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Car Safety for Your Dog One of my childhood friends had two standard poodles. The poodles were a major part of her family's life, and usually accompanied her parents to our soccer practices and games. I was always fascinated (or perhaps bewildered) when the poodles would sit upright in the van's bucket seats and wait to be buckled in—talk about obedience! Perhaps it is poodle habit, but these days, car companies are developing amenities to ensure that your dog is safe and comfortable during car travel.
This month, Bark magazine published an article about the most pet-friendly cars that included examples of cars that have pet safety elements. For example, the Toyota Venza–aka the "purebred DogCar"–partnered with Kurgo, a company that specializes in pet products for the car, to include an Auto Zip Line in the back seat. The zip line harness keeps dogs secure while allowing them to travel back and forth on the back seat. The Honda Element, advertised as a "man's best friend's best friend", has urethane-coated floors, wide-open cargo doors on both sides, and a forthcoming package will include a dog bed, water bowl, and load-in ramp and rear ventilation fan, among other things.
According to the Traffic Safety Evaluation Guide, about 98 percent of dogs travel unrestrained in a moving vehicle. Another study found that animals are the third leading cause of driver distraction, greater than cell phone use and food consumption. Keeping your dog restrained in the car is important, and, as you've learned, it is possible to do this in a way that is both safe and enjoyable for your canine companion.
If you've got a small dog, you might want to consider Kurgo's Skybox Booster. It's one way to have company in the passenger seat while keeping your pup in one place!
We hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend and if you're traveling with your dog, consider some of these car safety elements.
