westiemum

Yep I reckon you could KHM - but do you need the holes? Could you use an anchor point somewhere or the seat belt anchor point near the door as GG85 pointed out? Just a thought. If I can't find a crate solution that fits I think I'll go the kwik connect tether and a harness - although the canine spirit 3-in-1 harness looks to spread any impact load better because of its spread across the chest. Anyway it will be either the pet buckle or the canine spirit 3-in-1 I think... Anyone any mid-size crate suggestions for a small wagon back seat? (I read somewhere that they should be on the back seat if possible due to rear end collisions... do people think thats right?) Thanks tons for your help and advice everyone...

Clever GG85... like I said, ask the DOL universe and it delivers... thanks very much for the suggestion.

Sheridan, I'm no crating expert, so maybe Souff can give you some suggestions? Would a tether through anchor points somewhere help? I feel for you having to leave Mini at home. With three westies I just don't feel thats an option for me so I need a solution where I can transport all three at once safely. And I've just tried a PP40 - I can get one on the back seat and another in the cargo area - I can get two westies in a PP40 at a pinch but its really not satisfactory - particularly for long trips (they can't both lie down). Which leave Sarah, my biggest westie without a solution. Mac has been known to get into the cats PP20 :D but that really isn't a solution either... unless there is a slightly smaller (particularly length-wise) hard-sided travel crate that anyone is aware of?

Do you think that leash would hold in an impact? This one might be better - although it is more expensive it looks sturdier and is designed for purpose. And on further looking at my car I have three (3) metal rectangular ring things on the top of each back seat (I have three westies so yes there is a God!!!) which will anchor a harness well so this shorter tether which SecretKei suggested will work well with a good harness. But I do like the idea of good crates... hmn...

Thanks KHM - yes on a closer look at mine to put seat belt holes in my BSB would mean putting holes in the backing as well as the fleece - and I'm not sure how well that will go. Where are you going to get the tethers? I will need two of around 1.3m and one a bit longer with snappy connections on both ends...

Thanks for re-posting Souff - great advice (as usual :D) and something to seriously think about. Yes I have been acutely aware of the dogs velocity through the car on sudden stop or impact - hence trying to find a solution which maximises everyones chances of getting out of it relatively intact. My situation was made worse for me by my old guys propensity for falling down the footwell with his million dollar surgically repaired back legs. Which is why I like the back seat buddy - its hammock design, its well made, washes like a rag and is really robust. Must confess though I didn't think of crates - I tend not to go there I suppose because of a possibly irrational need (yes on my part!) to not crate/cage my two puppy farm survivors again - ever - having spent over half their lives in cages. But maybe for their safety and mine I should reconsider crating in the car. What configuration of hard-sided crates would suit three westies do you think? And are they better on the back seat or in the cargo area of a small wagon? Thanks again.

Thanks SK - thats exactly what I'm looking for if I don't go with the 'holes in the back seat buddy' solution. My only difficulty is the anchor points in my wagon are behind the back seats on the floor of the cargo area, not in the roof - so to get up and over the back seat (through a stay ring on the top of the middle seat), I'm probably going to need at least a metre of length (will measure)... but will see... thanks tons for the link... appreciated.

:D Yes Mac my old westie boy used to like to drive!! Thank goodness he has grown out of it and just prefers to snooze on the back seat! (And yes I did used to tether him to a back seat seat belt thingo, before I got the back seat buddy). But the young westie now likes to get into the front passenger seat and sits up like Jacky and looks around as if to say 'now where are you taking me'? So before BSB I had to restrain him too much to his disgust! and the BSB seems to keep him in the back seat as well thank goodness.

:D Yep it sure does - although at least he'd be safe! With three westies on the back set in the buddy, lucky for me I don't have that trouble!

OSoSwift And that is a really good idea... thanks OSS - gee its always worth asking the DOL Universe!!

Oh yeah - my 'baby' westie likes to look out the window and in doing so he pushes the button and gets the window down! So I lock the windows when the dogs are in the car for the moment until I can get a better restraint solution...

Thanks KTB - I really really like the Pet Avenue Back Seat Buddy - it will outlast me and the dogs and washes like a rag - and I've just this moment thought there is a horse saddle place around the corner... I might be able to get them to put some seat belt holes in it for me x3. It would be worth it I think, as it fits the car well and I plan to keep both the car and the BSB for a long long time. Otherwise I could use the baby anchor points as GG85 suggested.... Thanks everyone. We had the same problem with our first so called Backseat Buddy. It had no holes in it so we had a real problem. We then bought another one that has holes in it for the buckle/clasp to come through and now our dogs are fine - although Elbie has a bad habit of opening the window :D

Thanks tons Gayle - yep that explains it - different brand. I think I now have a solution unless any other back seat buddy users have any other original solutions? TIA Back to Baby Dragons thread to look at those again...

