How to Choose
There are several things you need to consider before making your purchase, particularly regarding the size and compatibility of the seat with both your car and dog! Make sure you’ve considered these points below before making your final decision.
Safety Features
Obviously, the most important feature of any dog car seat is how much protection it can offer your puppy. Try to look for car seats which offer at least two straps of support, so that they can be securely fitted to a seat. Some seats also come with a stick/anchor attached to them which can be wedged into the seams of your car seat for extra support.
Try to avoid products that don’t seem to contain a tether or seatbelt device for your pup, as otherwise, your dog car seat might well be secure, but your dog will almost certainly not be!
Your Car
If you go round driving a Classic Mini, it’s unlikely you’ll fit an extra-large dog basket with harnesses into your back seat. Try to consider your car and whether the seat you want will fit properly and securely. There are plenty of options that are universal and simply fasten to one sole car seat!
Size of Your Dog
The silliest mistake you can make is buying a booster seat for a dog that is just far too big for it! For most large dogs, a dog car seat simply does not offer enough protection and a car harness/ dog seatbelt is a far more suitable option. If your dog is larger than 35lbs, make sure the seat you purchase accommodates medium sized dogs! Anything over 45lbs and you’ll probably have to consider other safety options!
Cleaning
One of the pros of a dog seat cover/booster seat is that it collects all the malting hair and dirt from your dog after their walk. However, because of this, you’ll want a seat that you can easily maintain. A lot of car seats feature soft material inserts which can be removed and washed. Try and look out for these seats, especially if they are machine washable too, as washing a dirty dog seat by hand is never fun. Some seats are even made of easy wipe-clean materials which obviously require less extensive washing.
Why You Should Use a Dog Car Seat
The point of a dog car seat is to keep both you and your pup as safe as possible.
Although they offer a great amount of security for pups in the event of a potential accident, they also stop your dog from distracting you while driving. Without a booster or standard car seat, they can get up to all kinds of mischief and will no doubt affect your concentration, increasing the chances of an accident.
As an added bonus, booster seats also allow smaller dogs to see out the window. This will likely hold their attention and keep them undistracted in their seat.
