[Mer4ever]

I am so pleased that you've taken the time to look over the information online. I know that the Snoozer seats are beloved by many of the folks here. I used to be one of those folks, so I understand the concerns you have.

When we visited Sleepypod, I did ask them why the Center for Pet Safety had not tested the Sleepypod air----the Mobile Pet Bed is the only Sleepypod carrier that the Center has tested thus far. Sleepypod explained that this was a first study, and the Center was basically testing the best selling carriers on the market and were initially not doing more than one per brand. They said that they thought that the Air would be up for testing at the Center at some point in the future.

They did, however, let me know that the Air has had the same safety testing and safety standards performed upon it (by Sleepypod's test facility) as the Mobile Pet Bed. It just has not had external testing yet. My one concern was that the Mobile Pet Bed initially failed the Center's test because the velcro on top came undone. They have since added a device to hold that in place. Because of the Mobile Pet Bed initial test failure, Sleepypod did re-examine the safety system on the Air to ensure that it would not have similar issues, but given the difference in design, they felt that the Air was not subject to the same issues at the Mobile Pet Bed. When I asked about the safety of both products, letting them know that I would for sure be buying one of them, they said that they felt that the two products were equally safe.

We are planning, eventually, to get the Air for our pups for air travel. The Air is a wonderfully designed bag and we felt that we would be comfortable having our dogs in it on car trips linked to air travel. In fact, we ALMOST got the Air over the Mobile Pet Bed for local use as it is a lot easier to carry and has more uses that line up with our lifestyle----the round shape of the Mobile Pet Bed makes it a bit difficult to carry and it is too big for airplanes. However, we thought that our dogs would be more comfortable with being able to see out of the top of the Mobile Pet Bed (they can see out 365 degrees) in the car. And we had that extra security of the Center for Pet Safety's external testing on the Mobile Pet Bed.

A couple of thoughts for you as you think through the options.

Make sure that you are looking at the "medium" size of the Mobile Pet Bed (they also have a small, which would have been much less comfortable for our 4.5 and 5.5 pound pups).

Perhaps order one medium Mobile Pet Bed and see how your older dog reacts to it. You could put a favorite cuddly blanket or toy inside and just have it around the house for a while. You might find that even your older dog likes it. If you zip the top off the bed, it is a comfy place for a Yorkie to hang out.

You could also order one Air and do the same thing. Just make sure that you order them from somewhere that takes returns---I am finding more and more online places that don't!

If you order directly from Sleepypod, they have a great return policy and are also super helpful if you want to give them a call and discuss the options. Everyone who works there has a dog, so they have personal experience of all different shapes and sizes of dogs in their carriers and harnesses. In fact, when we were there, we met the owner of the cute white dog who is on their website. Their website also lists retailers, so you could see if someone in your area has them in stock and try them out at a store.

Good luck! I am delighted that you are taking your babies' safety so seriously. My dogs are still getting used to the Mobile Pet Bed, but we are sticking with it because their lives and safety are the most important thing!