Car seat question?

[Singingtiger]

I've been looking on the snoozer website after reading all the great reviews about those car seats. I have a few questions.....
The main car I travel in is a Kia Sportage. It seats 5 but is smaller than the Kia Sorento. I'm thinking about the small size snoozer lookout ii. Cricket is about 8 lbs, so I think this size will work for her. Am I right in thinking this size will work for an 8 lb dog? Also, is the only difference between the snoozer lookout ii and the luxury snoozer lookout ii the extra pillow? I REALLY like the idea of the drawer so I don't have to have Cricket's things in a bag at my feet
Is the small size big enough to fit in the center of the back seat? I don't drive so normally I'm in the backseat with Cricket. The reason I asked about the middle of the car, is because sometimes when we go out of town, my grandmother goes with us,( us being my parents and I), and she sits on the other side of the car. I know this post is long, but I would appreciate information.

Thanks!

[Yorkiemom1]

Lordy....they just showed a review of these pet car seats a week or so back....there was not a decent one in the bunch! I was cautiously confident because I always heve my new owners as well as myself, enclose the pup in a hard carrier, which I then seat-belt into the seat.....
FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY!!!! Those hard sided pet carriers popped apart and the doors flew open/off.....in the example shown, the pet would have been seriously injured, freed unrestrained to jump from the car into the street, or even killed in the car. I dont have a clue what to do now! I would be absolutely distraught if I had my dog in the car like MOST families do, daily, or at frequent intervals....unnerving to say the least.

So I am actively researching and looking for new restraint enclosures for pets in cars....

[Maximo]

All of the Snoozer seats are on the largish side. To get an idea of how much room the Snoozer would take up in your back seat, make a piece of paper the width of the Snoozer and place it in your car. (the Snoozer dimensions are always shown in listings on retailer websites)

The difference between the regular Snoozer and the luxury editions is the material and pillow. Luxury editions have a microsuede cover. The others have a faux lambswool seating area.

[dottiesyrky]

I have a med sized one for my 10 lb fur boy. It takes up the middle of the back seat of my mid sized car and leaves little room for other back seat passengers, LOL! I guess you could get two small people in as well, but at this time the dog and his throne take up the whole back area. IN fact if the sun should impinge on his Snoozer seat he is liable to jump down and sleep on the shadier seat if not secured to the seat!
Hopefully a small sized one would take up less space. Good idea to make a template of the size and see how it fits in.
Love the seat though!

[Mer4ever]

I was a big fan of my Snoozer for my beloved Yorkie who passed away a few years ago. When I got our two new babies a few months ago, I initially purchased another Snoozer, but the tether broke on the 2nd use and the seat kept tipping over. I went back to the drawing board, did a ton of research, and discovered the Center for Pet Safety and their recent car seat testing.

Check out the results:
Pet Seat Pilot Study - Center for Pet Safety

After seeing these, there was no way I was going to try and make the Snoozer work. Horrific!

As per the Center, there are two safe carrier options for dogs under 15 pounds (pretty much any Yorkie!) and you can view the carrier test results here:

Carriers - Center for Pet Safety

Given the ease of use of the Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed (and that the company's headquarters are not far away, so I could test all of their products with my dogs and chat with them about specifics) I purchased one for each of my dogs.

Though it is an enclosed carrier, the Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed is well ventilated and my 4.5 and 5.5 dog have tons of room inside to stand up, move around, and sleep in any position they like---I got the medium size, they do have a small, but it seemed tight for long car journeys. I added a cuddly blanket for each dog inside. I think that they would love to share, but as per Sleepypod, they could badly injure each other if they shared a carrier, so it is one for each.

The carriers are very, very well-made, pass stringent safety tests and have an optional mesh interior for the summer and an optional warmer for the winter. My dogs are not huge fans of the car, but they still seem comfortable and pretty ok in their carriers. Certainly calmer than they were in the tipping Snoozer for sure!

Since I take them to their vet and grooming appointments by myself, the carriers are also great for getting them in and out of the car. I just unstrap the carrier and take them inside in the carrier. Before, I had a really hard time getting them into car harnesses and strapped into the Snoozer---as soon as one was secure the other would slip away.

Finally, the Sleepypod has the seat belt wrapped around it and anchored in two places. When you brake suddenly, the carrier literally does not move. This gives me great peace of mind. My dogs also seem to actually feel happier and more secure in the enclosed carrier. My back windows are tinted, but if they were not, I would get one of those baby screens to put on the window to keep the sun off of them, as it could get hot inside with direct sunlight.

I used to love my old Snoozer. But there are better and safer products out there now and you should be aware of them when making your decision. But at the end of the day, only you know what is best for you and your dog. I just want you to have all the facts.

[teacup0819]

Very interesting report....Trixie usually travels in her snoozer, but I may look into the sleepypod pet bed or harness (although I don't think she will fit in the harness). Thanks for the report.

[Lilah Charm]

Oh my gosh! And it is cute! Excited to learn about the sleepy pod thanks mer4ever. Our carseat has never cut it and every time I looked for a new one I just felt confused. Great post.

[Pixie8501]

My Yorkie uses her Snoozer!!! I have the console model in my Suburban. She's 7 lbs & it's the larger size. It's great bc she can stretch out in it if she wants! She likes to lay her head out over the side & rest it on my elbow. We absolutely love it & are planning to buy another for my hubby'a vehicle.

[Pup2016]

After much thought I got my puppy his Sleepypod air. It is a bit dark inside, which is kind of a bummer. I can't see him from outside, but I can unzip a bit, and hand him treats (which helps him). He settles pretty quick in it.

We are breaking it in slowly, like going to the vet. He loves a crate, but he likes to see me (better). We have a 2 1/2 hour drive each way at Thanksgiving, but I am confident he will be ready by then.

It is so lightweight, and easy to carry. It really does fold up to a small, flat size. It is definitely worth it. I loved the round one, but preferred the option of being able to use it on a plane as well, so I got the air version. It is worth it too, to have one crate that can do it all. It made the actual purchase less painful

[Lilah Charm]

What siZe sleepy pod did you guys purchase? I noticed the mini standard pod is for up to seven pounds and the small is for up to fifteen. I thought I recalled (I suppose I should re read) :someone saying they used one pod for two dogs? Thoughts on that vs one pod for each dog?

[Pup2016]

I bought the Air. It says it is good up to 15lbs for dogs. If I had 2 very small dogs that tolerated sharing I wouldn't hesitate just getting one. It would be worth trying.

Sleepypod Air | Dog Airline Carrier and Cat Airline Carrier | Airline Approved Pet Carrier - Sleepypod® | The safest pet company | Dog Carrier | Cat Carrier | Dog Harness

[swgayorkie]

Originally Posted by Lilah Charm

What siZe sleepy pod did you guys purchase? I noticed the mini standard pod is for up to seven pounds and the small is for up to fifteen. I thought I recalled (I suppose I should re read) :someone saying they used one pod for two dogs? Thoughts on that vs one pod for each dog?

I was using one for our 2 Yorkies until our second Sleepypod arrived. The company told me they had not been safety tested with two dogs inside. My question was even if they don’t exceed the weight limit and they said never with 2 dogs. I have found their customer service to be outstanding. Anytime I have had questions they were available to answer.