offer a proper fit for the unique body types of breeds like greyhounds, whippets, salukis, Afghan hounds, and borzois, so she suggests emailing the company for more information before purchasing one for those breeds.
Harris mentioned the brand Ruff Wear as one to trust when it comes to extensive crash-testing. It uses a universal seat-belt loop that will attach to whatever you've got in your car, and the company says it allows dogs much freedom of movement, which is ideal. "Dogs need to be able to sit down and stand up" while wearing the harness, Harris says.
Harris likes Vermont-based dog-safety company Kurgo, and its car harness — also extensively crash-tested — is a little cheaper than those by Sleepypod and Ruff Wear. While it can be used easily on its own, Kurgo's harness is compatible with the brand's booster seat, recommended by another expert below.
When used with a harness, booster seats like this are an excellent choice for dogs that enjoy looking out the window during rides. Three of our experts recommend the Snoozer Lookout I for smaller, more anxious dogs. "It helps create a cozy, bed-type environment and is ideal for dogs who move around a lot in the back of the car," says Sarah Fraser, co-founder and co-CEO of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. Sara Ochoa, a Texas-based veterinarian and consultant for DogLab, uses the Snoozer for her pup, telling us "it helps her sit up high so that she can see out the window while I am driving." Schwab recommends the Snoozer for dogs who dislike traveling. "The seat is made of a foam form, and the interior is lined with a warm and cozy simulated lamb's wool, so your dog will feel pleasantly snuggled during your car ride," she explains. It comes in two sizes: small, which the brand suggests for dogs up to 18 pounds, and medium, for dogs between 18 and 25 pounds.
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On a recent 16-hour road trip from Florida to Missouri, dog owner Amy Lewis (the cousin of former Strategist senior editor Casey Lewis) used this car seat, which requires an additional harness if you want it to be crashproof. It's suitable for pups 15 pounds and under and kept her Shih Tzu, Obi, secure the whole way, she says. "It was comfortable for her. She could easily see out the window, and it ensured that she didn't jump all over the car while I was driving."
"This booster seat is perfect for dogs who like to get dirty; it's made with durable ripstop material to prevent tears, and the interior is machine washable for an easy clean," says Schwab. Shandos Cleaver, founder of Travelnuity — a travel blog that documents her adventures with her miniature dachshund, Schnitzel — is another fan. "It's also collapsible, meaning that you can take it along when flying with your dog," she says. According to Kurgo, the booster seat is best for dogs 20 pounds and under. While it is designed to go in a front or back seat, Lang stresses that dogs should never ride shotgun because a car's airbags can seriously injure them. Find the matching Kurgo crash-tested safety harness listed above.
Snoozer makes dog car seats in larger sizes, too, like this (non-crash-tested) one recommended by Schwab, which has options that can fit dogs up to 34 pounds. "This microsuede car seat is basically like a mini-couch for your dog, allowing it to sprawl out comfortably and snuggle in the cushions," she says. "There's even a hidden compartment where you can store your pet's things." The microsuede cover is washable, making this easy to clean.
According to Schwab, "Pet Gear's booster seat is sturdy without compromising on comfort. It has a dense foam filling, a microsuede cover, and a removable plush pillow for ultimate snoozing conditions." Cleaver agrees, calling it "great for dogs that like to lie down and have a snooze in the car." Like the microsuede Snoozer seat above, this one can accommodate up to medium-size dogs according to Pet Gear (which does not provide a specific weight limit for the seat). Again, you'll want to add a crash-tested harness to this in order to protect your dog in any potential accidents.
Photo: Kevn Lowes 2017
"For large dogs, I recommend a hammock seat as it's easy to clean, water resistant, quilted for comfort, and easy to install," says Fraser. "It also turns the entire back seat of the car into a giant bed." As she notes, a hammock seat like this not only protects your car from dirt and hair but also protects your dog by preventing it from unsafely putting its front legs on the floor or from poking its head into the front-seat area and distracting the driver. This one is designed with slits that make it easy to access seat belts if you're using it with a safety harness, as our experts recommend.
"A harness only works if you have a small- to medium-size dog," says Harris. If you have a larger breed, they'll be much safer sitting in a crate in the back of your car. Once again, she recommends going only with brands that extensively crash-test their products as Gunner does with this car kennel, which is available in four sizes.
You'll find a more affordable option in Ruff Land's range of crash-tested kennels, which are designed to be stackable, in case you've got a lot of cargo or more than one pooch. The crates can be tied down for extra security and are available in two-door configurations.
As a crate alternative that suits owners of large dogs or more than one pet, Harris suggests investing in a crash-tested tailgate-and-barrier system for your trunk. The dog barrier attaches to your car's back seat and creates a barrier between the trunk and passenger cabin, and the tailgate keeps an overexcited dog contained when you arrive at your destination. This is important "because you don't want the dog to just jump out when you arrive," Harris says. "You don't know what the situation is going to be — you might be by a busy road."
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Easy Walk Harness Works Best for Which Dogs
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