What Is The Safest Dog Seat?

We all love taking our four-legged friends with us wherever we go. But when it comes to road trips, it’s important to ensure their safety.

Although there are many “perfectly safe” dog hammock car seat covers on the Internet, not all of them are truly safe. So how do you know what to choose?

In this article, we’ll share the truth about the “safest” dog seats and how to keep your pet secure on the go.

We will also compare the safety levels of pet carriers, booster seats, and dog car seats.

So, let’s get started and make sure your doggie is safe during your next car ride!

The Truth About The “Safest” Dog Car Seats

First of all, let’s figure out what dog car seats are. By car seats we mean seat covers, dog beds, and pet hammocks.

Hammocks are considered the most popular and safest dog car seats today, so we will refer to them most often as we talk about dog car seats.

So, how can one be sure that a car dog hammock or other dog seat is really 100% safe?

– Access to seat belt buckles –

As the results of many crash tests and statewide pet transporting guidelines show, your dog must be secured with a car safety belt.

So the first thing you should check when choosing a dog car hammock is if it has access to your car’s seat belt buckles.

A safe dog backseat hammock has two (or more) holes in the fold. These can be open holes or with zipper inside.

They should be the right size so that you can easily secure your dog with a safety belt to the seat buckle.

And this is the only safe way to fasten your dog in the car. So if there are no holes or they just don’t fit your car seats, such a car dog hammock is dangerous to use.

Some sellers may try to convince you that their dog backseat hammock is perfectly safe and suggest that you secure your dog’s safety belt to the headrest.

Please note that this method is not as secure as using seat belt buckles. Don’t listen to these sellers – they are just trying to sell you a product that is simply not safe.

– Strong straps & clasps –

The second important point is the fasteners of your dog car hammock.

They need to be sturdy enough to support your doggie’s weight and be able to handle heavy pulls – such as in case of an accident or heavy braking.

It is best to choose a car dog hammock with metal clasps and straps made of durable synthetic material such as nylon or polyester.

For example, the dog backseat hammock from owleys.com has these nylon-metal fasteners.

I myself use this dog car hammock from Owleys and it works great when I travel with my bulldog.

– Non-slipping design –

Whether you’re looking for a large dog backseat hammock or a different style of dog car seat, it must fit snugly.

Make sure that the dog car hammock is the right size for your car model. If it’s too small – your dog will feel uncomfortable.

If it’s too big – it will sag and fold. So get the dog seat cover that fits your vehicle perfectly.

We recommend choosing dog car covers and hammocks with non-slip bottoms. These are usually coatings made of rubber or special anti-slip PVC.

They not only prevent sliding and movement under your pet but also make your doggie feel stable and safe while on the road.

Dog Carriers VS Booster Seats VS Dog Car Seats

Now let’s compare the safety level of different dog car seats.

– Dog Carriers –

Carriers come in a variety of styles and designs, but usually, most have four-sided protection and a closable top.

They keep your pet safe while on the go but are not always comfortable due to the limited room for movement.

It is difficult to secure the carrier with a car seat belt. The most obvious solution seems to be fastening the strap around it, but this doesn’t guarantee complete safety, because the strap can easily come off the carrier in the event of an accident.

A good option would be a dog carrier with a special hole through which you can easily attach your dog’s seat belt to the seat buckle.

However, there are few such carriers on the market, which makes the overall safety level of carriers on the road low.

– Booster Seats –

Booster seats for pets look like open carriers, but softer and cozier – something like a dog bed.

Booster seats usually attach around the seatback, to the headrest, or both. They also often have a design that allows seat belt securing, which is great.

The problem comes when your booster seat does not allow access to your car seat buckles.

Also, boosters that attach to the headrest and literally “hang” above the seat are very unsafe.

Such a placement is really dangerous for your pet in the event of a car accident or sudden braking.

So choose booster seats with a safe design and secure fastening options.

– Dog Car Seats –

And again, dog car seats, including seat covers and hammocks, are safe if they have holes for attaching a dog safety belt to the seat buckles.

This is the essential point. If your doggie is secured with a belt, this car seat is safe.

And the great thing is that almost all dog hammocks and seat covers have these holes, which makes this type of dog car seat the safest.

So, in this article, we have shared what characteristics really make dog car seats 100% safe for your pet.

We also compared the safety levels of dog carriers, booster seats, and dog hammock car seat covers.

We hope that with this information in mind, you’ll have many happy and safe road trips with your tailed friend!