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Footnotes
    * Reviewed by Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in Your Dog Magazine
       ^ Reviewed by Whole Dog Journal

EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Features: nylon buckles do not bear load, many sizes for good fit (even for huge dogs), wide straps and chest padding, versatile car attachment options, relatively easy to use, doubles as short-distance walking harness, swivel hook allows dog to rotate and strap can be attached high on seatbelt
  • Personal Impressions:
    Hits: meets all of my critical design criteria; pick-up truck restraint system also available; heavy-duty metal d-rings and snap-hook; now available with Moonglow reflective trim.
    Misses: heavy and bulky; also, the slides are made of metal and could conceivably chafe or cut the dog under load, the designer assures me there has been no evidence of this.
    NOTE: the slides on the original Champions tended to slip. The manufacturer acknowledged the problem and discontinued that slide two years ago - the new ones ones don't slip. If you bought a Champion during that time frame, they will gladly replace it with the new one. They replaced both of mine.
  • Specs and Pricing:
        Champion
            X-Small: chest 11"-17", < 15lbs, $32 (disc price $30)
            Small: chest 16"-24", 10-35lbs, $32 (disc price $30)
            Medium: chest 20"-28", 25-50lbs, $40 (disc price $35)
            Large: chest 25"-35", 45-90lbs, $40 (disc price $35)
            X-Large: chest 30"-42", 70-100+lbs, $40 (disc price $35)
        Survivor (for dogs over 100lbs)
            Regular: chest 28"-38", 80-150lbs, $55 (disc price $45)
            X-Large: chest 36"-46", 125-200lbs, $55 (disc price $45)
            XX-Large: chest 42"-52", 150-220+lbs, $55 (disc price $45)
        Note: Moonglow pricing slightly higher   
  • Colors: Red, Blue, Black
  • Sources:
       Online:     Champion Canine Designs

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  • Features: <to come>
  • Personal Impressions: <to come>
  • Specs and Pricing:
    Small: chest 14"-20"
    Medium: chest 20"-28
    Large: chest 28"-36"
    X-Large: chest 36"-44"
  • Colors: Red, Blue, Black
  • Sources:
       Online:     Pet Buckle

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  • Features: one-piece harness, wide straps, belt criss-crosses on the chest for load distribution
  • Personal Impressions:
    Hits: meets all of my critical design criteria; buckles are used for adjustment but do not bear load; detachable packs available to make it very multi-functional
    Misses: harder to put on the dog - requires more handling
  • Feedback: Ruff Rider Testimonials
  • Specs and Pricing:
        Roadie: $39.95 (all sizes)
            Size 1: chest 12"-13", 6-10 lbs
            Size 2: chest 13"-16", 11-14 lbs
            Size 3: chest 17"-21", 17-20 lbs
            Size 4: chest 22"-24", 21-30 lbs
            Size 5: chest 25"-27", 31-55 lbs
            Size 6: chest 28"-31", 56-65 lbs
            Size 7: chest 32"-35", 66-95 lbs
            Size 8: chest 36"-40", 96-130 lbs
            Size 9: chest 41"-45", 131-200 lbs
        Padded Roadie: $74.95 (all sizes) - same construction as standard Roadie, but fully padded with sheepskin
  • Colors: Black w/ red & yellow trim
  • Other Dog Products: saddle bags that attach to Roadie harnesses (see backpack review), bowls, related hardware
  • Sources/Contact:
        Online: Ruff Rider (has special program for puppy owners),Tails by the Bay (disc prices)
        Local: Ruff Rider Dealer Locator
        Manufacturer: Ruff Rider Products, 948 Vetch Circle, Lafayette, CO, 80026, 888-783-3743, emailus@ruffrider.com or use on-line form

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ACCEPTABLE, some with Caveats
  • Features: nylon buckles bear load, limited size range, narrow straps and no chest padding, attaches only to standard seat belt, easy to use, can be used with any standard harness (or they sell one), swivel hook allows dog to rotate, strap can be attached high on seatbelt
  • Personal Impressions (NOTE: I have not actually touched this product):
    Caveat: relies on standard harness - pick a harness that meets my critical design criteria
    Hits: easy to use, can also be used to secure a crate
    Misses: none
  • Feedback: BatziBelt Testimonials
  • Specs and Pricing:
        BatziBelt: $14.99 (all sizes)
            Small: <30 lbs
            Large: >30 lbs
        BatziBelt Pet Harness (does not meet my critical design criteria):
            X-Small: chest 10"-16", $8.99
            Small: chest 12"-20", $10.99
            Medium: chest 20"-30", $12.99
            Large: chest 30"-40", $14.99
  • Colors: Black, Red, Blue
  • Sources/Contact:
        Online: BatziBelt, Pet Expo (disc prices)
       Manufacturer:     Batzi Enterprises, 4300 NW 23rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32614-7050, 888-738-2358,

