Dog owners are fully aware of the importance of buying a bed for their furry little friends, and most even make it a point to get one as soon as they possibly could. However, a dog car seat is another investment that must be made as it could be considered their “traveling bed.” One should find this useful in cases of just bringing happy company or in serious emergencies, most especially. In this article will be taking a look at some of the best dog car seats that are on the market today.
Why Invest in Dog Car Seats?
There are many reasons why one should invest in a car seat for their furry best friends, and the more obvious reason would be traveling. One of the essentials, if you are traveling with a pet, is that you give them space where they are incredibly comfortable throughout the trip. This should also help when taking your dog to the vet, and this is most useful when your dog is unable to walk. Another benefit is it gives them a safe and stable space in vehicles, preventing unfortunate accidents and injuries.
Nevertheless, certain aspects of each car seat must be taken into consideration. These are appropriate for specific purposes, and this also heavily relies on the size of your furry little friends as well. With proper research, one could easily recognize and purchase one of the multiple designs in their favorite pet stores or online.
Smaller Breeds?
The overall best car seat for smaller breeds would come from the Sleepypod group who is known for its mobile pet beds and carriers. Their Air In-Cabin Dog & Cat Carrier has been crash-tested and proven to be safe in accidents or any other unfortunate events as they prevent severe injuries to smaller dogs. The carrier could accommodate up to 15 pounds, and this also gives the smaller breeds enough room to move around. These are not only useful for driving but for occasions wherein one would need to walk.
For those who prefer to have a bed for their smaller friends, there’re products like the Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed. This is the more comfortable version, being a bed for your pet, and despite being closed on all sides, there are meshes for them to see around them. This may also be carried as this comes with a strap designed for this purpose.
Larger Breeds?
Larger breeds require more space than smaller breeds, obviously, but thankfully, there are as many options for them as there would for the smaller ones. The A4Pet Pet Car Seat is a crate-like seat for larger pups such as labradors or retrievers, and this also doubles as a dog bed. These also come with leashes and straps for them to stay in place to keep your pups safe and sturdy while driving.
PetSafe also developed their Happy Ride Dog Car Seat Bed specifically for the larger breeds. This was explicitly designed in cases where dog owners decide to take their pups on longer trips. However, these are best paired with dog harnesses and belts to keep them safe.
A good comfortable, and waterproof hammock would also be a good option, enabling them to move more freely in the back seat, and that is what the Orvis Grip-Tight Quilted Hose-Off Hammock Seat Protector is.
Trunks are another popular area to place dogs in, and if you decide on this, you should invest in a large crate made by Gunner Kennels. In cases of a closed trunk, the SUV Cargo Liner is a surface that you may use to create a living room for your pet in a vehicle.
Booster Seats?
If babies and younger children have booster seats made to prevent injury or death, you should not be surprised to know that dogs have their version as well. For dogs, these are essentially beds with straps that offer them comfort and security. Besides, these are called “booster” seats because it allows those dogs fond of looking out windows to do so.
These, however, are mainly designed for small to medium-sized breeds, as the larger ones would need a bed and harness.
Pet Gear has one of the best options in their large car booster, but there are many other options as well. Snoozer developed a cozy bed version while K&H has a bucket booster, but all of which are equally safe and comfortable for your pups during travel.
Harnesses?
Harnesses are one of the more underrated options for a dog car seat, and these are seat belts for a man’s best friend. These are arguably the safest to use as it reduces movement in times where your vehicle stops as this essentially wraps itself around their bodies. Even with the many different breeds and their differing sizes, many types of harnesses are available to buy.
The overall best of all harnesses would be the Sleepypod Clickit Sport Dog Safety Harness, as it is best in securing your dog onto their seats. Pairing this with a seat bed would give the perfect balance of comfort and safety.
It would be great for both the master and the pup to travel together as one keeps long and dragging journeys much lighter and the other to find out more about their canine friends. Nevertheless, there are some things we need to have to keep these bundles of joy happy and playful, and one of these would be a good car seat.
Go to your local pet shop or check out all your options online, and get a car seat for your fluffer today!