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Dog Seatbelt Feature
Comparison
I'm a firm believer that dogs should be restrained
in the car, either in a well-secured crate or with a well-designed seatbelt. I'm not
going to debate the merits of one over the other - it's really a personal choice. I
have chosen the seatbelt. I made my choice of product carefully, and in doing so,
researched quite a few restraint systems. The results of my search are presented
here.
 I recently
discovered a couple of things:
1. My Feedback form (a) was pointing to a non-existent address and (b) wasn't
properly reporting the sender's e-mail address. As a result, I have recently
discovered a bunch of really valuable feedback, but I don't have any way to
respond or thank the senders.
2. The link I had for the Champion belt pointed to a company that has a horrible
reputation for customer service. A new company has been recommended to me for
that product, and I have updated all of the links to point to the new company.
3. I got a couple of messages pointing me to a new harness from
BeBop Pet Products that appears to use a double-D-link attachment like the
Champion, but seems from the photos to be less clunky. I have contacted them to
see if they'll send me a sample to review. Stay tuned!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Introduction: Please
don't skip this section. It details important introductory material: why to use a car
restraint, types of restraints, and the resources I used in my research.
- Design
Options: List of the design options and features to consider when
choosing a restraint system.
- Specifications:
Complete description of the data I gathered on each of
the restraints I found. Within three groups (Editor's Choice, Acceptable with
Caveats, Not For My Dog), they are listed alphabetically by manufacturer or brand name.
NOTE: Features, Specs and Colors are
taken from manufacturers publications and my observations. If I actually touched the
product, I have included my Personal Impressions; if not, I've noted that too. If quotes
are presented in Feedback, I have included the source. Prices quoted are retail - where
I've found discount sources, I've noted them.
- Usage Tips: Simple
things that I've learned through experience.
- Related Links:
Links to articles and other information on canine car
restraint.
CONCLUSIONS
Your choice of canine restraint system should be
made based on safety, quality, fit and usability. I'm not going to put my personal
assets on the line by making an actual recommendation. But I think you can tell by
my review which ones I like the best. My dogs both use the Ruff
Rider, and until recently, my good friends have all used either the Champion or the Ruff
Rider.
However,
I
recently learned that Ruff Rider made some significant design changes to the
Roadie. I have tried the new design on my dog and I don't like it at all. Among
the features that VANISHED from the original version are the following:
1. Ease of application:
ORIGINAL: by unclipping the belly strap, I can get the
dog in without over-flexing the dog's elbows and wrists.
NEW DESIGN:
There is no belly strap to unclip, so you have to force the front legs through.
2. Ease of removal:
ORIGINAL:
one loop over the head and then the dog steps its rear-end out of it.
NEW DESIGN:
The belt is a single piece, not a figure 8. So the only to get out of it is the
same way you get in - wrestle with the dog and hyper-flex their elbows and
wrists.
3. Adjustable sizing:
ORIGINAL:
the original had adjustable straps on both the chest and belly, allowing a
custom fit for the dog. NEW DESIGN:
Unless you are very lucky, you now have to choose between slightly too small
(making it very hard on the dog's joints to get on and off), or too large
(risking the dog slipping out of it or injury due to shifting).
The original Roadie is now called the
Geriatric model, and is still available in very limited close-out sizes from
the manufacturer and some suppliers. If you have a very big dog or a very small one, you might get
lucky. But be forewarned that not all suppliers have caught up with the new
model naming, so caveat emptor.
There is a new product called the
Pet Buckle that
looked very promising. A good friend of mine, also a Roadie user, gone one
for her young dog and she didn't like it. It is very easy to use, and meets all
of the performance criteria I have spelled out in this article, but it tends to
slip and rotate around the dog more than the Champion, and her dog was able to
back out of it even when it was tight. So she switched to the Champion and is
very happy now.
If cost is an issue, ANY restraint is probably better than none. If
cost is no object, you may decide that a mix and match approach is the best - buy the
Champion or the Pet Buckle for the harness design, but substitute the Batzi or Doggie
Catcher or Versabelt as the attachment mechanism.
I
started with the Champion and used it for several years. I switched to the Ruff
Rider late in 2002. I still think the Champion is a great belt, and
it's really a matter of personal preference. I originally decided to make the
change for the following reasons:
- The reverse spring snap that the
Champion uses is harder for my husband to use with his arthritic hands. You
can just add a carabiner to overcome this.
- The Ruff Rider handle doubles as a
leash for that short walk from the house to the car, especially useful if
you have a dog that tends to bolt. But it's simple enough to clip a leash to
the carabiner or the loops on the Champion.
- You can clip two dogs together using
a carabiner clip and the handles, allowing you to use one leash to walk them
both as a brace. You can also do this with the Champion, but there isn't as
much clearance between the dogs.
And now the disclaimer: I drive
with my dog a lot, and have researched this area pretty thoroughly. But I do not
claim to be an expert in the field of canine car restraints. The opinions I have presented
in this document are based solely on my own critical observations and research. I did no
actual testing of the products, either destructive testing or 'road' testing on the dog
(for obvious reasons). Finally, and most importantly, I am not an engineer, nor am I
involved in canine bio-mechanics or accident physics. I make no representations as an
expert in the restraint of dogs - use these belts if you choose, but use them at your (and
your dog's) own risk.
If you have any questions, comments, corrections, or additions, please use
the Feedback Form.
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Last updated
05/31/2010
© Holly Newman 2000-2009. All rights reserved.
Photos for owner's use only. Reproduction or commercial use allowed only with permission
of both owner and photographer.
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