• Put the dog in the back seat, if you have one. Air bags can kill dogs as easily as children in the front seat, and the back side of the front seat is considerably softer than the dash.
• NEVER attach the tether to a collar - use a harness of some sort, preferably one that doesn't rely on nylon buckles to carry the load.
• I'm training Jasmine to place her paws into the harness while it's on the ground/seat - it reduces the amount of manhandling I have to do to get her in it.  We're using a clicker to shape her putting her paws into the right position.
• If you can attach the tether high on the seatbelt, it's easier for the dog to turn around without getting hogtied.  I had to guide Jasmine and first few times, but now she's pretty good at turning to the inside and getting her nose under the strap so she doesn't get tangled up.
• I keep locking carabiners (or the hardware store equivalent) permanently attached to the seatbelts in my car. And I have carabiners on the Ruff Riders as well.  So when I put the dogs in the car, I simply clip the two carabiners together - very simple.
• I am going to create a brightly-colored laminated card that attaches to my dog's restraint that says the following - you might want to do something similar:

  "EMERGENCY INFORMATION: Hi - I'm Jasmine. If I am injured in an accident, please call Animal Control or law enforcement and have me transported to the nearest qualified emergency veterinary facility for all necessary treatment. My expenses will be guaranteed by my owner, Holly Newman, and you can call my vet [or my trainer or my friend or my mother or whomever I work this out with] at ###-###-#### for verification of this guarantee."

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© Holly Newman 2000-2007. All rights reserved.
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