Road Test

Safe Rides for Passenger Pups

  After two months of being hauled around town and across the country testing out dog seats, harnesses and even goggles, Darwin the beagle is, frankly, so over road trips for now. While the pooch played guinea pig, we learned that there are two categories of dog products for your car: those that take care of your dog and those that take care of your auto. The best products do both: protect your vehicle from muddy paws and restrain your hound from moving around and distracting the driver or getting injured if the car makes an abrupt stop.
  John Grieco, owner of G.W. Little, an online retailer that sells dog travel products, says pet car safety is overlooked. "Many people don't think about safety for their pets when they're driving," he says, "but you see it all the time: a car going around a curve, and you can tell in the dog's face, they're just trying to hang on."
  Restraining a dog is as easy as fitting your pooch with a harness and an attachment that clips into the seat-belt buckle, which is how Darwin usually travels. She has enough leeway to move around in her seat, but not enough to relocate to the driver's lap. Kelly Connolly, a spokeswoman from the Humane Society of the United States, says restraining your dog with a harness, cargo net or crate is the safest way for a driver and pet to travel. She recommends putting dogs in the back seat, where they are less likely to distract the driver. If they do sit in the front, make sure the passenger air bag is deactivated.
  Many of the products we reviewed make use of the car's harness-seat-belt system, but others don't secure the dog at all. They are merely cosmetic or for the dog's comfort. Here's a look at the items we tested and how they rated
-- Melanie D.G. Kaplan

The Washington Post