Store Bought Car Seat Alternative???
 

I posted this under the "health" part also, but now realize it would be better here under "general discussion"......

Both my cockapoo and my yorkie LOVE to ride in the car. But it drives me nuts when they want to ride in my lap. I feel like I can't properly pay attention to driving with either of them infront of the steering wheel ya know. So I wanted to know has anyone made some type of car seat for the passenger side for their furkids? Okay, so I'm cheap, the car seats i've seen so far have been about $50. Just wondering

http://www.nextag.com/dog-car-seat/search-html

check out this addy...there are quite a few pages that compare all dog carseats/harness systems. On page 3 for example there is a harness for 19.99 and carseats for as low as 23.99 I didn't check out all the pages but they seem to have seats in all price ranges.
Hope you find something! :)

I bought my first double lookout carseat online and it was pretty expensive but the dogs love it. We are taking a long trip next week (23 hours driving) and because of space restraints, I have made them two smaller car seats. I made them out of plastic baskets covered with padding and then material. I even found straps sold be the yard and buckles (Walmart). I do sew though. I'll try to take a picture for you at lunchtime today and post them this afternoon when I come back to work.

One of them turned out really good but the pink one I made for my girl chihuahua looks a little funky. It will serve it's purpose though. Both my yorkie and chihuahua love the console one because they get to ride right next to me.

tpaxton23, thanks so much for the idea. I'd thought about taking a milk crate I already have; making a lining that goes into the inside like a bag but comes back over and down the outside of crate, then the elastic secures under the bottom of crate. Kinda how a basket liner works. Then take several solid pieces of foam and stack and cover them w/material. The foam would fit into the inside of crate. But i'm not sure if they'd be tall enough still though. Will look forward to seeing a photo of yours. Thanks

LuvMySissy says she'll sell hers for $15 plus shipping. - I have one too like the one she's selling that I actually bought from StewiesMom on YT and Sully loves LOVES riding in it! It's the best purchase I've made in a while, no doubt.

It's a Outward Hound carseat that straps on to the seat and headrest "basket" style.

Lorin:
 

Here are some pictures of the 2 car seats I made for our long trip. I have already tried the grey console car seat out and they love that one. I haven't tried the pink one out yet. I'm not quite finished with it (needs some more work). The pink one sets on the cup holder in the backseat and has a strap underneath to secure it along with the seat belt going through. I made them both from a plastic storage bin.

I think that you could use a milk crate to make one. Let me know if you would like to see more pictures without the covers on to see how I padded them.

These look really great. Just a safety note; the Lookout Console seat has straps that also go through both front seats to really secure it in place. They attach to the underside of the console seat, then loop through where the bucket seat top and bottom meet and then re-connect. Might be worth a few extra bucks of straps...

Thank you for letting me know.
 

Thanks for that tip. I didn't see those straps in the picture I pulled off the internet. I should be able to add another strap and loop it down under the front seats. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Is there only one strap that hooks to their harness? I'm actually more worried about that.

Thanks for the pics
 

Thanks for the great pics. This is exactly what i was thinking of. They look great. I'm gonna try and make one just for the fun of it. IF and when i'll post some pics too. Thanks again.

I think the carseat I bought cost about $60. But I bought it four years ago and it is used constantly -- so that amount of money for a good carseat wasn't so bad after all. Plus - I expect to get many more years of use out of it.

And - now I need to buy another one for my other dog.

My dogs never try to get out of them and actually curl up and take a nap after we have been in the car for a while. I don't know about the rest of you, but I totally can't concentrate well on my driving when one of my dogs is trying to ride in my lap. I just can't allow it.

Not only does a dog running around the front seat wanting to ride in our lap make us more apt to have an accident, but if we did - it would be even more likely that both of us could be badly hurt.

I sure like the carseat I got. I think that spending money on a good carseat should be done before we buy a lot of clothes and other things that we get for our dogs..........first things first!!!!!

Good luck!

Carol Jean

tpaxton23 I LOVE those seats!! What a great idea! I think if we ever make a long road trip, I'd make one for Topher so he'd be a bit more comfy. The seat I have for him now is great but for hours and hours in the van something with soft padding like that would be nice. Good work!! :)

has anyone ever used or seen the car safety restraints? I just ordered one for Kizzy today. She already has a seat in my truck but I have no way to buckle it in that I feel is safe. Therefore she only goes with me when my hubby is with us or just down the street to the service station or about 8 miles to the vet which then if its just the two of us I put her in her full crate and she dont like that. But this way, I can put the harness on and it hooks right into the cars safety belt and it is padded in the front over her chest and I thought it seemed like a pretty good thing. I'm gonna try it anyway and see if I like it as it only cost about 10 bucks. It comes in all sizes and it should secure her in her bed the way I fix the bed and the harness will keep her from trying to get in my lap when i'm driving. it can be used in the front or back seat. So at least I'll give it a shot for that price. Its not like we take her miles and miles when its only she and I. Mostly just in our town. But now I will feel safer driving with her and me alone. And therefore she can go more places with me as she loves going with me without having to be in her carrier all closed in.

Good job. I have to ask though, do they argue about who gets to sit up front? Do they have to take turns? I know that was always a big arguement between my sis and I growing up.

I have seen these, but never in a small enough size. I originally purchased a the smallest one they make because I was going use this for the harness needed in her first car seat. Well, the smallest size was HUGE. It didn't even come close to staying over her shoulders. So, it was returned and I use a harness vest instead. And we now have a console car seat as well.

Tophersmom:
 

Thank you so much. The console one turned out really well. I'm not so happy with the one for the back but I think I can make a few improvements and it will be fine. My 2 smaller dogs (chi and yorkie) take turns in the console seat. All 3 of my dogs love the double outlook seat I am currently using, as they can stick their heads out the window in back. I just don't have room for it on our long trip as our adult children will be going along. I hope the smaller ones are comfortable as it's a 23 hour drive. They'll have fun once we get there though as we will be camping.