Safety First

It is a 6+ hour car ride to Vermont. Last year, both Harley and Ava sat all the way in the back of our Rav4 and we jammed all our packing into the backseat. This year we decided to put all our stuff in the back, Harley in the backseat and Quail at my feet.

I always worry when Harley rides in the backseat because if we come to a sudden stop, he could slam into the back of the front seats or even worse, fly between the two front seats and through the windshield. So I bought him a doggie seat belt.

It latches into the seat belt so when the seat belt locks, he stays put since he has a harness on and the harness is attached to the seat belt. There is enough give for him to be able to stand up, lie down and turn around if he wants to. He's not the type to pace back and forth in the backseat while the car is moving probably because we never let him do it as a pup. Actually, none of our dogs have ever been allowed to roam around the car while the car is in motion because they were raised to ride in cars as guide dogs.

At first Harley was not happy with the harness. I don't think it's because of the lack of freedom but more that he had to wear something that he wasn't used to. When we first put it on him, he wouldn't look at us. He gradually got used to it and now he is just okay with it. Maybe one day he will realize that the harness means a car ride and he won't mind at all.

Quail's spot in the car ride to Vermont was at my feet on the passenger side floor. This is where the Seeing Eye wants their dogs to sit. It's actually pretty safe because if we come to a sudden stop, there really isn't anywhere for her to go. In an accident, a dog sitting on the front passenger seat will probably either fly through the windshield or be killed when the airbag goes off.

People always ask me how our dogs can fit in that spot when I am sitting there. Quail is on the small side at only 50 pounds but even Harley can sit there with me and he is 75 pounds. If hubby was sitting in the passenger seat, it would be tight with a dog at his feet but it is still doable.