Wednesday, November 2, 2011

How To Install A Dog Car Seat

It might look difficult to install a dog car seat at first, but it is not. Follow these simple steps to install your dog car seat correctly, and then go cruising with your pooch!

You have finally made the decision to purchase a dog car seat. That is excellent news! Consider yourself a responsible pet owner. Dog car seats contribute to the health and safety of our four-legged best friends. These seats also make cleaning your car easier, and most of them come with removable pads that are easy to throw in the wash.

Now that you have your dog car seat home, how do you install it? Don’t worry, it is fairly simple. Most dog car seats install in a similar fashion to child car seats, so if you have children you are going to be very familiar with the design. However, even though you might be acquainted with how it’s done, you still need to read the directions. This will make it so no part is overlooked, which could lead to injury because the seat is not installed correctly.

Front Or Back?

If you have a smaller dog, you might have purchased a dog car seat that is also a booster seat. These are often installed in the front passenger seat. These seats, on top of being safe, also allow your pet to enjoy the views, which is something that little dogs often miss out on.

Booster type dog car seats generally work the same way non-booster seats do. They will come with a nylon belt that must be secured to your car’s seat belt. There will also be a tethering strap that you attach to your dog’s harness. Some of these booster seats have two separate nylon loop belts that will wrap around the car seat itself and be secured to the dog car seat. This makes it so the dog car seat does not wobble or move as you drive.

You can also install your dog car seat in the backseat of your car. This is done the same way as if it were installed in the front. The safety straps that run from the dog car seat need to be secured through your car’s seatbelt.

After you install it, make sure it is not too loose. You do not want the car seat to have a lot of motion, and you especially don’t want it to slip off the seat in the case of an accident. When you attach the tethering strap to your dog, make this secure enough so he can’t jump out, but not so tight that he can’t look around. After you do this, you are all set to enjoy some traveling time with your furry friend!