How Do You Transport Your Furbabies? - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

LuvMySissy · 04-17-2006, 05:48 PM

I'll admit that Sissy is actually in the crook of my arm as I'm driving! That is why I don't take her many places, cause I know it is bad. She hates the carrier and whines and scratches and has actually gotten it open and jumped out. Has anyone with lap/arm driving experience purchased a carseat and had success???

livingdustmops · 04-17-2006, 06:01 PM

I am reposting this as I think it is very important that everyone is aware of traveling with their Yorkies.

I was looking at getting a new Lookout Cover for my dog seats and ran across these safety tips. Thought I would share with everyone since so many people travel over the holiday. There were a few I had not thought about.

5 Reasons Your Little Dog Should Use a Lookout Car Seat and Safety Car VestHarness

1. Distraction
Little dogs can provide much-needed distraction from the pressures of daily life. However, you don’t want your pet distracting you when you’re behind the wheel. The results could be disastrous--for you, your pet, and other motorists.

2. Impact
Pets without restraints are just like people without seatbelts: If you slam on the brakes or hit another car, they go flying and even the strongest person can’t hold back the amount of force generated, even at slow speeds.

3. Emergencies
A dog that has been in an accident is likely to be in shock, confused, and injured. They may not take kindly to rescue personnel without provocation. You can minimize this danger by properly restraining your dog. They can also be frightened and run from the accident scene. If you’re injured you can’t run after them.

4. Control
Even a well-trained dog can be distracted by a squirrel or cat. If your dog is properly tethered they can’t jump out the window or chase after another animal when you open your door.

5. Comfort
Imagine standing blindfolded in the back of a moving truck. That’s what the average car trip is like for your dog, a series of unexpected starts, stops, and turns. You can increase your dog’s security and comfort by giving them a boost up to see out the window and providing comfortable restraints.

Dos and Don’ts...

Do use restraints that offer mobility
Some restraints only allow your dog to remain in a sitting position. That might be fine for a quick trip to the post office, but over a longer haul your dog should be able to sit and lie down. Lookouts come with soft Sherpa fabric that give them a soft bed for hours of commuting.

Do properly fit your dog with the correct size restraint
The padded Car VestHarness (#202215) has a flexible fit and a soft cloth lining. The harness slips over their head with elastic fit at the collar and only two adjustable clip buckles at the girth on the dogs’ back for their comfort. The D-Ring attaches easily to the Lookout clasp and later to their lead when you take them out of the car. There’s also a loop on the harness for seatbelt attachment when your Lookout isn’t available.

Do have an I.D. tag on your dog at all times when traveling
You never want them to get away from you, but if they do be sure your cell phone number and address appear on their I.D. tag.

Don’t put your dog in a crate or cage
In an accident a crate or cage will go flying through the air just like an unrestrained dog. If the crate itself is secured, your dog may hit against the interior walls with potentially lethal force.
Don’t let them hang their head out the window without eye protection Although a dog may love to have the wind in their face, an animal can suffer eye damage and even vision loss from road debris and insects. We recommend Doggles Safety Eyewear for your little dog whenever you’re on the road. They’ll look forward to wearing them if they’re know they’re going for a ride with you

livingdustmops · 04-17-2006, 06:05 PM

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...fest+place+car

I am posting a couple of PM's I had with another member (with her permission) because I learned something new about the safest place in the car for your fur babies.

(My PM to another member)

Morning

What kind of car are you driving? Does it have side impact bags?

I am very nervous about my guys riding in the front seat even with their harness because of working in the car business. I actually worked for the division at one time that made airbags, scared the hell out of me. A man was killed in one of our plants when it accidentally went off - broke his neck. Of course that was before the passenger sensor so I am going to ask some of the engineers their thoughts on this and also the side impact airbags. I am also going to ask them what % of passenger bags have gone off even with no one sitting in the seat with a high impact crash.
How much lead do you have on your little one from his harness to the seatbelt?
I did finally break down and get the console seat as Bella would be completely out of direct line of any airbag going off. The rest of the gang rides in the back in their lookout seats
Don't mean to scare you and I will let you know what I have found out.
***********
Her response:
Hmmm... You raise some very valid points about airbags. Yes, my car has side impact bags. It's an Audi A3 - not sure if it's in the States or not. Let me know what you find out, okay?

