[Anke]

Since changing from the usual estate car to a large van I am in a quandry as to how to tansport my dog (foxterrier) ? She is used to her travelling crate, which fitted the old car perfectly, but of course would just swoop round the back of the van any time I brake etc etc. As the van is also used to transport the goats it would be quite difficult to put in something that would keep the crate in its place.
 
I have googled car/van seat belts for dogs... Is anyone using them ? Is there a legal requirement (and do these then have to conform to some specific safety standard) for dogs to be "Belted in" when travelling in the front seats? (I wouldn't do it without some restraint in any case!). Any recommendations?
 
She is very uneasy when sitting on the floor if it is only me driving, so training her to that may be difficult. She's ok when she has got other passenger legs to sit against when she is on the floor.

[Greenerlife]

 I have a seat belt for my Parsons terrier in the back seat of the landy, and front seat of my Beetle!  It is just a straightforward clip in strap and I have used it just on his collar, but if we were involved in a crash I think he would break his neck, so now I clip it to his harness, which will take an impact without choking him.  He doesn't seem to mind either way and it stops him trying to chew the windscreen wipers from the inside, and in the beetle, there is a 'shelf' on which he would happily sit if he didn't have a seat belt on!  Long journeys I still prefer to crate him.

[Mammyshaz]

I'm not sure how the law is worded but I know you can be pulled up by police for not having your dog suitably restrained. Apart from the law side, it is safety for yourself. A sudden break at high speed can cause the dog to fly forward killing passengers and/or driver,  or itself going through the windscreen.

I have seat belts for our dogs just for when they are unable to sit safely in the boot of the car. The terrier one is a Clix car harness, the GSD one is a Hi Craft car harness. The Clix is the better made one, more padded and sits better on the dog but they both do the job.
The Clix has a seatbelt clip that slots into where you would click a seat belt. The Hi Craft loops around the clipped in seat belt, which gives the dog that bit more movement being a bigger dog.

Definitely recommend one if you have no other safe means of restraint. 

[Anke]

Thanks will look into the Clix one!

[doganjo]

I have a harness in my car for use by any friends dogs as mine are all crated while travelling.  My old GWP used to be in a harness, but I often thought her weight would possibly have broken any straps if I'd had to stop suddenly, so I very much prefer crates that fit the car snugly.

[Bionic]

Anke, if you would still prefer to use the crate then there must be some way of securing it. I used those bungee cords with hooks that are very easy to attach.
I was also worried about the crate slipping all over the place but if you anchor it carefully then it doesn't budge i.e. anchor each corner
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=elastic+cord+with+hooks&_sacat=0&_odkw=elastic+cord+with+clips&_osacat=0&_from=R40

[plumseverywhere]

Murphy has a clip on seat belt - currently on his collar but having read earlier post, I think I'll invest in a harness - he sits in the passenger footwell in the landy. In the VW soapmobile, he sits on a seat in the back with seatbelt.  We got it at pets at home.

[Anke]

I think a front seat belt may be best, as often the goats (previously transported in the trailer) will be in the back of the van... just need to get her used to it...

[doganjo]

A word of warning - do you have a passenger airbag?  If so a front seat belt is not a good idea.

[AndrewMBaines]

Watch out if you're driving a Volvo or a Ford an want to use the click-in belts!
We used one in the rear of our Volvo - gets stuck, so MOT failure. £70 later we had a new seat belt stalk. Apparently, it's a known problem with some makes of harness, so check the small print. We've had no problem using them in our Land Rover though.

[plumseverywhere]

Watch out if you're driving a Volvo or a Ford an want to use the click-in belts!
We used one in the rear of our Volvo - gets stuck, so MOT failure. £70 later we had a new seat belt stalk. Apparently, it's a known problem with some makes of harness, so check the small print. We've had no problem using them in our Land Rover though.

that's a worry! thanks for the tip.
luckily we are using one in a landrover and a vw van - no problems yet 

[doganjo]

And don't leave them in the car for any length of time.  I found a seat ripped to shreds a number of years ago when I left one of mine in the car on a harness.  That's why I prefer cages now.

[plumseverywhere]

I find Murphy on the drivers seat - paws on steering wheel - when I pop into the post office.   

[Mammyshaz]

Watch out if you're driving a Volvo or a Ford an want to use the click-in belts!
We used one in the rear of our Volvo - gets stuck, so MOT failure. £70 later we had a new seat belt stalk. Apparently, it's a known problem with some makes of harness, so check the small print. We've had no problem using them in our Land Rover though.

Can you remember the make of dog harness you used? It's quite worrying to think of it getting jammed. Especially if the dog is trapped in an accident 

We have used the Clix in several cars but that doesn't say it wasn't this make. I guess it could also be a fault or design problem in the Volvo itself 

[AndrewMBaines]

It was a Clix harness. The volvo in question is a 57 plate C30. I'm not sure if the latest models are affected. Looking at how the harness clicks into the stalk, it seems to go deeper on the Volvo.