car travel and Buddy

Buddy has had a few issues in the car some of you may remember . - most are resolved but I still have one issue he is on a harness with a seat belt clip that attaches into the seat belt fixing and onto his harness, and a hammock cover to stop him falling - but he will not sit still - the restraint gives him too much movement he is up and down the back seat or on his back legs looking out of the back window and falling around when I turn corners

tried him in the boot but he goes mad throwing himself at the window or trying to dig though the seats to me - the boot is not big enough for a crate - I cant seem to find a restraint that will hold him tight I bought a single hammock and it helps restrict movement, but I cant use his restraint as it zips up both sides and has no opening at the bottom to use the seat belt and not happy he isn't restrained in case of sudden stops .. I found when he was clipped on his restraint and I put his lead round the front headrest he sat fine , but not particularly safe for either of us - so I think it is a balance /sense of security issue -

Any ideas on anything that will keep him more secure ? I don't think he can cope with the movement of the car and needs to be held in place more - the only harness I found was a sleepy pod one but at over 100.00 it is a bit expensive if it doesn't work -

anyone had the same issue or found anything that works better , he is walked on a harness so ideally would like one that I can walk him on and use in the car ,save fighting to change harnesses without him escaping the car lol

Here's a wild idea for you, Carol.

When we last went to France, Millie travelled in the passenger footwell for half the way there and all the way back. George found a couple of inches for his feet! I thought at the time that it would be something to look into for an unhappy traveller, if you could find some way of netting off from the base of the seat to the glove compartment or something, or otherwise preventing the dog from getting out of that area. She was just so happy and comfortable there (and it meant more room for the others in the boot).

Is there any way you could make that work so that he couldn't move around and get in your way at all, but at the same time has a confined and safe area near you?

hi liz - its worth a try I could see if the single hammock could be used to block the seat off a bit ..I am willing to give anything a go at the minute - he so loves being with us I hate having to leave him at home on long journeys but he is really a distraction on the back seat - odd I looked at the passenger seat this morning and wondered if he would sit there .. didn't think about the foot well something to try the weekend

usually when travelling albeit short distances with mia I sit with her in the front seat mia at my feet with frequent stops id say this would work

When l am driving in my own car Duke sits on the passenger seat, his harness clipped into the seat belt. This works well, he looks out of the window for a bit then goes to sleep. I can put my hand to stroke him if needed, which I did when he was a pup, but he's relaxed about travel now.
In my husbands car he has a full width hammock that fits the back seat, and his harness clipped into the seat belt fixing with a special pet clip, they don't cost much, a few pounds.
Having said that Duke loves to travel and I take him out in the car quite a lot.

I'm glad duke love to travel its great to have them with you - I think in a strange way Buddy does too that's the problem he is so happy that he is going somewhere and seeing different things he gets so excited - he has the seat belt clip and hammock on the back seat but he just will not sit still and then falls over when the car is moving .. I haven't tried him in the front seat - going to do that the weekend in slow steps to see how he behaves -

When Duke is in the hammock in the back seat I have the clip as short as possible. He did use to fall about a bit but he soon learnt to sit or lie down and keep his balance

If you have Buddy on the front seat, a) make sure he cannot get onto you or in any way interfere with your driving, and b) switch your passenger air bag off. I have had dogs on the front seat as part of the training process but am not 100% comfortable with it from a safety point of view long term.

If you are going on a long journey and you have a passenger it would help if they sat in the back with Buddy

if there is someone sitting with Buddy there is no issue he sits with his front feet on them and is fine - but when it is just me and him he is a nightmare- and as I have a lot more free time on my own it is such a shame I cant get out and about with him- bit chicken and egg- if he went out more he wouldn't be so excited but I cant take him out because he is too excited!