Joey wears a special harness that attaches one end to him and the other end to the seatbelt. I'd say it's probably just about 6 inches from seatbelt to where it attaches to him. Not much wiggle room. What are thoughts on that?
********
My response:

Assumption dog is already in a harness attached to a seatbelt so it is not flying through the air upon impact nor can it get loose after an accident

Okay I talked to an engineer this morning (if you don't think that is difficult, engineers think with their left brains and sales (me) thinks with my right brain, you would die laughing at the conversation. But I am glad I talked to him because he taught me a few things.
1st let me say, the safest spot for your child or your fur baby is in the middle of the back seat (I didn't think about that dah) because any car needs to use the pillars to absorb the energy (cave in) coming into the car. In other words the sides will cave in as they are designed to do and if your dog is on a side it could/will be crushed.

He told me that he has not heard of airbags going off in a crash on the passenger side (with sensors) but also he might not always hear as in the industry there are margins for acceptability (car talk language).
Cars have sensor points at different locations on a car and if these sensors are not triggered in an accident they will not go off. Air bags are not designed to go off in every situation but I am not an expert nor do I want to get into a discussion about them.

He did tell me that many of the side impact curtains are designed to go off with a side impact and protect the drivers head from smashing into the window. Many cover the whole window and down the inside of the door and now they are working to cover both front and rear passengers so all the more reason to move the dog to the middle of the car. He was not sure how far out they expanded (but this is where it gets hard for me to describe but) in an impact and you are hit on the right side first your body will go left and then it will go back to the right with an acceleration and could push the dog into the side curtain at the same time the side curtain expands and break the dogs neck. I did ask him about using the lookout console seat as it is in the middle of the car and not in the area an airbag would go off and he said that was fine. Bottom line: The safest place for your fur baby is harnessed in the middle of the car either front or back

Lookout car seats have a great console model for either cars or trucks.

suninthesummer · 04-17-2006, 06:26 PM

I have an outward hound car seat and it is great!!
It is so safe and she can sit or lie down but the best thing is I know she is safe and won't be distracted.

When I am in the passenger seat I have her on my knee and I have used a lanyard and shortened it so one end its on the seatbelt at my chest and the other clips to her harness.
It wouldn't be good for long trips but at least she is secure for short ones.

JillandJack · 04-17-2006, 09:37 PM

For those using the car seat and have more than one dog, do you get individual seats or do you get one big enough for both to fit in?

Lots of stuff to think about. Great responses from everyone. That is why I love this site!

Lola LaRue · 04-17-2006, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvMySissy

I'll admit that Sissy is actually in the crook of my arm as I'm driving! That is why I don't take her many places, cause I know it is bad. She hates the carrier and whines and scratches and has actually gotten it open and jumped out. Has anyone with lap/arm driving experience purchased a carseat and had success???

Yes! We drove with her in both the passengers arms and the driver's arms

It took her a few times to feel comfortable, but now she is okay with her lookout seat.

romeos mommy · 04-17-2006, 09:48 PM

invest in a good carseat.. we have a lookout carseat. it saved romeos life. we were in a horrific car accident and my car was totalled. romeo would not be here today without his carseat. i always jump on these threads to share my story. please get a carseat. it can save your furbabys life.

Lola LaRue · 04-17-2006, 09:53 PM

You just reinforced how important it is for me to put Lola in her seat every time we go somewhere. Sometimes I say, "Well the vets only around the corner." Now I will use her seat everytime we are in the car. I want her as safe as possible and I know that her lookout seat will always protect her.

livingdustmops · 04-17-2006, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JillandJack

For those using the car seat and have more than one dog, do you get individual seats or do you get one big enough for both to fit in?

Lots of stuff to think about. Great responses from everyone. That is why I love this site!

My little ones are just like kids in the car, she's touching me (high whinny voice here) and then little fights break out

. I always crack up when I look in my mirror and they have their backs to each other leaning over the opposite side. Around town 1 is fine for 2 but if you go on longer trips it is harder for them to stretch out and sleep and their harness can get crossed up.

