Dog in the car: crate, car seat or restraint?

Four ways side by side

A crate is a closed cage or box your dog lies or sits in. It usually goes in the boot; a small one can also go on the back seat or in the footwell. There are folding fabric crates, plastic boxes and fixed car crates.

A dog car seat is a bed with raised sides that sits on the back seat and is held by the car's seat belt around the backrest. It is made for small dogs.

A dog car restraint is a short lead that clicks into the car's seat belt buckle and clips to your dog's harness. Your dog then sits or lies on the back seat.

A dog guard separates the boot from the cabin. Your dog lies loose in the boot but can't come forward.

Crate: which size fits your dog and your car?

You measure a crate twice: against your dog and against your car. Measure your dog standing, from nose to the base of the tail and from the floor to the top of his head or ears. He should be able to stand, turn and lie down inside. Then measure the boot: the width between the wheel arches, the height of the opening and the depth to the back seat. With a sloping tailgate the top at the back is often lower than the opening.

Makers sell crates in sizes. Flamingo makes the Lanta in sizes including M at 71 x 51 x 54 cm and L at 80 x 56 x 65.5 cm, and the plastic Fomad with a metal door in several sizes, such as the Fomad S at 40 x 61 x 41 cm and the Fomad M at 53 x 67 x 47 cm. 4pets gives dogs up to 17 kg for the Autobench Pro 1, and makes the Pro 22 as a crate for two dogs.

Car seat: for small dogs on the back seat

A dog car seat sits on the back seat and is held by the seat belt around the backrest. Your dog sits a little higher and has a fixed place. Look at the inside size: he should be able to lie down in it. Flamingo makes car seats in many shapes, from the compact, folding Rey at 45 x 38.5 x 41 cm to the flat Megan at 82 x 60 x 15 cm, which Flamingo calls a back seat model. The Ida is a car seat and carrier in one, according to Flamingo.

In a car seat you clip your dog to his harness with a short lead, so he stays in his place. Some seats have that lead built in, like Flamingo's folding Andor with its own strap; for others you buy a restraint separately.

Car restraint: a short lead to the harness

A dog car restraint has a clip that fits the car's seat belt buckle at one end and a snap hook at the other. What you attach it to is in the manual; usually that is a harness. The length decides how much your dog can move: Curli makes it in S at 30 cm and L at 60 cm. Trixie sells a car restraint with a snap hook, Beeztees a walking and car restraint of 40 to 65 cm.

The CarSafe restraint from Company of Animals, the maker of Halti, is sold by chest girth, such as XS for 40 to 50 cm. So it is a harness: measure your dog's chest just behind the front legs.

Dog guard: when the boot is the dog's place

A dog guard braces between floor and roof or fits behind the headrests and closes off the space above the back seat. PawHut sells an adjustable car dog guard. Measure the width and height of your car behind the back seat and check in the product data that the guard fits those sizes. A guard and a crate also go together: the crate in the boot, the guard behind it.

Comparing prices

Crates and travel gear for dogs are under crates; harnesses for the restraint are under collars and leads. Brands include Flamingo, 4pets and Beeztees. Every size has its own EAN, and Tassvi compares them one by one.