Car seat

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Shalista
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Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Car seat

Post by Shalista »

I could have sworn I posted on here about this before but i cant find it anywhere.

I'm looking for a harness or car seat or something for bax so he can sit next to me while i drive. I may be moving quite a distance away and i want him as comfortable as possible on the drive.

Now I've seen two separate kinds of things being sold.

One is a special harness for the dog to wear. Like this.

The other is just a lead that's clipped into the seat belt slot and onto the dogs normal harness like a leash. Like this one for example.

Is the second kind of thing safe? Bax currently uses a Ttouch harness similar to this one. Would that be sufficient padding if we got into an accident? Or should i get one with a broader padding across the front to distribute the force better?
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Erica
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Re: Car seat

Post by Erica »

I would not use a TTouch harness as a restraint for car crashes. To keep the dog from moving around in the car in normal driving? Sure. But harnesses -- even a lot of the ones designed for car crashes! -- fail a crash test. Warning for a lot of sad stories on the front page, and scary implications in the crash test videos (they use stuffed dogs but it's still scary for me!), but this site is a good resource for finding a good car restraint that will actually help in an emergency. I figure if I'm gonna spend money on it, it had better pull through when I need it.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Shalista
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Re: Car seat

Post by Shalista »

ah yes thank you, that's exactly what i was looking for!!!!!!!!!!!!! and its actually within the price range i was expecting
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Shalista
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Re: Car seat

Post by Shalista »

Second question: i thought i had to put bax in the back seat but my mom pointed out that the airbag doesn't turn on unless he's over a certain weight. if the air bag isn't going to deploy in the font seat would it be safe for him to ride next to me?
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Erica
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Re: Car seat

Post by Erica »

If he's secured, and the seat is pushed back, I think it should work the same way as it's meant to keep the dog from hitting the seat in front of them. However, most of the highly reliable products attach with child seat restraints, which are not available in the front seat! ;) You'd have to see what attachments it requires.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Shalista
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Re: Car seat

Post by Shalista »

POO! back to square one. Bax is to small by about 4 inches for the small =(

My next option is one of their carriers.... but i KNOW he hates wire crates and he hates anything over him like blankets so i think a carrier would just stress him out more? thoughts?

............................ on the other hand working on desensitization to a carrier would be quite nice and having a carrier i could take with him that could double as a crate could be handy.............................
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Erica
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Re: Car seat

Post by Erica »

I think it would be worth it to work on training him to at least this carrier. Obviously I suggest going slow, making sure he thinks it's the BEST THING EVER, and stopping training sessions early so he's thinking "Oh please get the carrier out again!" Slow is fast! Work for a while with the thing totally open before even thinking about starting to close it.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Shalista
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Re: Car seat

Post by Shalista »

oh hellz yes, for sure i wouldnt close it on him till the very end.

my deadline is mid july so i DO have time... i just hate buying it because i KNOW he's gonna hate the thign even befoe i buy it.. although obv im hoping to change that.

I'm thinking by starting it with the box game? like a treat for every sniff or nudge of it and then work up?
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
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Nettle
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Re: Car seat

Post by Nettle »

For such a little dog, an airbag could be dangerous. Worth investigating.

Would he ride in the passenger seat footwell? That's an option too. If you had a prang, he wouldn't be going far.

My dogs have a very big crate made of part wood part weldmesh. Might he feel less confined in a bigger crate? You could pad the sides so if the worst did happen he would be cushioned.

Congratulations on the possibility of moving away - a new life stage on the horizon!
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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Shalista
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Re: Car seat

Post by Shalista »

yeah my best current job prospect is 2 hours away and im open to moving even farther if i have to. I dont think the airbag turns on on the passenger seat unless something really heavy is on there. Although if he's in a carrier i guess it wouldnt really matter front seat or back since he cant see me either way so i guess back seat would be better just to be safe :?

He used to have a big open wire crate in the back seat and thats where he would shake and vomit and drool and whine. that's what i'm trying to avoid =(
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Erica
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Re: Car seat

Post by Erica »

Oh yes! The footwell is pretty good option. I know many service dog organizations recommend that, if harnesses and crates are too difficult for the handler.

Is it car rides in general that unnerve him or was it just the crate that caused that reaction?

Fingers crossed for you :D
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Shalista
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Re: Car seat

Post by Shalista »

both. he hates crates but he gets all those anxiety/car sickness symptoms when he's in the car. so a crate in the back of a car was like his own personal little hell =(

I'm a huge fan of the footwell and that's what was recommended by my trainer but i cant get him to stay down there because hes just so stressed and hates cars I don't think he can think straight. the harness was supposed to prevent from crawling in a quivering little mess into my lap =(

I was told some cars have bars on the underside of the seat that I could clip him onto in the foot well but even if mine DOES have those im back to him being in a harness that isn't safety rated.

If i have him in a carrier then it doesn't matter what seat/footwell i have him in because he cant see out.

the advantage i see of the carrier is that if i CAN get him used to it and to like it and enjoy being in it it might help with his car anxiety to have a safe little nest that smells like hot dog pieces and him.

the disadvantge of the carrier is that A) i have to desensitize him to it and B) he cant see me in it and i cant reach over to pet him which might give him even MORE car anxiety
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
JudyN
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Re: Car seat

Post by JudyN »

If it's a one-off trip, as a last resort would a sedative be an option?
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Erica
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Re: Car seat

Post by Erica »

Not a bad idea from Judy. You do have time before the trip, so IMO it's worth a shot working on getting him happy about the car, but I would not rule out a sedative if counterconditioning is taking longer than you have. (NOT Acepromazine or its other names!)

Here is a really nice how-to on getting dogs used to cars! It recommends 1-2 weeks for each step, but that should fit in before July. :)
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Shalista
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Re: Car seat

Post by Shalista »

............................................... i worked every day for an entire summer and i made exactly zero progress with bax and cars. its my summer project every summer (for the past....4 summers?) to work with bax and cars and im yet to get anywhere with him. it also will NOT be a one off trip so sedative is out.
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
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