JillandJack · 04-18-2006, 05:26 AM

Hi livingdustmops...Any suggestions on what size to get. They both will be about 4 lbs. Not sure what size would be right. Hoping that if you have experience with one, is there anything I need to know about purchasing one? Thanks for the info.

chachi · 04-18-2006, 05:41 AM

We put ours in a small crate sometimes.

livingdustmops · 04-18-2006, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JillandJack

Hi livingdustmops...Any suggestions on what size to get. They both will be about 4 lbs. Not sure what size would be right. Hoping that if you have experience with one, is there anything I need to know about purchasing one? Thanks for the info.

Well, I have 5 different seats and console models because I change cars every 90 days (I work for GM) and at times I travel with up to 6 dogs

I am not sure what vehicle you drive and how much room is in the backseat & how much room you would like to save for a travel trip.

For the most part I always have 2 of the regular size in my car and hopefully the following website might help you decide. I can put 1 regular, 1 oversized regular and one double into my backseat so plenty of room for everyone

http://www.snoozer-dog-beds.com/sizes.htm
http://www.snoozer-dog-beds.com/

I purchased mine on ebay (watch the shipping charges) but I know we have YT members who sell these in their stores and they offer YT discounts. You can also purchase direct from the above company.

Hope this helps.

sshaw · 04-18-2006, 07:45 AM

All my little girls of the past stretched out on the side of my leg, but Dennis has a car seat that he has grown to love. I drive a van and have it propped up between the seats and it is as high as my head so he can see everything laying or standing. I stopped the other day to get something to eat and chose a booth that looked out on to the Van. I just wanted to see what he does when I am not there because I worry so when I have to grocery shop or run an errand. He was quite content to just look around a little then he just curled up and went to sleep. It was a great relief to see! This car seat is the one that comes with a suitcase that attaches with Velcro to the bottom giving it more height and can be used in Motels for a nice bed.

Kupara · 04-18-2006, 08:44 AM

Same for us. My girl unfortunately always lies down on my husband's lap (he's the driver). When we got her 6 years ago I bought a harness that I would clip to the middle seatbelt (on back seat), but my husband didn't like it cause he thought Nuki was happier on his lap, so he kept unclipping her each time I secured her before sitting in the car.

It was so frustrating, he just didn't want to understand that it was safer for her to be restrained in the middle of the back seat. After almost a month of fighting over this I just gave up. All I hope is that we'll never have a car accident.

LuvMySissy · 04-18-2006, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvMySissy

I'll admit that Sissy is actually in the crook of my arm as I'm driving! That is why I don't take her many places, cause I know it is bad. She hates the carrier and whines and scratches and has actually gotten it open and jumped out. Has anyone with lap/arm driving experience purchased a carseat and had success???

Based on all the talk here, I bought an Outward Hound seat today. It has to go in the front seat because it straps not only to the headrest, but also to the back of the bucket seat. As my car also has a front passenger airbag (no side impact ones), the seat of the car is as far back as it goes. I am much closer to the driver airbag than she would be to one. We took a little drive to try it out and she did okay. I don't think she would sit in the back seat in another type of seat without whining, unless I was there with her. Once she completely adapts to this seat and as finances permit, I'll purchase a snoozer.

04-17-2006, 05:48 PM	#16
LuvMySissy Luv my Angel, too! Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: USA Posts: 9,333	I'll admit that Sissy is actually in the crook of my arm as I'm driving! That is why I don't take her many places, cause I know it is bad. She hates the carrier and whines and scratches and has actually gotten it open and jumped out. Has anyone with lap/arm driving experience purchased a carseat and had success??? __________________ Sissy & Angel