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  • Features: tether that hooks to standard seat belt buckle, fully adjustable length, no swivel feature
  • Personal Impressions (NOTE: I have not actually touched this product):
    Caveat: relies on standard harness - pick a harness that meets my critical design criteria
    Hits: very easy to use, plastic shield to prevent accidental release of seat belt buckle, excellent instructional mpg videos available on-line, can also be used to secure a crate
    Misses: no swivel, mounts low on the seat by design
  • Specs and Pricing:
        Car Restraint: $19.99 (one size fits all)
        Truck Restraint: $19.99 (connects to an eye-bolt or similar point in pick-ups and SUVs)
  • Colors: Gray (according to picture on website)
  • Sources/Contact:
        Online:     Manufacturer: Smiling Dog Enterprises, 4031 South Access Road, Chattanooga, TN 37406, 800-741-3480, DoggieInc@aol.com

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  • Features: simple harness with web loop; according to Tufts review, the buckle is designed to secure the harness but not bear the load; wide padded chest strap
  • Personal Impressions (NOTE: I have not actually touched this product):
    Hits: low cost, easy available; the best of the widely-distributed products
    Misses: narrow webbing (1")
  • Specs and Pricing: $9.98 for all sizes at R.C. Steele, indiv prices listed for Upco
        X-Small: girth to 16", $7.85
        Small: girth 16"-22", $9.40
        Medium: girth 21"-25", $9.50
        Large: girth 25"-34", $9.55
        X-Large: girth 32"-45", $11.20
  • Colors: Black
  • Sources/Contact:
        Online:     Upco
            Local: Coastal Pet Dealer Locator
            Manufacturer:     Coastal Pet Products, 911 Leadway Ave, Alliance, OH, 44601, 800-321-0248, coastalpet@worldnet.att.net

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  • Features: harness with the buckles designed for fitting, not load bearing; use in conjunction with their Car Control Snap for car restraint
  • Personal Impressions (NOTE: I have not actually touched this product):
    Hits: good buckle design; quality company (also make Gentle Leader); webbing soft and comfortable
    Misses: webbing too narrow (3/4"), sizing is too vague for good fit without trying on
  • Specs and Pricing:
        Sure-Fit Harness
            Petite: 12"-16", puppies and toy breeds, $??
            Small: 15"-21", puppies and toy breeds, $14
            Medium: 18"-22", growing puppies and small breeds, $17
            Large: 22"-30", breeds under 50 lbs, $18
            X-Large: 28"-42", large breeds, $19
        Car Control Strap
            Small: 11"-13", $5
            Medium: 13"-16", $6
            Large: 16"-21", $7

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  • Features: Swivel snap-hook tether with a shock-absorbing length of bungee cord
  • Personal Impressions (NOTE: I have not actually touched this product):
    Caveat: relies on standard harness - pick a harness that meets my critical design criteria
    Hits: bungee cord absorbs much of load, reducing the load on the dog; held up to limits of Tufts' testing machine without breaking; doubles as leash or cargo/pick-up tie-down
    Misses: stretch in bungee cord increases the amount of dog travel during impact
  • Specs and Pricing:
        Small: < 31 lbs, $13.95
        Large: > 30 lbs, $15.95
  • Colors: Red, blue, black, green
  • Sources/Contact:
        Online:     SnapBacks

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  • Features: nylon buckles bear load, attaches to car in a variety of ways
  • Personal Impressions (NOTE: I have not actually touched this product):
    Caveat: This one made it to my acceptable list in spite of the buckle because the primary use of the strapped is wrapped around the back of the seat - I think the seat padding will absorb enough of the impact that the load on the buckle will be significantly reduced. Also relies on a standard harness - you should pick a harness that meets my critical design criteria.
    Hits: easy to use, has the most flexible attaching scheme - I really like this device, except...
    Misses: fails to meet my critical design criteria because it's secured to the vehicle using a nylon buckle.
  • Specs and Pricing:
        Versabelt: $22 (one size fits all)
        Attachment for additional pets: $10
  • Colors: Black, Royal Blue, Purple, Green, Red, Pink, Orange, Grey, Beige
  • Sources/Contact:
        Manufacturer:     Buckle-up Concepts, Highlands Ranch, CO, 303-257-7185,

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NOT FOR MY DOG

  • Aspen Canine Car Seat Belt
    Four Paws Pet Safety Sitter*
    Kwik Klip Harness^
  • Features: These harnesses are all variations on a theme. They all share the fact that the load is borne almost entirely by the nylon buckles, thus failing to meet my critical design criteria; limited size ranges; attach to a standard seat belt using a nylon loop; no swivel
  • Personal Impressions (NOTE: I have not actually touched any of these products):
    Hits: easy to use; double as harness for walking; low cost; very available
    Misses: fail to meet my critical design criteria; these are standard pet store seat belts - better than nothing I guess, but not much, buckles typically fail under light loading according to the Tufts' study

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Footnotes
    * * Reviewed by Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in Your Dog Magazine
   ^ Reviewed by Whole Dog Journal

 

Last updated 01/03/2008

© Holly Newman 2000-2007. All rights reserved.
Photos for owner's use only. Reproduction or commercial use allowed only with permission of both owner and photographer.