When people think of dog bliss, one image that might come to mind is a happy pooch with his head hanging out of a car, wind blowing through his hair and the amazing stream of scents that come fast and furiously as the car hurdles forward.

There are, however, a couple things to think about before you succumb to the whining that is urging you to open that window:

• Dogs act as projectiles during an accident or a short stop if not restrained in the car. It’s bad enough if the windows are closed, but if your dog is half in and half out, either of these scenarios doesn’t play out well.
• Think about the bugs and debris that either fly quickly past your car or intensely splat on your front window. Those things can also hit your dog’s eyes with the same momentum and do mild to serious damage, not to mention a low hanging branch that your car might get too close to unintentionally.

So, how can you make Fido happy and safe?

• Keep him in one place by fitting him for a doggie seatbelt (yes, I said doggie seatbelt). There are many different kinds to choose from on the market, just Google “dog seat belt harness” for a large selection. Here’s a link to one with which I have had personal success made by a company called Four Paws.
• For smaller dogs, there are dog seats that look like dog beds, but raise the pooch so they can see out the window, are comfortable AND allow you to thread the seat belt through it and attach to the above mentioned harness.
• Goggles – yes, I also said “goggles”. It sounds crazy, but eye surgery for 10 minutes of bliss is not worth it. If they must look out the open window, let them sport some fashionable eyewear even if you don’t live in LA!

Believe it or not, there is a blog dedicated to dog seat belts. No, I’m serious, check it out. It seems to have been short lived, as the subject can only go so far, but blog she did. It has some good info and thoughts on restraining a dog in the car.

At the end of the day, a dog that is secured and safe in the car is not only good for them, it’s good for the driver too.