04-17-2006, 06:01 PM	#17
livingdustmops Princess Poop A Lot Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 6,728	I am reposting this as I think it is very important that everyone is aware of traveling with their Yorkies. I was looking at getting a new Lookout Cover for my dog seats and ran across these safety tips. Thought I would share with everyone since so many people travel over the holiday. There were a few I had not thought about. 5 Reasons Your Little Dog Should Use a Lookout Car Seat and Safety Car VestHarness 1. Distraction Little dogs can provide much-needed distraction from the pressures of daily life. However, you don’t want your pet distracting you when you’re behind the wheel. The results could be disastrous--for you, your pet, and other motorists. 2. Impact Pets without restraints are just like people without seatbelts: If you slam on the brakes or hit another car, they go flying and even the strongest person can’t hold back the amount of force generated, even at slow speeds. 3. Emergencies A dog that has been in an accident is likely to be in shock, confused, and injured. They may not take kindly to rescue personnel without provocation. You can minimize this danger by properly restraining your dog. They can also be frightened and run from the accident scene. If you’re injured you can’t run after them. 4. Control Even a well-trained dog can be distracted by a squirrel or cat. If your dog is properly tethered they can’t jump out the window or chase after another animal when you open your door. 5. Comfort Imagine standing blindfolded in the back of a moving truck. That’s what the average car trip is like for your dog, a series of unexpected starts, stops, and turns. You can increase your dog’s security and comfort by giving them a boost up to see out the window and providing comfortable restraints. Dos and Don’ts... Do use restraints that offer mobility Some restraints only allow your dog to remain in a sitting position. That might be fine for a quick trip to the post office, but over a longer haul your dog should be able to sit and lie down. Lookouts come with soft Sherpa fabric that give them a soft bed for hours of commuting. Do properly fit your dog with the correct size restraint The padded Car VestHarness (#202215) has a flexible fit and a soft cloth lining. The harness slips over their head with elastic fit at the collar and only two adjustable clip buckles at the girth on the dogs’ back for their comfort. The D-Ring attaches easily to the Lookout clasp and later to their lead when you take them out of the car. There’s also a loop on the harness for seatbelt attachment when your Lookout isn’t available. Do have an I.D. tag on your dog at all times when traveling You never want them to get away from you, but if they do be sure your cell phone number and address appear on their I.D. tag. Don’t put your dog in a crate or cage In an accident a crate or cage will go flying through the air just like an unrestrained dog. If the crate itself is secured, your dog may hit against the interior walls with potentially lethal force. Don’t let them hang their head out the window without eye protection Although a dog may love to have the wind in their face, an animal can suffer eye damage and even vision loss from road debris and insects. We recommend Doggles Safety Eyewear for your little dog whenever you’re on the road. They’ll look forward to wearing them if they’re know they’re going for a ride with you __________________ Cindy & The Rescued Gang Puppies Are Not Products!

04-17-2006, 06:05 PM	#18
livingdustmops Princess Poop A Lot Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 6,728	Reposting this thread http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...fest+place+car I am posting a couple of PM's I had with another member (with her permission) because I learned something new about the safest place in the car for your fur babies. (My PM to another member) Morning What kind of car are you driving? Does it have side impact bags? I am very nervous about my guys riding in the front seat even with their harness because of working in the car business. I actually worked for the division at one time that made airbags, scared the hell out of me. A man was killed in one of our plants when it accidentally went off - broke his neck. Of course that was before the passenger sensor so I am going to ask some of the engineers their thoughts on this and also the side impact airbags. I am also going to ask them what % of passenger bags have gone off even with no one sitting in the seat with a high impact crash. How much lead do you have on your little one from his harness to the seatbelt? I did finally break down and get the console seat as Bella would be completely out of direct line of any airbag going off. The rest of the gang rides in the back in their lookout seats Don't mean to scare you and I will let you know what I have found out. ********* Her response: Hmmm... You raise some very valid points about airbags. Yes, my car has side impact bags. It's an Audi A3 - not sure if it's in the States or not. Let me know what you find out, okay? Joey wears a special harness that attaches one end to him and the other end to the seatbelt. I'd say it's probably just about 6 inches from seatbelt to where it attaches to him. Not much wiggle room. What are thoughts on that? **** My response: Assumption dog is already in a harness attached to a seatbelt so it is not flying through the air upon impact nor can it get loose after an accident Okay I talked to an engineer this morning (if you don't think that is difficult, engineers think with their left brains and sales (me) thinks with my right brain, you would die laughing at the conversation. But I am glad I talked to him because he taught me a few things. 1st let me say, the safest spot for your child or your fur baby is in the middle of the back seat (I didn't think about that dah) because any car needs to use the pillars to absorb the energy (cave in) coming into the car. In other words the sides will cave in as they are designed to do and if your dog is on a side it could/will be crushed. He told me that he has not heard of airbags going off in a crash on the passenger side (with sensors) but also he might not always hear as in the industry there are margins for acceptability (car talk language). Cars have sensor points at different locations on a car and if these sensors are not triggered in an accident they will not go off. Air bags are not designed to go off in every situation but I am not an expert nor do I want to get into a discussion about them. He did tell me that many of the side impact curtains are designed to go off with a side impact and protect the drivers head from smashing into the window. Many cover the whole window and down the inside of the door and now they are working to cover both front and rear passengers so all the more reason to move the dog to the middle of the car. He was not sure how far out they expanded (but this is where it gets hard for me to describe but) in an impact and you are hit on the right side first your body will go left and then it will go back to the right with an acceleration and could push the dog into the side curtain at the same time the side curtain expands and break the dogs neck. I did ask him about using the lookout console seat as it is in the middle of the car and not in the area an airbag would go off and he said that was fine. Bottom line: The safest place for your fur baby is harnessed in the middle of the car either front or back Lookout car seats have a great console model for either cars or trucks. __________________ Cindy & The Rescued Gang Puppies Are Not Products!**