Aaaagh!!! Those anchor points are for baby seats and stuff aren't they? (The 2 legged childless one says with wonder... ) Yep thanks GG85 - I see what you've done and yes that should work well - just have to find the right restraints which are long enough to go up and over the back seat.. As for a BSB that protects the doors... the one I have doesn't do that. And I must say I've never seen or come across one... in thinking about it, how would one work with opening the doors? Unless it was a separate door piece? Could you make one up with velcro tabs or something? Just a thought. Thanks for your help GG85.

OK... genunely not being dumb 'cos mine doesn't have any seat belt holes in it... do you leave yours unzipped in the middle and thats how you do it or did it come with holes? Thanks for your help Gayle.

Uhm thanks Gayle.... Just going out to see....

Hi Everyone, Happy New Year! Inspired by Baby Dragons thread on seat-belts, I'd like to find out from other back seat buddy users whether or not you restrain your dogs as well and if so what with and how with the back seat buddy in place? (And yes I'm quite happy for someone to point out an obvious simple solution - I just can't seem to work out it out! :D) My biggest problem was my old westie boy with the million dollar back legs falling down the footwell (even with a seat belt tether thing on and half hanging himself) which is why the back seat buddy is ideal for me and they are comfortable and love it - but I still would prefer they were restrained as well as then I have the best of all worlds! Any help or advice much appreciated.

Poodlemum thats very sad. And must have been as sad for the car behind and you as for the pups owners... RIP puppy.

If you do a search under 'pet friendly' on stayz and takeabreak websites you'll probably find options where you can keep your dogs with you too.

Sadly - giraffez - yep it can come on quickly. I'd be doing the obvious first and checking his teeth with the vet - may be coincidence that the puppy arrived at this time.

Well done Robbi - and quite frankly I can just see the publicity now for your (foreign owned?) cemetery too if the dog had died... "Old dog of elderly couple at funeral dies cos mean foreign owned cemetery made him stay in the car in 40 degree heat!' Not a good look on that front either - so far from work avoidance techniques, I think you did your employer a big favour!! Yay for Sammy and his owners who obviously love him dearly.

Yep I've flown cats and dogs countless times over the last 25 years or so (Ansett and TAA! ) - and have flown them on both Virgin and Qantas in the last few years and haven't had any problems - my westie girl came down from her breeder in Brisbane on Qantas in late 2006 and didn't have a problem - they fly in the pressurised part of the hold. Just don't sedate them like we used to years ago - it dehydrates them and if they wake up groggy they can be a bit distressed... Oh and do try for early morning/late afternoon/evening flights... I think evening is the best - like hoomans they then have an explore when they arrive and go to sleep!!

Thanks Raz - yep my animals are very important to me and I don't begrudge them healthcare - ever - and that means paying the vet fair and reasonable money for being at my beck and call! Yes my vets skiing career depends on me sticking around... ... and I plan to... What a great attitude. May you and your old boy have many more happy and healthy years together and continue with your great relationship with your vet clinic.

:rofl: :D ;) :D Love it! Yep I just hand over the Amex and sign away.... and as long as it doesn't max out I don't even look at it I love my vets too - and that why I won't move!! (Love my hairdresser and pooch groomer around the corner too... so too many reasons to stay put!) I love our vets as well and just like another client who is a member on here, I would drive right across Sydney if I moved. I pay whatever he asks - mostly because Stormie said she's a Kick Boxing Champion and would kick my arse if I didnt pay up so I just quake in fright when it comes to bill time, hand over my American Express card and tell her to go for her life :D

I am a long standing and regular customer, I am the major reason my vet gets to Aspen each year, and I expect to pay for each dog, given how often I'm there and how much time I usually take up! My vets are terrific and charge very fairly IMO - they have pretty much rebuilt my old boy! So I just pay the bill - which over the last 12 months was probably somewhere between 8 and 10k . And I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. For me the rule of thumb is have as many dogs as you can afford the vet bills for - and three plus the cat is definitely my limit - and if you can't afford or are quibbling over a consult fee then you probably can't afford the dog.