04-18-2006, 05:26 AM	#25
JillandJack Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Cheesehead Land Posts: 1,127 Blog Entries: 1	Hi livingdustmops...Any suggestions on what size to get. They both will be about 4 lbs. Not sure what size would be right. Hoping that if you have experience with one, is there anything I need to know about purchasing one? Thanks for the info. __________________ Jack Jilly Bean *Who Needs A Doorbell When They Have A Yorkie!!!*

04-18-2006, 05:41 AM	#26
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 37,147	We put ours in a small crate sometimes. __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427

04-17-2006, 06:26 PM	#19
suninthesummer Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 149	I have an outward hound car seat and it is great!! It is so safe and she can sit or lie down but the best thing is I know she is safe and won't be distracted. When I am in the passenger seat I have her on my knee and I have used a lanyard and shortened it so one end its on the seatbelt at my chest and the other clips to her harness. It wouldn't be good for long trips but at least she is secure for short ones.

04-17-2006, 09:37 PM	#20
JillandJack Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Cheesehead Land Posts: 1,127 Blog Entries: 1	For those using the car seat and have more than one dog, do you get individual seats or do you get one big enough for both to fit in? Lots of stuff to think about. Great responses from everyone. That is why I love this site! __________________ Jack Jilly Bean *Who Needs A Doorbell When They Have A Yorkie!!!*

04-17-2006, 09:48 PM	#22
romeos mommy YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Pennsauken , NJ Posts: 4,068	invest in a good carseat.. we have a lookout carseat. it saved romeos life. we were in a horrific car accident and my car was totalled. romeo would not be here today without his carseat. i always jump on these threads to share my story. please get a carseat. it can save your furbabys life.

04-17-2006, 09:53 PM	#23
Lola LaRue Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Ramon, CA Posts: 710	You just reinforced how important it is for me to put Lola in her seat every time we go somewhere. Sometimes I say, "Well the vets only around the corner." Now I will use her seat everytime we are in the car. I want her as safe as possible and I know that her lookout seat will always protect her.

04-18-2006, 07:45 AM	#28
sshaw YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: vestal Posts: 1,289	All my little girls of the past stretched out on the side of my leg, but Dennis has a car seat that he has grown to love. I drive a van and have it propped up between the seats and it is as high as my head so he can see everything laying or standing. I stopped the other day to get something to eat and chose a booth that looked out on to the Van. I just wanted to see what he does when I am not there because I worry so when I have to grocery shop or run an errand. He was quite content to just look around a little then he just curled up and went to sleep. It was a great relief to see! This car seat is the one that comes with a suitcase that attaches with Velcro to the bottom giving it more height and can be used in Motels for a nice bed.

04-18-2006, 08:44 AM	#29
Kupara Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Qc, Canada Posts: 22	Same for us. My girl unfortunately always lies down on my husband's lap (he's the driver). When we got her 6 years ago I bought a harness that I would clip to the middle seatbelt (on back seat), but my husband didn't like it cause he thought Nuki was happier on his lap, so he kept unclipping her each time I secured her before sitting in the car. It was so frustrating, he just didn't want to understand that it was safer for her to be restrained in the middle of the back seat. After almost a month of fighting over this I just gave up. All I hope is that we'll never have a car accident.